Utah senior quarterback Devon Dampier has been named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Top 15, according to an announcement from the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation Inc. The award recognizes quarterbacks who demonstrate excellence both on and off the field.
Dampier has had a strong start to the 2026 season. He leads the Big 12 in passing efficiency with a 172.2 rating and ranks second in the conference with a .703 completion percentage. He also ranks fifth in the conference in passing touchdowns with nine and seventh in passing yards per game with 224.0.
Through four games, Dampier has completed 71 of 101 passes for 896 yards and nine touchdowns. He has also recorded 135 rushing yards on 34 carries for two touchdowns. He has achieved three consecutive games with over 200 passing yards, two games with over 250 passing yards, and has thrown multiple touchdown passes in each of his first four games.
The Top 15 selection consists of quarterbacks advancing from an original 27-player Watch List announced on August 19. This list was selected under refined eligibility criteria for the 2026 season. The remaining players include Rocco Becht of Penn State, CJ Carr of Notre Dame, Noah Fifita of Arizona, Kevin Jennings of SMU, Avery Johnson of Kansas State, Sam Leavitt of LSU, Jayden Maiava of USC, Arch Manning of Texas, Drew Mestmaker of Oklahoma State, Dante Moore of Oregon, Julian Sayin of Ohio State, Gunner Stockton of Georgia, Conner Weigman of Houston, and Demond Williams Jr. of Washington.
The field will narrow in the coming weeks before finalists are selected. The winner of the 2026 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award will be celebrated at an annual ceremony in Baltimore on Wednesday, Dec. 9.
