The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Selection Committee Narrows Watch List to Top 25

Baltimore, MD – The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. is proud to announce the Top 25 quarterbacks in contention for the 2025 Golden Arm Award®. This year’s Top 25 represents the best of college football, narrowed down from the original 58-man Watch List released earlier this year. This prestigious honor is presented annually to the nation’s top senior or upperclassman quarterback who is on track to graduate with their class, embodying not only outstanding on-field performance but also character, citizenship, and leadership.

The 2025 Golden Arm Award Top 25 quarterbacks have distinguished themselves as the nation’s elite leaders under center, combining high-level production with character and resilience. From clutch performances in marquee matchups to steady leadership in the locker room, this group exemplifies the values of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award—excellence on the field, integrity off it, and the ability to inspire those around them.

Now in its 39th year, the Golden Arm Award continues to celebrate the qualities that made Johnny Unitas an icon on and off the field. The award is presented by the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation in partnership with A. O. Smith Corporation, whose long-standing commitment to innovation and excellence mirrors the values of the Golden Arm tradition.

 

The Golden Arm Award Top 25 Quarterbacks for 2025 Are:

  • Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
  • Drew Allar, Penn State
  • Luke Altmyer, Illinois
  • Rocco Becht, Iowa State
  • Carson Beck, Miami
  • Thomas Castellanos, Florida State
  • Taylen Green, Arkansas
  • Josh Hoover, TCU
  • Haynes King, Georgia Tech
  • Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
  • Brendon Lewis, Memphis
  • Arch Manning, Texas
  • John Mateer, Oklahoma
  • Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
  • Darian Mensah, Duke
  • Behren Morton, Texas Tech
  • Chandler Morris, Virginia
  • Miller Moss, Louisville
  • Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
  • Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
  • Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
  • Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
  • LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
  • Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
  • Gunner Stockton, Georgia

As the college football season progresses, this list will be further narrowed to semifinalists and finalists, before one extraordinary quarterback is awarded the Golden Arm Award this December at the annual ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Johnny Unitas’ hometown of Baltimore. The event will honor leadership, legacy, and the best in college football.

Sharing a tradition of innovation with Johnny Unitas—who revolutionized the game with the two-minute drill—A. O. Smith has been a leader in its field for more than a century. The company designs, builds, and supports the world’s most extensive line of residential and commercial water heaters and boilers, combining performance, reliability, and innovation.

For more information on the Golden Arm Award, please visit GoldenArmFoundation.com. Fans and media are encouraged to follow the conversation throughout the college football season on the Golden Arm Award’s official social media channels:

Join the discussion using the hashtags #GoldenArmAward and #InnovationLeaders

Golden Arm Award® Partners: MedStar Sports Medicine, The Babe Ruth Museum, Comcast, Dunbar Security Solutions, Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore, Wilson, Haddock Investments, Silver Star Properties, Encore, TRAY, AE2 Creative, Jostens, Leveling the Playing Field, Yates, Wolf Professional Security, and Extraordinar Luxury Transportation.

About A. O. Smith

A.O. Smith is a leading global water technology and manufacturing company that provides innovative water heating and water treatment solutions. For more than 150 years, dedication to innovation has propelled A. O. Smith to adapt to new opportunities and transform itself multiple times over. The company designs, builds, distributes and supports the world’s broadest and deepest line of residential and commercial water heaters, as well as commercial boilers. This single-source concept simplifies ordering, installation and service and is backed by extensive research. For the most up-to-date A. O. Smith news, like us on Facebook, follow us on LinkedIn and visit www.hotwater.com.