Florida State redshirt freshman quarterback Jameis Winston was named as one of 16 semifinalists for the Maxwell Award, given annually to the nation's top college player.
Winston was one of 10 quarterbacks selected and one of two players from the ACC; the other is Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd.
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Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron and Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel are repeat semifinalists from a season ago. Manziel is one of two A&M players selected; the other is sophomore wide receiver Mike Evans. Baylor and Oregon State also have two semifinalists.
Oregon sophomore quarterback Marcus Mariota also is a semifinalist; Mariota, Manziel and Winston are considered the top Heisman contenders.
The other semifinalists, listed alphabetically: Louisville junior quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Arizona junior tailback Ka'Deem Carey, Fresno State senior quarterback Derek Carr, Oregon State junior wide receiver Brandin Cooks, Wisconsin sophomore tailback Melvin Gordon, Oregon State junior quarterback Sean Mannion, Georgia senior quarterback Aaron Murray, Baylor junior quarterback Bryce Petty, Washington junior tailback Bishop Sankey and Baylor junior tailback Lache Seastrunk.
Last season's winner was Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te'o. He was the first defender to win the award since Pitt's Hugh Green in 1980 and the first non-quarterback to win since 2002, when Penn State tailback Larry Johnson was honored.
Three finalists will be announced November 25, and the winner will be named December 12.
Eligible voters are Maxwell Football Club members, coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
