Franks Named to Unitas Golden Arm Top 15 Watch List
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Arkansas redshirt senior QB Feleipe Franks has been included on the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Top 15 Watch List, the organization announced Friday. The Golden Arm Award is presented annually to the top upperclassman quarterback set to graduate with their class.
Franks has given an immediate lift to the Razorbacks offense, throwing for 1,428 yards and 14 touchdowns, the most scoring tosses by a Hog since Austin Allen’s 25 in 2016. He ranks fifth in the SEC in passing yards, passing touchdowns, passing efficiency (154.7), completion percentage (67.2%) and points responsible for (84).
Last week against Tennessee, Franks completed 18-of-24 passes for 215 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. His 75% completion percentage is the highest of his Razorback career and his second-highest overall after completing 92.6% of his passes (25-of-27) while playing for Florida against UT Martin last season. He also threw for a career-high 318 yards at No. 13 Auburn and rushed for a career-best 91 yards at No. 8 Texas A&M. The Crawfordville, Fla. native has thrown for 200+ yards in each of the first six games of the season, the first Hog QB to do so since at least 2000.
Complete Unitas Golden Arm Top 15 Watch List
Ian Book, Notre Dame
Shane Buechele, SMU
Sam Ehlinger, Texas
Justin Fields, Ohio State
Feleipe Franks, Arkansas
Mac Jones, Alabama
D’Eriq King, Miami
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson
Kellen Mond, Texas A&M
Kenny Pickett, Pittsburgh
Brock Purdy, Iowa State
Zac Thomas, Appalachian State
Kyle Trask, Florida
Brady White, Memphis
Zach Wilson, BYU
The namesake of the Golden Arm Award has a storied history. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFL, who played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.
The Hogs travel to Florida for the first time since 2013 this weekend on Saturday, Nov. 14 for a 6 p.m. kick off against the Gators on ESPN.