BALTIMORE — BYU quarterback Kedon Slovis was named Tuesday to the Top 25 Watch List for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation and A. O. Smith.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class and are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field.
Through five games in 2023, Slovis has led BYU to a 4-1 record, including 1-1 in Big 12 play. The 6-3, 215-pound senior has completed 98 of 165 passes for 1,240 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also has three rushing touchdowns.
Slovis, from Scottdale, Arizona, transferred to BYU in the offseason after spending three years at USC and the 2022 season at Pitt. The senior signal caller has started 42 of the 43 games he has played over four years from 2019-22. His career passing yards of 11,213 ranks No. 5 among active quarterbacks in the FBS.
In July, Slovis was also named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award, presented annually to the outstanding player in college football. He is also on the watch list for the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl, held annually in Mobile, Alabama, following the conclusion of the college football season.
As a sophomore, Slovis was named first-team All-Pac 12 by the Associate Press and Phil Steele in 2020 after leading the nation in completions per game (29.5) and finishing sixth in passing yards per game (320.2), 13th in total offense (310.7) and 18th in completion percentage (.670).
The previous year in 2019, Slovis was the Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of the Year and was named Freshman All-American by the Football Writers Association of America and Pro Football Focus. He was also a semifinalist for the FWAA National Freshman of the Year.
The 2023 award winner of the Golden Arm Award will be presented the trophy by The Johnny Unitas Educational Foundation President, John Unitas, Jr., at the Golden Arm Award banquet and celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland on Dec. 7.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List, semifinalists, finalists and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers and former players.
The Award’s namesake, Johnny Unitas, was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards and 290 touchdowns.
Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
Top 25 Watch List
- Jayden Daniels, LSU
- Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
- Quinn Ewers, Texas
- Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma
- Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
- Will Howard, Kansas State
- KJ Jefferson, Arkansas
- Devin Leary, Kentucky
- Riley Leonard, Duke
- Drake Maye, North Carolina
- Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina
- J.J. McCarthy, Michigan
- Joe Millton III, Tennessee
- Bo Nix, Oregon
- Michael Penix Jr., Washington
- Michael Pratt, Tulane
- Spencer Rattler, South Carolina
- Austin Reed, Western Kentucky
- Garrett Shrader, Syracuse
- Kedon Slovis, BYU
- Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
- Jordan Travis, Florida State
- Tyler Van Dyke, Miami
- Cam Ward, Washington State
- Caleb Williams, USC