NC State Football: Ryan Finley named to Maxwell Award Watch List

The expectations continue to rise for NC State quarterback Ryan Finley as he recently made the 2018 Maxwell Award Watch List.

The NC State Wolfpack hope to make some noise in the ACC this upcoming season. If they are able to make the first ACC Championship Game in their school history, quarterback Ryan Finley will likely play a big part.

This week, the Maxwell Football Club released the 2018 Maxwell Award Watch List and Wolfpack’s Ryan Finley was included among this group. The Maxwell Award is given to the best offensive player in the FBS.

If Finley were to win the award, he would be the first player in school’s history to win this award.

Finley started his collegiate career at Boise State and redshirted his freshman year. After limited playing time, and with his sophomore season cut short due to an ankle injury, he transferred to NC State. The Wolfpack quarterback is coming off his best season after throwing for over 3,500 passing yards, completing 65.1 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and only six interceptions.

One of his strengths has been Finley’s ability to protect the football. In his two seasons with NC State, he has thrown only 14 interceptions or one interception per 62 pass attempts.

The Wolfpack quarterback has a bright future and with another strong season could see his stock rise in next year’s NFL Draft. In May, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller put together his Early Big Board and had Finley as the third best quarterback in this class and the fourteenth overall prospect.

This would certainly have Finley in discussion as a first round selection in the NFL Draft, something not accomplished since Phillip Rivers.

Next: NC State Football: Top 4 games for 2018 season

Finley, and the NC State Wolfpack, open the 2018 season at home against the James Madison Dukes.

*All stats courtesy of www.sports-reference.com unless otherwise noted.