Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli named to 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List

The redshirt junior named as the starting Orange quarterback Monday, Angeli joins 12 other ACC quarterbacks on the preseason list, amplifying the league's credo as the "Conference of Quarterbacks."

Notre Dame quarterback Steve Angeli (18) at Notre Dame spring football practice Thursday, March 7, 2024, at the Irish Athletics Center in South Bend. | GREG SWIERCZ / USA TODAY NETWORK

With 13 quarterbacks on the initial watch list of 58 players announced Tuesday by the Baldwin, Maryland-based Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc., the ACC has the most representatives of any FBS conference. It underscores the league’s depth, talent and tradition at the quarterback position.

Angeli in lofty company among his ACC and national peers

For background, the prestigious Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the nation’s top senior or upperclassman quarterback on track to graduate with their class. This year's list showcases a mix of returning standouts and rising stars, of which Angeli can be described in a sense of having both of those attributes.

He is a returning standout, albeit with a limited amount of playing time in 11 games, but he helped the Irish reach the CFP title game last January with a gutsy scoring drive in the semifinal win over Penn State. And, Angeli is a rising star as far as Syracuse fans are concerned with two seasons of eligibility remaining.

In his collegiate career, Angeli has actually competed on the Dome turf. He played briefly in the fourth quarter of the Irish's 41-24 romp over the16th ranked 'Cuse late in the 2022 season, finishing with no statistics.

Here's the list of the other ACC quarterbacks named to the 2025 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award Watch List:

Grayson James, Boston College, Redshirt-Senior

Cade Klubnik, Clemson, Senior

Darian Mensah, Duke, Sophomore

Tommy Castellanos, Florida State, Senior

Haynes King, Georgia Tech, Senior

Miller Moss, Louisville, Senior

Carson Beck, Miami, Senior

Eli Holstein, Pitt, Redshirt-Sophomore

Kevin Jennings, SMU, Sophomore

Chandler Morris, Virginia, Senior

Kyron Drones, Virginia Tech, Redshirt-Senior

Robby Ashford, Wake Forest, Redshirt-Senior

Ironically, there are no Notre Dame quarterbacks on the watch list, as redshirt freshman CJ Carr won the starting job over Kenny Minchey, a battle that Angeli was right in the middle of until he transferred to the Orange in early May.

There is one other non-ACC quarterback on the list that the 'Cuse will face right out of the gate, in Tennessee's Joey Aguilar who transferred in the off-season from UCLA.

As the season progresses, the Golden Arm Award Watch List will be narrowed to semifinalists, finalists and ultimately one standout quarterback who will be honored in December. The winner will be recognized at the annual Golden Arm Award ceremony in Johnny Unitas’ hometown of Baltimore—an evening celebrating the namesake's leadership, legacy, and excellence.

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