Arkansas QB named to Davey O’Brien Award Preseason watch list

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas quarterback K.J. Jefferson is one of 35 of the nation’s top quarterbacks named to the preseason watch list for the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award.

Compiled by a subset of the Davey O’Brien National Selection Committee, this year’s preseason watch list was selected based on career player performance and expectations heading into the 2023 college football season. All nominees are required to have previously started at least one game at an NCAA Division I institution.

Jefferson is poised to rewrite a large portion of the Arkansas record book this fall as he heads into his third season as the Hogs’ full-time starter. The Sardis, Miss., native sits inside the career top 10 in school history in completions (436 — seventh), yards (5,816 — seventh), touchdown passes (48 — sixth), 300-yard passing games (five – third), total plays (1,028 — sixth), total yards (7,245 —fifth) and touchdown responsibility (67 — fourth). Jefferson’s name is dotted throughout the school record book for numerous single-season records, including twice for completion percentage in 2021 (.673 — third) and 2022 (.680 — second).

Jefferson, who passed for 2,648 yards and 24 touchdowns with 640 yards and nine rushing scores on the ground in 2022, is the first Arkansas quarterback to earn preseason All-Southeastern Conference accolades since 2012. He was also named to the preseason watch list for the Maxwell Award, which is presented annually to the best player in college football.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award. The 47th Annual Davey O’Brien Awards Dinner honoring the winner will take place Feb. 19, 2024, at The Fort Worth Club in Fort Worth, Texas.

Arkansas kicks off the season at 3 p.m. Sept. 2 against FCS foe Western Carolina at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, Ark.