The Heisman Trophy is one of the most coveted awards in all of sports. The list of Heisman winners is a long lineage of elite football talent. From Davey O'Brien to Barry Sanders, there is not a better list of incredible football players. This year, there will be a large crop to choose from as well. This post will examine 10 athletes who I believe are Heisman Hopefuls. There are 5 obvious picks, and we will of course discuss them. However, there are 5 others that I have identified that I believe should be taken more seriously.
The 5 "realistic" candidates are:
Sam Darnold - QB from USC. Many people believe that USC was the hottest team to end the 2016-17 season. Sam Darnold is also the projected number 1 draft pick in the 2018 NFL draft.
Saquon Barkley - RB from Penn State. Penn State was another "hot" team to end the 2016-17 season. The incredible running of Saquon Barkley was the catalyst that helped Penn State win the Big Ten Championship.
Baker Mayfield - QB from Oklahoma. Baker Mayfield was a spark plug for the Oklahoma Sooners. Other than the Ohio State game, Mayfield was exactly what Oklahoma needed to bring hope back to a once dominant team.
Bo Scarborough - RB Alabama. Bo Scarborough was an absolute monster for the Tide last season. This year, with no Fournette or McCaffrey, Bo will be in a 2 pony race for best RB with Saquon Barkley.
Lamar Jackson - QB Louisville. The reigning Heisman winner will certainly be looking to defend his title. He fell off at the end of the season, but his early accomplishments solidified him as the trophy winner after just a few weeks into the season. He will need to have a similar start to the season to win the trophy for a second time.
The 5 "others":
Luke Falk - QB Washington State. The Cougars have a coach who is known for a high flying offense and a Quarterback who is more than capable of being something special. One of the best in a draft class that will be extremely Quarterback heavy, Luke Falk could be the real deal.
Mason Rudolph - QB Oklahoma State. The Big 12 is an offense heavy league, and having a great Quarterback like Rudolph could not only lead to a Big 12 title, but potentially a Playoff berth.
Jake Browning - QB Washington. Jake Browning led a weak-ish Washington team to a great showing against Alabama. Look for Jake Browning to continue his success despite losing John Ross to the NFL draft.
Nick Chubb - RB Georgia. The reason Nick Chubb isn't on the top list is simply because he shares the Running Back duties for the Bulldogs. He is without a doubt one of the top players in the country, let alone Running Backs.
Quinton Flowers - QB South Florida. The Bulls play in the American Conference, which means they get to play a high scoring game. This will benefit Flowers as he tries to make the Bulls the Group of 6 team to beat. Look for a big season from him.
Did I miss any? Who do you think should be on this list? Who on my list should be taken off? Leave your comments either here, or on the Facebook page!
Thank you!
Dan Snyder
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