College Football Underclassmen with Best Shot to Win Heisman Before Graduation
College football has become a younger man’s game, at least at its most elite levels. And there’s no better way to illustrate this trend than looking at a list of Heisman Trophy winners. The best of the best routinely beat an early path to the NFL draft, meaning underclassmen regularly dominate award lists.
Although the Heisman has sometimes been called a “career achievement” award, that hasn’t been the case recently. No senior has won the award since Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith took the stiff-arm trophy home in 2006, and in that span, two freshmen and three sophomores have lifted the Heisman.
So suggesting an underclassman will win the trophy this fall is going with the flow instead of a contrarian opinion. The only question is: Which one? Here’s a look at 11 underclassmen who could win the Heisman by the end of their college careers.
Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett
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Last August, did anyone know who J.T. Barrett was? Outside of Ohio State’s fanbase, probably not. But when two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Braxton Miller was lost for the season with shoulder surgery, Barrett emerged as the Buckeyes’ starting quarterback.
He turned into one of the nation’s best quarterbacks, capable of beating you with his legs or his arm. He threw for 2,834 yards with 34 touchdowns against 10 interceptions and added 938 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground.
Barrett suffered a broken ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan, but he will compete with Cardale Jones and Miller to lock down the starting role beginning in August. He has sky-high potential, but of course, he must win the job first. As the starter for the defending national champion and a surefire College Football Playoff contender, Barrett would be a natural Heisman contender.
Georgia RB Nick Chubb
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Last fall, Georgia and coach Mark Richt began the season with a legit Heisman Trophy contender in tailback Todd Gurley. Gurley was the No. 10 overall pick in the NFL draft and will be the St. Louis Rams’ feature back, but he never fulfilled his Heisman potential, due to a four-game suspension for accepting payment for his autograph and a torn ACL that truncated his junior season.
No matter. Gurley’s injury allowed Nick Chubb to emerge as Georgia’s top tailback. Chubb began the season as a member of the Bulldogs’ talented backfield but ended it as the clear leader, piling up 1,547 yards with 14 touchdowns, averaging 7.1 yards per carry. He is a powerful runner with the ability to run over tacklers or around them equally well.
Per 247Sports' Kipp Adams, Gurley thinks that Chubb can win the Heisman.
Chubb ended 2014 with eight consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts, blasting Louisville in the Belk Bowl for 266 yards and three touchdowns. If the Bulldogs can challenge for an SEC title, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him join Herschel Walker in UGA’s Heisman fraternity.
Pittsburgh RB James Conner
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New Pittsburgh coach Pat Narduzzi is a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy, so a place like Pitt is a perfect fit for him. It also didn’t hurt that the former Michigan State defensive coordinator inherited one of college football’s best power backs in James Conner.
Conner stands 6’2”, 250 pounds and is an imposing force for any opposing tackler. Last year, he carried an eye-popping 298 times, rolling up 1,765 yards and 26 touchdowns. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry and had three 200-yard games. New Pitt OC Jim Chaney comes from Arkansas, which boasted a pair of 1,000-yard rushers a year ago, so don’t be surprised if the Panthers feed Conner early and often again this fall.
He is a very different back than Tony Dorsett, who won the program’s only Heisman Trophy in 1976. But if Conner keeps piling up the yards this fall under the new regime, he’s a no-brainer Heisman candidate.
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Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott
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This fall, Ohio State has a trio of quarterbacks with Heisman Trophy potential, but the most likely candidate could be the guy who’ll take snaps from the eventual winner of the Buckeyes’ quarterback derby: Ezekiel Elliott. Last fall, Elliott emerged as a breakout star in the offense as Ohio State rolled to its first national title since 2002.
He rushed for 1,878 yards and 18 touchdowns, and he did so despite getting only 29 total carries in Ohio State’s first three games. He just got better as the season wrapped up, ending 2014 with three consecutive 200-yard rushing efforts. His best game came in the national title game, carrying 36 times for 246 yards and four touchdowns in Ohio State’s 42-20 rout of Oregon.
He is third on SI.com's post-spring Heisman Trophy watch, per Zac Ellis.
Elliott stands 6’0”, 225 pounds and is a punishing runner who has a great blend of power and speed. Urban Meyer will give him even more responsibility this fall, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him crack 2,000 yards and win the Heisman Trophy.
LSU RB Leonard Fournette
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Leonard Fournette began 2014 as perhaps LSU’s most hyped recruit ever, the nation’s top overall recruit, per 247Sports. The freshman tailback got off to a slow start but finished with a flourish. The Music City Bowl was practically a 2015 Heisman Trophy highlight reel in advance.
Fournette carried 11 times for 143 yards and two scores on the ground (including a jaw-dropping 89-yard run) and returned another kickoff for a touchdown. He finished his freshman season with 1,034 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He has excellent power and speed and make-you-miss ability.
And he isn't satisfied, either, as he told reporters, including Ross Dellenger of the (Baton Rouge) Advocate. He's 227 pounds and said he's faster than a year ago.
“I think I could have did better,” Fournette said, “but I believe this season is going to be my out-break season. I’m working hard towards it. Every day we’re going over film together, especially with (running backs) Coach Frank (Wilson).”
LSU has had only one Heisman Trophy winner, with Billy Cannon taking home the trophy in 1959, but Fournette has the potential to join him very quickly, assuming Les Miles realizes just what he has on his hands.
Alabama RB Derrick Henry
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Under Nick Saban, Alabama has employed a pro-style, power-run offense that often centers around a pair of talented tailbacks. That was the case with Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon, as well as Yeldon and Derrick Henry, and it’s worked out well for all involved.
This fall, Henry should be the lead back for Alabama’s offense, although it’ll also feature plenty of throwing with Lane Kiffin and a quarterback yet to be determined. Henry, who stands 6’3”, 242 pounds, has an exceptional blend of power and speed that can run over, around or through opposing tacklers.
Last fall, Henry, not Yeldon, was the Tide’s leading rusher, out-rushing Yeldon 990-979. Both had 11 touchdowns, but Henry averaged 5.8 yards per carry to Yeldon’s 5.0. He had 172 carries to Yeldon’s 194. With Yeldon gone to the NFL, it’s now Henry’s offense to carry. If Kiffin leans on him and the Tide rolls, a Heisman could be in his immediate future.
Southern California CB Adoree' Jackson
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In the Heisman Trophy’s hallowed history, only one defensive player has ever won the award: Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. Woodson made impacts all over the field as a cornerback, kick returner and wide receiver, which helped him break through as a Heisman candidate.
One current player can fit Woodson’s mold: Southern California cornerback Adoree’ Jackson. Jackson excelled across the board as a freshman and locked down a starting cornerback role by midseason. He made 10 pass breakups but also contributed as a receiver and kick returner with great speed and athleticism. He had 10 receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown, keyed by a 71-yard catch-and-run score against Nebraska in the Holiday Bowl.
Jackson also averaged 29.7 yards per return with a pair of long kick return touchdowns. If he becomes a two-way player this fall for a Trojans team that qualifies for the College Football Playoff, he’ll be a strong Heisman Trophy contender.
Ohio State QB Cardale Jones
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If we’re basing this list on potential, then Cardale Jones absolutely has to be on the list. Jones has only three starts as a collegiate quarterback entering his junior season, but the Ohio State quarterback truly impressed when given the opportunity.
Jones began 2014 as Ohio State’s third-string quarterback, but he was elevated to the starting role when J.T. Barrett broke his ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan. He thrived despite being thrown into the fire, winning the Big Ten title game and a pair of College Football Playoff games to bring home OSU’s first national title since 2002.
He threw for 860 yards with seven touchdowns against two interceptions, completing 60.9 percent of his passes, and he also rushed for 296 yards and a touchdown. Jones stands 6’5”, 250 pounds and is an intimidating figure in the pocket with a huge arm and solid running ability. He drew comparisons to Heisman winner and former top overall NFL draft pick Cam Newton for his big-bodied dual-threat ability.
Jones will enter 2015 in a three-way battle with Barrett and former two-time Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Braxton Miller for the starting quarterback role, but if he can win the job, the sky is the limit for his upside.
Oklahoma RB Samaje Perine
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Oklahoma has a strong legacy of dominant tailbacks. Three members of the Sooners backfield have won Heisman Trophies: Billy Vessels in 1952, Steve Owens in 1969 and Billy Sims in 1978. Last season, Samaje Perine emerged as a worthy contender to carry that legacy forward.
The 5’11”, 243-pound back was nearly impossible for opposing tacklers to bring down, finishing the season with 1,713 yards and 21 touchdowns, averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He set the FBS single-game rushing record with 427 yards against Kansas Nov. 22, one week after Wisconsin’s Melvin Gordon set the record at 408 yards.
It’ll be interesting to see how new offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley, an Air Raid system aficionado, uses Perine. But if he utilizes him correctly, Perine has the talent to bring another Heisman back to Norman.
UCLA RB Paul Perkins
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UCLA had impressive offensive balance in 2014, and one of the biggest reasons why was the emergence of tailback Paul Perkins. Perkins’ development took a huge step, going from 573 rushing yards as a freshman to 1,575 as a sophomore. He also increased his yards-per-carry average from 4.3 to 6.3 as a sophomore.
UCLA returns virtually everyone of note from a 10-win team except quarterback Brett Hundley and leading tackler Eric Kendricks, but Perkins will play a key role while the Bruins break in a new quarterback. Last fall, he had six 100-yard games and finished with his best game in the Alamo Bowl, carrying 20 times for 194 yards and two touchdowns.
Jim Mora’s team is expected to emerge as a strong College Football Playoff contender this fall, and if Perkins can take another leap forward, he’ll be the Bruins’ leading man and a strong Heisman Trophy contender.
Clemson QB Deshaun Watson
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Clemson has a rich football history: The Heisman Trophy’s namesake, John Heisman, coached at Clemson for four years in the program’s early days and brought home the school’s first undefeated season. But despite those roots, the Tigers have never had a player come close to winning the Heisman.
Quarterback Steve Fuller and tailback C.J. Spiller are the only Clemson players to crack the top 10, with both finishing in sixth place in the Heisman voting. Deshaun Watson has the talent to change that trend for the better, though.
Watson made a huge impression as a true freshman quarterback at Clemson last fall. His health was an issue: he Watson missed most of four games with a broken finger and suffered a knee injury in his return against Georgia Tech that sidelined him for the following week. After leading a 35-17 win over South Carolina, it was revealed that he was playing on a partially torn ACL (which was repaired in late December).
But when he was on the field, Watson was special. In his first start, he tied an ACC record with six touchdown passes and threw for 435 yards in a win over North Carolina. He finished the season with 1,466 yards passing and 14 touchdowns against two interceptions. Watson has great mobility, a big arm and will play in a pass-happy system that won’t change much despite Chad Morris’ departure to become SMU’s head coach. If the Tigers challenge for a College Football Playoff berth, Watson is Heisman-worthy.
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