Clemson Duo Named to Maxwell Award Watch List

The 2025 college football season is fast approaching, and the Maxwell Football Club on Monday announced a list of 80 players to the Maxwell Award preseason watch list. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding player. 

Clemson Tigers quarterback Cade Klubnik and wide receiver Antonio Williams received recognition on the list, being the only two Tigers to make the 80-player watch list. 

Klubnik was a semifinalist a season ago, joining Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia as the only semifinalist to return to the shortlist. Coming off of a season with 3,639 passing yards and 36 touchdowns, the senior will return as one of the top quarterbacks going into the season. 

The two-time ACC Championship MVP will look to finish his Clemson career on a high, looking to take the team to the first national championship since the 2019-20 season. 

Williams was the top target a season ago, recording 75 receptions for 904 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns. The redshirt junior saw a first-team All-ACC selection as well as nods at the national level, making up for an injury-ridden season in 2023. 

The Irmo, South Carolina, native will look to lead a wide receiver that is among the best in the country, including the likes of sophomore duo TJ Moore and Bryant Wesco Jr., transfer Tristan Smith and redshirt sophomore Tyler Brown. 

From the conference standpoint, Klubnik and Williams join 15 others from the ACC to be on the list. That number is tied for the most players on the list, joining the SEC, who have another 17 players on the shortlist. 

The Big 12 has 15 players on the list, while the Big 10 holds 14 standouts, including Penn State with three players, which is the most by any school on the list. 

While it is only a shortlist, only time will tell to see if there are other Tigers that rise to make future lists this season. Clemson has a battle-ready schedule that includes LSU in Week One, making anybody possible to end up in talks to win the award. 

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty won last season’s Maxwell Award following a standout season and was selected in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. 

Semifinalists for the award will be revealed on Nov. 11, while the three finalists will be revealed on Nov. 25. The winner will be announced on the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 11.

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