Oklahoma football quarterback Dillon Gabriel has been named the preseason watch list for the 2023 Maxwell Award, presented annually to the student athlete considered to be the most outstanding player in college football.
Many times, the winner of the Maxwell Award has gone on to win the Heisman Trophy.
Gabriel is one of 13 Big 12 players named as Maxwell Award preseason candidates ahead of the 2023 season. The second-year Sooner quarterback, who will be in his fifth college season, is also one of 46 quarterbacks around the country being considered for the award.
Gabriel joined the Oklahoma roster last season where he was reunited with OU offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, who was Gabriel’s offensive coach in the quarterback’s freshman season at UCF in 2019.
A year ago, Gabriel started 12 of the Sooners’ 13 games, completing 63 percent of his passes for 3,168 yards, averaging 264 yards per game, and 25 touchdowns with six interceptions. He was second in the Big 12 last season with a 154.4 passing efficiency rating. For his career, Gabriel has started 37 of 38 games for 11,295 yards and 95 touchdowns.
Three former Oklahoma players have won the Maxwell Award, which was first presented in 1936: HB Tommy McDonald (1956), QB Jason White (2004) and QB Baker Mayfield (2018).
Last year’s Maxwell Award winner was QB Caleb Williams of USC, who also is a preseason Maxwell Award candidate this year. He also won the 2022 Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious individual award in college football. Williams, of course, started his college career at Oklahoma.
The Sooners will open preseason training camp this week in preparation for the 2023 season.