Payton Thorne included on Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award watchlist

Watchlist season continues to be kind to Auburn, as another offensive playmaker has earned preseason recognition.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award released its preseason watchlist this week and has included Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne on its radar. Thorne is one of 63 quarterbacks across all ten FBS conferences to earn a place on the coveted list and is one of 11 quarterbacks from the SEC to grab the honor.

Thorne passed for just over 1,700 yards last season, but the hype surrounding his supporting cast has caused his stock to rise. This season, Thorne’s top target from last season, Rivaldo Fairweather, returns to the receiving corps while true freshman Cam Coleman and Perry Thompson, as well as experienced newcomers Robert Lewis and KeAndre Lambert-Smith, join the unit in hopes of boosting the Tigers’ pass catching numbers.

The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award is given annually to the nation’s top quarterback who shows great character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities. The winning candidate will receive the award on Dec. 6 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.

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