Manning, Reed headline Davey O'Brien Award preseason watch list

The Davey O'Brien Foundation released its preseason watch list for the 2026 season on Friday, with Texas redshirt junior Arch Manning and Texas A&M redshirt junior Marcel Reed among the quarterbacks recognized as candidates for the award, which is given annually to college football's top quarterback.

Manning's inclusion comes on the heels of a strong postseason showing in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl against Michigan, a performance that earned him a spot on the O'Brien Award's Postseason Great 8 list. The Longhorns have a notable history with the award — former Texas quarterback Vince Young won it following his BCS Championship-winning season in 2005, and Colt McCoy claimed the honor after leading Texas to the 2009 BCS Championship game. Most recently, former Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers was a semifinalist for the award in 2024.

Reed eyes improvement after record-setting 2025 campaign

Reed enters his second full year as Texas A&M's starter having led the Aggies to an 11-0 start last season — the program's best through that point since 1993 — while throwing for 3,169 yards and 25 touchdowns to go along with more than 500 rushing yards and six scores on the ground. Despite those numbers earning him a spot on both the O'Brien and Golden Arm watch lists, Reed finished the year with 12 interceptions, eight of which came against top-35 defenses, including four in losses to Texas and Miami in the opening round of the College Football Playoff.

Reed has spent the offseason working with private quarterback coach Jeff Christensen, who also works with Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes, focusing specifically on accuracy, touch, and decision-making. Through 11 preseason practices, reports from Aggie camp indicate continued progress, including a notable deep-ball completion to Alabama transfer wide receiver Isaiah Horton during a recent scrimmage.

Texas A&M enters 2026 ranked eighth in the preseason AP Top 25. Reed will operate behind an offensive line featuring four new starters, though the Aggies return what is described as the deepest and most talented wide receiver group in program history, even after KC Concepcion was selected 24th overall by the Cleveland Browns in the most recent NFL Draft. Manning and the Longhorns, meanwhile, begin the season after being left out of last year's 12-team College Football Playoff field entirely. The full Davey O'Brien watch list will continue to be trimmed as the season progresses toward the award's announcement.