Notre Dame star could be named best player in the US with huge honor

A Notre Dame football star is to receive a huge honor in the form of one of the most prestigious awards in college football. Riley Leonard has been selected to the preseason 88th Maxwell Award Watch List.

The award is given each year to the most outstanding player in college football . The 21-year-old is yet to play for Notre Dame, after the Fighting Irish bagged the highly coveted Duke transfer, but he is already the one to watch.

Six Fighting Irish players have won the Maxwell Award, most recently LB Manti Te'o in 2012 and QB Brady Quinn in 2006. Notre Dame's last Maxwell Award semifinalist was Las Vegas Raiders TE Michael Mayer.

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Leonard will go up against many of the game's biggest names including WR Jordan Moore. The Maxwell award is judged by a panel of sports casters, sportswriters , National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches, and Maxwell Football Club members.

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The award was launched in 1937, with Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. taking home the trophy in 2023.

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