B/R's 2025 Heisman Trophy Rankings After Week 4

Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer stood out in the earliest stage of the 2025 Heisman Trophy race, and he remains atop the discussion.

Suddenly, though, he has serious company.

Indiana's absolute annihilation of Illinois has vaulted Fernando Mendoza into the picture, and Oregon QB Dante Moore keeps on thriving. Even though this marathon only recently began, it's starting to get interesting.

Additionally, it's a proper time to separate the contenders into tiers. Expectations play a role in initial rankings, but four games is more than enough evidence to focus solely on what's actually happened on the field.

The tiers are subjective yet based on historical voting trends, such as individual production and team success.

Tier 4: They're in the Neighborhood

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Jayden Maiava

Ty Simpson, QB, Alabama

If the voting happened today, a loss to Florida State would keep Ty Simpson out of the conversation. Fortunately for him, well, it's September. Simpson has responded from that setback and totaled eight touchdowns in wins over Louisiana-Monroe and Wisconsin. Bama plays at Georgia this weekend, so we're going to know quickly if Simpson should stay in the conversation.

Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State

Julian Sayin had a quiet performance in the victory over Texas, so that's not exactly a major appeal on his resume. Still, he surpassed 300 yards in wins against Grambling and Ohio while throwing seven scores. Sayin has plenty to prove, but he's been a productive QB for the nation's top-ranked team. Voters love that stuff.

Jayden Maiava, QB, USC

The production? Excellent. Jayden Maiava has thrown for 1,223 yards, chipped in 55 rushing yards and totaled 13 touchdowns in four USC wins. Now, the challenge is maintaining that success when the competition level rises. Maiava's first test arrives this Saturday in a trip to Illinois.

Tier 3: They Have Our Attention

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Josh Hoover

Carson Beck, QB, Miami

Miami overpowered Florida up front, but a shaky outing from Carson Beck allowed UF to stick in the game. He finished 17-of-30 for 160 yards with no touchdowns and an interception in the 26-7 win. Beck would benefit from a strong performance when Miami takes on rival Florida State to begin October.

Josh Hoover, QB, TCU

You could make a decent case for Josh Hoover to land on a higher tier, considering he's guided TCU to routs of both North Carolina and SMU. He's passed for 1,000 yards with 11 touchdowns to two interceptions along the way. The bright side if you disagree with this placement is TCU travels to Arizona State on Friday, and another productive day in a victory will undeniably elevate Hoover.

Marcel Reed, QB, Texas A&M

After cruising past UTSA and Utah State, Marcel Reed totaled 397 yards in a last-second win at Notre Dame. He threw a last-minute touchdown to stun ND, providing an early "Heisman moment" for consideration, too. The challenge now shifts to weathering the SEC storm, beginning with Auburn on Saturday.

Tier 2: Top Challengers

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Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia

After an idle weekend, Gunner Stockton and UGA have another showdown on the docket. He totaled 342 yards and three touchdowns in the overtime win at Tennessee, and the Dawgs host Alabama this Saturday.

Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State

Also off in Week 4, Jeremiah Smith returns to the field with an intriguing matchup. Washington hasn't played a tough schedule, yet its secondary has yielded a modest 6.2 yards per pass attempt. But if the unit is without star corner Tacario Davis again, Smith may become a nightmare to defend in Seattle.

Joey Aguilar, QB, Tennessee

Had the Volunteers clipped UGA, Joey Aguilar might be the Heisman front-runner. Instead, he's thrown for 1,124 yards and 12 scores to three picks as the catalyst for a dangerous 3-1 team. Tennessee hosts Mississippi State in Week 5.

Tier 1: The Front-Runners

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Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana

During an easy nonconference slate, Fernando Mendoza padded his stats with 10 total touchdowns. Good, necessary work. But, my word, a 21-of-23 showing with 267 yards, five scores and zero turnovers in a 63-10 victory over ninth-ranked Illinois? That's incredible stuff. Mendoza has soared into contention as the Hoosiers head to Iowa, aiming to avoid a letdown game.

John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma

John Mateer has been steady. In every game so far, he's thrown for 270-plus yards and accounted for a touchdown both as a passer and runner. Most importantly, two of those victories—Michigan and Auburn—were against ranked opponents. Oklahoma is idle before hosting Kent State to open October.

Dante Moore, QB, Oregon

Looking for a statement game from Dante Moore? His first chance arrives this weekend when Oregon plays at No. 3 Penn State in a raucous White Out environment. Moore, who's passed for 962 yards with 11 scores to one interception, is tasked with handling a PSU secondary that—though it faced a painless nonconference run—has surrendered a measly 4.6 yards per attempt.