Daniels Named Top-25 Candidate for Unitas Award

BALTIMORE - Sun Devil Football's Jayden Daniels is one of 25 quarterbacks named to the 2021 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation alongside presenting partner, A. O. Smith, pared-down the original 2021 list to the nation's Top 25 quarterbacks. Daniels has proven to be one of the most efficient and effective signal-callers in the nation through the first four games of the season. Already a member of the Maxwell, Davey O'Brien, Walter Camp, and Manning Award Preseason Watch Lists, Daniels continues to earn national recognition. He has shown why many consider him one of the top quarterbacks prospects in the nation.

Daniels is coming off a performance in the 35-13 victory over Colorado where he continued his success both in the air and on the ground. He finished with 236 passing yards and 75 rushing yards, the eighth time he has gone over 300 yards of combined rushing/passing yards in his career. Daniels is currently the second-highest graded offensive player overall in the Pac-12 this season (86.1). The tally marks him as the 31st-highest graded player in the nation, regardless of position, and 17th among QBs.

Among players with at least 400 passing attempts since 2019, Jayden Daniels ranks tied for second in fewest interceptions with just six on 519 attempts (1.2 percent of his throws). Daniels has thrown just one interception on third down in his career, tied for fewest in the FBS since 2019 (min. 100 attempts). That third down interception didn't come until the 19th game of his career (BYU this season).

As a rusher, Daniels has a grade of 82.1, good for second overall in the Pac12 and 20th overall in the nation, regardless of position. He is the top graded rushing QB in the league and fourth in the FBS. Since 2019, Daniels' 1,052 rushing yards overall (sacks excluded) are 17th among active quarterbacks and among those with at least 100 carries, his 6.2 yards per rush are 16th. When rushing on third down, Daniels has picked up a first down or touchdown with his feet 57.5 percent of the time (47 attempts) - 6th among FBS running backs since 2019. Daniels rushed for 125 yards against UNLV earlier this year, his second career 100+ yard game and the fourth-most by a quarterback in program history (he also holds the fifth-best tally with 111 at USC last year).

The Sun Devil quarterback comes through when his team needs him the most, excelling in the fourth quarter of games. Daniels is 21st in the FBS since 2019 in fourth quarter passing yards (1,063) while his 10 touchdown passes in the final frame are tied for 10th. Daniels has an NFL passer rating of 109.9 in the fourth quarter of games, third-highest among FBS quarterbacks since 2019 (min. 150 drop backs).

The Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class. The 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. Candidates are chosen based on player performance on-and-off the field.

The 2021 award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award 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, MD on Friday, December 10, 2021.

For more information on the Golden Arm Award, please visit: Golden Arm Award. Additionally, follow the conversation throughout the college football season on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, and use the hashtags #GoldenArmAward and #InnovationLeaders.