A. O. Smith and Golden Arm Foundation Name 2025’s Top 25 College Quarterbacks
Key Highlights
- The 2025 Golden Arm Award recognizes quarterbacks who combine athletic excellence with strong character and leadership qualities
- The Top 25 contenders were selected from an initial watch list of 58 players, emphasizing consistency and integrity
- A. O. Smith’s partnership underscores shared values of performance and reliability, paralleling the qualities of top-tier quarterbacks.
BALTIMORE, MD – The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc. has announced the Top 25 quarterbacks in contention for the 2025 Golden Arm Award®, recognizing the nation’s most outstanding senior or upperclassman quarterback who excels both on and off the field.
Presented in partnership with A. O. Smith Corporation, the Golden Arm Award honors quarterbacks who combine elite performance with integrity, leadership, and the drive to graduate on time. This year’s Top 25 was narrowed from an original 58-man Watch List released earlier in the season.
Recognizing Leadership and Character
The 2025 Golden Arm Award contenders have set themselves apart as exceptional leaders under pressure. Each has demonstrated skill, poise, and consistency while serving as an example for teammates on and off the field. The award’s mission—celebrating excellence, character, and citizenship—continues the legacy of Johnny Unitas, one of football’s most respected figures.
A Tradition of Excellence
Now in its 39th year, the Golden Arm Award continues to honor Unitas’ lasting influence on the sport. The award will culminate in December, when one quarterback will receive the Golden Arm Award during the annual ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Unitas’ hometown. The event highlights leadership, legacy, and the enduring connection between football and personal integrity.
The Golden Arm Award Top 25 quarterbacks for 2025
Joey Aguilar, Tennessee
Drew Allar, Penn State
Luke Altmyer, Illinois
Rocco Becht, Iowa State
Carson Beck, Miami
Thomas Castellanos, Florida State
Taylen Green, Arkansas
Josh Hoover, TCU
Haynes King, Georgia Tech
Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
Brendon Lewis, Memphis
Arch Manning, Texas
John Mateer, Oklahoma
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Darian Mensah, Duke
Chandler Morris, Virginia
Miller Moss, Louisville
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Marcel Reed, Texas A&M
Sawyer Robertson, Baylor
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Brendan Sorsby, Cincinnati
Gunner Stockton, Georgia
A. O. Smith and the Golden Arm Partnership
A. O. Smith’s partnership with the Golden Arm Foundation underscores shared values of performance, reliability, and innovation—qualities central to both great quarterbacks and great engineering. Like Unitas’ famous two-minute drill that changed the game forever, A. O. Smith continues to lead its industry with advanced water heating and hydronic solutions that deliver consistent, efficient performance for professionals nationwide.
For more information on the Golden Arm Award, visit GoldenArmFoundation.com.
For A. O. Smith news and product updates, visit www.hotwater.com.
Note: this release was rewritten with help from generative AI.