The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® along with presenting sponsor A. O. Smith Corporation announce the 2021 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List Week 5 Stats. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on and off the field. Candidates are judged on their character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, teamwork and leadership qualities.
| NAME | SCHOOL | GAMES | COMP | ATTEMPTS | % | YDS | TDS | INT | RUSH | SCORE (record) | CONFERENCE | NOTES |
| Brennan Armstrong | Virginia | 5 | 145 | 224 | 65% | 1,973 | 16 | 4 | 67 | W 30-28 Miami (3-2) | ACC | Next: at Louisville (10/9) |
| Connor Bazelak | Missouri | 5 | 133 | 198 | 67% | 1,522 | 10 | 5 | 15 | L 62-24 Tennessee (2-3) | SEC | Next: North Texas (10/9) |
| Anthony Brown | Oregon | 5 | 69 | 123 | 56% | 950 | 10 | 1 | 198 | L 31-24 Stanford (4-1) | Pac-12 | Next: Cal (10/15) |
| Sean Clifford | Penn State | 5 | 103 | 153 | 67% | 1,336 | 12 | 3 | 137 | W 24-0 Indiana (5-0) | BIG-10 | Next: at Iowa (10/9) |
| Jack Coan | Notre Dame | 5 | 91 | 149 | 61% | 1,100 | 9 | 3 | -74 | L 24-13 Cincinnati (4-1) | Independent | Next: at Virginia Tech (10/9) |
| Matt Corral | Ole Miss | 4 | 87 | 125 | 70% | 1,210 | 16 | 0 | 161 | L 42-21 Alabama (3-1) | SEC | Next: Arkansas (10/9) |
| Malik Cunningham | Louisville | 5 | 104 | 163 | 64% | 1,307 | 17 | 2 | 309 | L 37-34 Wake Forest (3-2) | ACC | Next: Virginia (10/9) |
| Jayden Daniels | Arizona State | 5 | 82 | 114 | 72% | 1,094 | 6 | 3 | 293 | W 42-33 UCLA (4-1) | Pac-12 | Next: Stanford (10/8) |
| JT Daniels | Georgia | 3 | 54 | 71 | 76% | 567 | 5 | 2 | -15 | DNP – injury; W 37-0 Arkansas (5-0) | SEC | Next: at Auburn (10/9) |
| Dillon Gabriel | UCF | 3 | 70 | 102 | 69% | 814 | 11 | 3 | 125 | DNP – injury; L 34-30 Navy (2-2) | American | Next: East Carolina (10/9) |
| Sam Hartman | Wake Forest | 5 | 97 | 152 | 64% | 1,285 | 13 | 2 | 117 | W 37-34 Louisville (5-0) | ACC | Next: at Syracuse (10/9) |
| Sam Howell | North Carolina | 5 | 95 | 153 | 62% | 1,494 | 17 | 4 | 288 | W 38-7 Duke (3-2) | ACC | Next: Florida State (10/9) |
| Emory Jones | Florida | 5 | 93 | 135 | 69% | 871 | 7 | 6 | 439 | L 20-13 Kenucky (3-2) | SEC | Next: Vanderbilt (10/9) |
| D’Eriq King | Miami | 3 | 81 | 122 | 66% | 767 | 3 | 4 | 96 | DNP – injury; L 30-28 Virginia (2-3) | ACC | Next: at North Carolina (10/16) |
| Devin Leary | NC State | 5 | 124 | 184 | 67% | 1,283 | 13 | 2 | -36 | W 34-27 Louisiana Tech (4-1) | ACC | Next: at Boston College (10/16) |
| Grayson McCall | Coastal Carolina | 5 | 69 | 86 | 80% | 1,113 | 12 | 1 | 69 | W 59-6 Louisiana Monroe (5-0) | Sun Belt | Next: at Arkansas State (10/7) |
| Kenny Pickett | Pittsburgh | 5 | 121 | 168 | 72% | 1,731 | 21 | 1 | 142 | W 52-21 Georgia Tech (4-1) | ACC | Next: at Virginia Tech (10/16) |
| Jack Plummer | Purdue | 4 | 82 | 118 | 70% | 840 | 7 | 0 | -27 | DNP; L 20-13 Minnesota (3-2) | BIG-10 | Next: at Iowa (10/16) |
| Brock Purdy | Iowa State | 5 | 94 | 132 | 71% | 1,133 | 8 | 4 | 140 | W 59-7 Kansas (3-2) | BIG-12 | Next: at Kansas State (10/16) |
| Spencer Rattler | Oklahoma | 5 | 122 | 160 | 76% | 1,260 | 12 | 4 | 95 | W 37-31 Kansas State (5-0) | BIG-12 | Next: Texas (10/9) |
| Chris Reynolds | Charlotte | 5 | 84 | 134 | 63% | 1,115 | 14 | 3 | 178 | L 24-14 Illinois (3-2) | C-USA | Next: at Florida International (10/8) |
| Desmond Ridder | Cincinnati | 4 | 73 | 115 | 64% | 1,045 | 12 | 2 | 98 | W 24-13 Notre Dame (4-0) | American | Next: Temple (10/8) |
| Carson Strong | Nevada | 4 | 108 | 160 | 68% | 1,218 | 8 | 2 | -37 | W 41-31 Boise State #-1) | Mountain West | Next: New Mexico State (10/9) |
| Taulia Tagovailoa | Maryland | 5 | 127 | 176 | 72% | 1,497 | 12 | 6 | 57 | L 51-14 Iowa (4-1) | BIG-10 | Next: at Ohio State (10/9) |
| Malik Willis | Liberty | 5 | 76 | 107 | 71% | 1,105 | 17 | 0 | 418 | W 36-12 UAB (4-1) | Independent | Next: Middle Tennessee (10/9) |
| DNP = Did Not Play |