Davey O'Brien Award Watch List 2014: Full List and Bleacher Report Favorites

The watch list for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award was released Wednesday, consisting of 39 players from all 11 FBS football conferences (Independents included).

Among the included players are last year's recipient and five other returning semifinalists. Despite numerous attempts, no player has won the award twice since Oklahoma's Jason White in 2003-04.

Here is the full 2014 watch list:

Player	Class	School	Conference
Anthony Boone	Senior	Duke	ACC
Terrance Broadway	Senior	UL-Lafayette	Sun Belt
Shane Carden	Senior	East Carolina	C-USA
Rakeem Cato	Senior	Marshall	C-USA
Connor Cook	Junior	Michigan State	Big Ten
Jeff Driskel	Junior	Florida	SEC
Cody Fajardo	Senior	Nevada	MWC
Devin Gardner	Senior	Michigan	Big Ten
Jared Goff	Sophomore	California	Pac-12
Everett Golson	Junior	Notre Dame	Independent
Garrett Grayson	Senior	Colorado St.	MWC
Christian Hackenberg	Sophomore	Penn St.	Big Ten
Connor Halliday	Senior	Washington St.	Pac-12
Grant Hedrick	Senior	Boise St.	MWC
Taylor Heinicke	Senior	Old Dominion	C-USA
Taysom Hill	Senior	BYU	Independent
Kevin Hogan	Senior	Stanford	Pac-12
Brett Hundley	Junior	UCLA	Pac-12
Matt Johnson	Junior	Bowling Green	MAC
Chuckie Keeton	Senior	Utah St.	MWC
Taylor Kelly	Senior	Arizona St.	Pac-12
Cody Kessler	Junior	USC	Pac-12
Trevor Knight	Sophomore	Oklahoma	Big 12
Sean Mannion	Senior	Oregon St.	Pac-12
Marcus Mariota	Junior	Oregon	Pac-12
Nick Marshall	Senior	Auburn	SEC
Hutson Mason	Senior	Georgia	SEC
Braxton Miller	Senior	Ohio St.	Big Ten
John O'Korn	Sophomore	Houston	AAC
Bryce Petty	Senior	Baylor	Big 12
Dak Prescott	Junior	Mississippi St.	SEC
Keenan Reynolds	Junior	Navy	Independent
Joel Stave	Junior	Wisconsin	Big Ten
P.J. Walker	Sophomore	Temple	AAC
Bo Wallace	Senior	Ole Miss	SEC
J.W. Walsh	Junior	Oklahoma St.	Big 12
Jake Waters	Senior	Kansas St.	Big 12
Davis Webb	Sophomore	Texas Tech	Big 12
Jameis Winston	Sophomore	Florida St.	ACC

Need some favorites to look out for?

Here are five guys who stick out as particularly good candidates, along with one looming sleeper and some other names to watch.

Jameis Winston, Florida State

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Like a title belt in boxing, the Davey O'Brien Award (and Heisman Trophy) belongs to Jameis Winston until someone comes and takes it from him. He is the rightful favorite to repeat in 2014.

Kelvin Benjamin and Kenny Shaw are gone, but three-time leading receiver Rashad Greene returns alongside a deep group of talented (albeit unproven) playmakers. Keep an eye on true freshmen Ermon Lane and Travis Rudolph to emerge during fall camp.

Marcus Mariota, Oregon/Braxton Miller, Ohio State

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Lumped together because they were both finalists for the award in 2012, Oregon's Marcus Mariota and Ohio State's Braxton Miller are favorites to compete for the Davey O'Brien once again in 2014.

Both are losing a number of their top weapons—whether it be backfield mates or receiving targets—this season, but as dual-threat quarterbacks on teams projected to compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff, it is hard to find a pair of more qualified candidates.

Brett Hundley, UCLA

Alex Gallardo/Associated Press

Speaking of dual-threat quarterbacks expected to compete for a spot in the playoff, UCLA junior Brett Hundley has been good—and borderline great—these past two seasons despite never really getting a fair shake. The offensive line has crumbled due to injuries in front of him, and the playmakers have been so-so at best.

This year, Hundley should have the best supporting cast he's had in this three years as a starter. He should also have a defense capable of winning the Pac-12 and competing for a national title. Combined with Hundley's talent, that is the recipe for an award winner.

Bryce Petty, Baylor

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Baylor's offense continues to run in the post-Robert Griffin III era, and if last year was any indication, Bryce Petty has a chance to be every bit as good as the 2011 Heisman Trophy winner.

The Bears defense is a question mark once again—albeit not in the same way it has been in recent years—and the stable of playmakers around Petty, led by senior receiver Antwan Goodley, is amenable to a huge statistical season from the senior quarterback.

Sleeper: Davis Webb, Texas Tech

USA TODAY Sports

Head coach Kliff Kingsbury made the news this offseason when he told Bruce Feldman of FoxSports.com that his quarterback, Davis Webb, a true sophomore who didn't even start in Week 1 last season, has the potential to become a top-five NFL draft pick.

Webb is 6'5" with an accurate arm and has been adding weight to a slender-ish frame this offseason. He also plays in a passing-heavy system with talented playmakers around him and a defense that will necessitate some shootouts to win games.

Webb finished No. 12 in ESPN's Total QBR metric last season.

Other Names to Watch: Taylor Kelly (Arizona State), Trevor Knight (Oklahoma), Nick Marshall (Auburn), Dak Prescott (Mississippi State).

Follow Brian Leigh on Twitter: @BLeighDAT