The watch list for one of the most prestigious awards in college football came out on Monday and two Syracuse players were on it. The watch list had 80 players on it with 20 coming from the ACC. The ‘Cuse are one of just 17 schools in the country with multiple players listed. However, it might not necessarily be who you were expecting.
Transfer quarterback Kyle McCord and sophomore running back LeQuint Allen were both named to the list. McCord was a game away from leading Ohio State to the College Football Playoff. The signal-caller ended in the top five of numerous OSU career passing categories and is in the top five in the NCAA in completion percentage. Allen was 2nd team all-ACC as a true freshman. It makes sense that those two were named to the list. However, the one that shocks you that missed was Oronde Gadsden.
The tight end without a doubt should be SU’s top player this season. Last year he was a preseason all-American. Not that it means anything, but EA Sports College Football slotted him as the 2nd best tight end in the country. It’s pretty shocking that he wasn’t named to the Maxwell Award watch list. McCord and Allen should both be all-ACC players, but a potential all-American deserves to make the list too. The injury concerns are an issue for Gadsden. After missing all of last season due to injury, the tight end missed a lot of the spring due to his surgery which removed the screws that fixed his original injury. If Gadsden can come back from the Lisfranc injury better than he was in 2022, with McCord at quarterback and one of the nations top running backs in LeQuint Allen then there’s no doubt that the redshirt junior could make the midseason Maxwell list.
