Chad Kelly named to Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List

Once the month of July hits, it means the college football season is getting closer and closer and the preseason awards watch lists will begin rolling out. Ole Miss senior quarterback Chad Kelly found himself on the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List early Monday morning.

The Maxwell Award is presented to the best college player in the nation each year and this year each player listed is an offensive player. After coming off a record-setting season in which he led the Rebels to a 10-3 finish and a Sugar Bowl victory over Oklahoma State, it is no surprise Kelly is on the list.

Last season, Kelly broke or tied 14 single-season school records, including total offensive yards (4,542), touchdowns responsible for (41), passing yards (4.042), completion percentage (65.1) and passing efficiency (155.9). Kelly threw for 300 yards in eight of the Rebels’ 13 games last season, the most in school history.

Kelly, 6-foot-2, 215-pounds, was the first Ole Miss player to win Sugar Bowl MVP honors since Archie Manning in 1970. He was also one of 10 Manning Award finalists for the nation’s top quarterback and was named to the All-Southeastern Conference Second Team.

Clemson’s quarterback Deshaun Watson and Stanford’s running back Christian McCaffrey are on the watch list and were finalists for the award last year. Alabama’s running back Derrick Henry won the award last season.

Semifinalists for the award will be announced Oct. 31, and the names of the three finalists will be released on Nov. 21. The winner will be announced on Dec. 8.

Click here for the complete list of players on the Maxwell Award Watch List.

(Feature image credit: Joshua McCoy, Ole Miss Athletics)