North Carolina State University Athletics
Bailey Named to Maxwell Award Watch List
7/28/2025 12:00:00 PM | Football
Philadelphia, PA. – NC State quarterback CJ Bailey has been named to the 2025 Maxwell Award Watch List. Today, the Maxwell Football Club announced its watch list for the 89th Maxwell Award, which is presented annually to the most outstanding player in college football.
Bailey is one of 80 college football players named to the list and marks the second straight year the Wolfpack has had a quarterback named to the prestigious watch list, following Grayson McCall last season.
As a freshman in 2024, Bailey was called into action earlier than expected but quickly became one of the top freshmen in the country and top performers in school history. The Miami, Fla. native started nine games and ranked eighth in the ACC in total offensive touchdowns with 22.
Totaling 2,413 passing yards, he ranked second nationally among true freshmen in the category and totaled 17 touchdowns with a passing efficiency of 143.97. His 17 touchdown passes ranked 17th in program history and are the second most by a freshman, only behind Phillip Rivers and tied with Russel Wilson.
His .649 completion percentage was the highest for a freshman in school history and ranked sixth in the ACC.
Semifinalists for the Maxwell Award will be announced on November 11, 2025, while the three finalists for the Maxwell Award will be unveiled on November 25, 2025. The winner of the 89th Maxwell Award will be announced as part of the ESPN Home Depot College Football Awards Show held on December 11, 2025. The formal presentations of the Maxwell Award will be made at the Maxwell Football Club Awards on Friday, March 13, 2026, in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Maxwell Football Club was founded in 1935 and is the oldest football organization of its kind in the United States. The Club recognizes excellence in performance at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of the game. The Maxwell Club is also deeply involved and fully committed in the community through programs that promote academic excellence, community volunteerism, and leadership development.
The Maxwell Award is a member of the National College Football Awards Association (NCFAA), which encompasses the most prestigious awards in college football. The NCFAA's 25 awards have honored more than 900 recipients since 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday.
