The preseason honors continue to roll in for USC’s Sam Darnold, who made the cut for the Maxwell Award watch list on Monday.
The Maxwell Award is presented each year to the college player of the year, making Darnold a no-brainer candidate.
The Trojan quarterback was among the hottest players in the country by the end of the 2016 season. He threw for 3,086 yards and 31 touchdowns in his debut season, leading USC out of a 1-3 hole in September with nine-consecutive wins to end the year. Darnold capped his magical year with a jaw-dropping performance in the 2017 Rose Bowl, tossing five touchdowns with 453 yards as he guided USC to a fourth-quarter comeback victory.