Army football QB Cale Hellums named to Maxwell Award watch list

With college football preseason practices just about to begin, the national awards committees have begun the process of nominating candidates for the top awards.

Army senior quarterback Cale Hellums is one of four signal callers in the American Conference to be named to the preseason watch list by the Maxwell Football Club committee. The other American quarterbacks are Navy’s Braxton Woodson, Cade McCown of Texas San Antonio and Caden Veltkamp of Florida Atlantic.

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In all, 80 players made the Watch List. Schools in the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference have 17 candidates apiece, the Big 12 has 15 and the Big Ten 14. The list will be paired to semifinalists in early November and finalists later that month. The 90th Maxwell Award winner will be named in December in Atlanta.

The Maxell goes to the best all-around college football player, judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters and NCAA head coaches, plus members of the Maxwell Football Club.

Hellums led all Football Subdivision quarterbacks in 2025 with 1,223 rushing yards, becoming the eighth Army rusher to reach that mark. His 18 rushing touchdowns ranks No. 2 in Army history.

Army opens preseason practice on Wednesday, August 5. The season opener is September 5 against Bryant at the refurbished Michie Stadium.

Three Army greats won the Maxwell: Glenn Davis in 1944, Doc Blanchard in 1945 and Pete Dawkins in 1958. Coincidentally, the same trio claimed the Heisman Trophy those same seasons.

Notable NFL stars who won the Maxwell include O.J. Simpson, Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, Herschel Walker, Barry Sanders, Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Eli Manning and Derrick Henry.

Recent winners are Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (2025), Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty (2024), Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (2023), USC quarterback Caleb Williams (2022) and Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (2021).

kmcmillan@th-record.com

X / Twitter: @KenMcMillanTHR

This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Army football QB Cale Hellums named to Maxwell Award watch list