Bleacher Report's Preseason 2015 College Football Award Predictions
We're a little more than a week away from the start of the 2015 season, when every team in play is hoping to have a shot at a division, conference or national championship. The players have their own goals as well, and for some of them, that involves picking up some fancy trophies in December.
College football has more than a dozen national awards that are doled out based on individual performance throughout the season, most notably the Heisman Trophy. Each has its own group of voters who pick the recipients, but Bleacher Report's college football staff has decided to take on the task of picking every award winner.
Our predictions are based on votes cast by 19 members of our staff: writers Ben Axelrod, Greg Couch, Justin Ferguson, David Kenyon, Ben Kercheval, Adam Kramer, Brian Leigh, Mike Monaco, Brian Pedersen, David Regimbal, Barrett Sallee, Brad Shepard, Greg Wallace and Christopher Walsh; video experts Michael Felder and Sean McManus; and editors Eric Bowman, Hunter Mandel and Eric Yates. The top vote-getter for each award is our choice, while the second highest is the runner-up.
Some of our experts have also provided some insight as to why they chose a certain player to win the award over others.
Check out our predictions for 16 of college football's biggest postseason awards for 2015—then give us your thoughts in the comments section.
Heisman Trophy
1 of 16
Trevone Boykin, Senior, TCU (Seven Votes)
There are some critics who feel that the Heisman Trophy has become just another award for quarterbacks, since the position has taken home the trophy in 13 of the last 15 years. But look closer, and you'll see that the last five winners have all been a particular type of quarterback.
That would be the kind who is both an effective passer but also very dangerous with his legs, a good way to describe Cam Newton, Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, Jameis Winston and Marcus Mariota. It's also how to best explain the kind of player Trevone Boykin was last year for TCU and what he should again be in 2015.
"He's a versatile, exciting player, and he'll key TCU's run to a College Football Playoff berth," Bleacher Report's Greg Wallace said. "He finished fourth in the Heisman voting a year ago and will be even better this fall, making him the clear favorite to win the 2015 Heisman."
Boykin accounted for more than 4,600 yards of total offense and 42 touchdowns last year, and that included 707 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, as well as a touchdown reception. He was the best player on his team and one of the biggest reasons the Horned Frogs went from 4-8 in 2013 to 12-1 and a playoff contender.
The Frogs open at No. 2 in the Associated Press preseason poll, and as long as they remain in the hunt and Boykin is at the forefront of that charge, he'll be the one to beat for the Heisman.
Runner-up: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (six votes)
Maxwell Award
2 of 16
Trevone Boykin, Senior, TCU (Seven Votes)
Of the three national player of the year awards (along with the Heisman and Walter Camp Award), the Maxwell Award tends to be the one that goes against the grain and chooses a winner different from the others. That wasn't the case last year, when it also went with Mariota, and we're predicting the same in 2015.
If Trevone Boykin is worthy of the Heisman—and Vegas oddsmakers think he is, as Odds Shark has him listed as the preseason co-favorite along with Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott—then he should be in contention for all player of the year trophies. He figures to be the player who will make or break TCU's push for a spot in the playoff, and if he can get the Horned Frogs a semifinal bid, he'll also be collecting this trophy.
Runner-up: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (five votes)
Walter Camp Award
3 of 16
Trevone Boykin, Senior, TCU (Six Votes)
The Walter Camp Award has been given out since 1967. It's a national player of the year trophy named for one of the pioneers of college football who did so much for the game during its formative years in the late 1800s. Camp was a very accomplished athlete who could do so many things. He's described on the award's website as "a competent swimmer, a good runner and an able tennis player."
We don't know how well Trevone Boykin does in those disciplines, but on the football field, he's as dynamic a player as they come. Last year, he topped 60 rushing yards in five different games while hitting the 300-yard passing mark on six occasions.
Boykin isn't the only strong player on TCU's roster—far from it. But he's the one who will be doing the most to get the Horned Frogs into the postseason, which will also result in his collecting plenty of hardware.
Runner-up: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (five votes)
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Bronko Nagurski Trophy
4 of 16
Scooby Wright, Junior, Arizona (Seven Votes)
Last year saw Scooby Wright—a former 2-star recruit, per 247Sports—clean up on the defensive side of the awards circuit, collecting three national trophies, including the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, which goes to the nation's top defender. This wasn't very surprising, since he led the FBS in tackles (163), tackles for loss (29) and forced fumbles (six) while helping Arizona win the Pac-12 South title.
Wright will be hard-pressed to top those numbers in 2015, both because the Wildcats hope their defense isn't as one-dimensional as it was last season and because opponents will be game-planning to keep him from making as big an impact. But that won't keep him from being in contention for the Nagurski again, as long as he continues to find a way to make big plays.
Runner-up: Joey Bosa, Ohio State (three votes)
Doak Walker Award
5 of 16
Ezekiel Elliott, Junior, Ohio State (Eight Votes)
Ezekiel Elliott was not named to the Big Ten's all-conference team in 2014. He was stuck in the shadows of 2,000-yard rushers Tevin Coleman of Indiana and Melvin Gordon of Wisconsin, last year's winner of the Doak Walker Award, which is given to the nation's best running back.
But it was Elliott who got the last laugh, dominating during the postseason as he helped carry Ohio State to a national title.
There's no shortage of spotlights on Elliott this year, even though college football has one of the deepest crops of running backs in recent memory to choose from. The other candidates are great, but none of them are coming off a three-game run like last December and January when he went for 696 yards and eight touchdowns. Elliott should be the driving force for the Buckeyes during their title defense this fall.
"Regardless of who winds up being Ohio State's starting quarterback, the Buckeyes will rely heavily on their running game in 2015, and for good reason," Bleacher Report's Ben Axelrod said. "If Elliott can find anything close to that sort of production over the course of an entire season, he'll be walking away from the year with his fair share of hardware, including the Doak Walker Award."
Elliott played most of last year with a broken left wrist, limiting him to carrying the ball on the right side. There are no such physical impediments this year.
Runner-up: Nick Chubb, Georgia (seven votes)
Fred Biletnikoff Award
6 of 16
Laquon Treadwell, Junior, Ole Miss (Six Votes)
The numbers before his injury didn't tell the true story of how important Laquon Treadwell was to Ole Miss' offense, but the lack of them afterward certainly did. After Treadwell suffered a broken ankle late in a home loss to Auburn, the Rebels offense all but disappeared as the 2014 season played out.
It was the kind of injury that many players would struggle to ever come back from—let alone doing backflips on a trampoline less than seven months later. But Treadwell looks stronger than ever, and the 6'2", 210-pound star should parlay that health into a monster season that will include being named the nation's top wide receiver.
Treadwell had 48 receptions for 632 yards and five touchdowns in nine games last season. This year, he should end up doubling those numbers.
Runner-up: Rashard Higgins, Colorado State (five votes)
Davey O'Brien Award
7 of 16
Trevone Boykin, Senior, TCU (Eight Votes)
Our staff feels Trevone Boykin will win all three national player of the year awards, so it should come as no surprise that he's also our choice for the Davey O'Brien Award, which goes to the top quarterback in the country. Marcus Mariota swept all four of these trophies last year, and Boykin's impact on TCU's season figures to be similar to the one Mariota had in leading Oregon to the national title game in 2014.
There will be quarterbacks who throw for more yards than Boykin and those who run for more. There will probably even be a few who have more total offense and higher touchdown tallies. But most of those will probably end up playing into the fourth quarter more often than Boykin, who last season attempted only 56 passes and rushed 25 times in the final period.
Boykin is our pick for the best player in college football for 2015, and that also makes him the best quarterback in the game.
Runner-up: J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (four votes)
John Mackey Award
8 of 16
Evan Engram, Junior, Ole Miss (Eight Votes)
The John Mackey Award is given to the top tight end in the country, someone who can handle the duties of being both a blocker and a weapon in the passing game. The receiving aspect of this position is what usually stands out in the winner, and that's what makes Evan Engram such a tough assignment for opponents.
At 6'3" and 227 pounds, Engram is built more like a wide receiver than a tight end, Bleacher Report's Christopher Walsh noted.
"He might be the toughest matchup in college football," Walsh said. "He's too fast for most linebackers to keep up with and too big for most safeties to stop."
Engram had 38 receptions for 662 yards last season, though he scored only two touchdowns. He'll be a much bigger red-zone target for Ole Miss this year, and those scoring opportunities will help propel him to the Mackey Award.
Runner-up: Jonnu Smith, Florida International (three votes)
Outland Trophy
9 of 16
Laremy Tunsil, Junior, Ole Miss (Six Votes)
The Outland Trophy honors the big boys in the trenches, the ones who are either protecting the quarterback and opening up running lanes on offense or pushing through blockers from the other side of the line of scrimmage. Four of the last five winners have been on the offensive side, and we're staying over there with Laremy Tunsil.
The 6'5", 305-pound offensive tackle is widely considered one of the top 2016 NFL draft prospects, assuming he turns pro after this season. Bleacher Report draft expert Matt Miller pegs him seventh on his early 2016 big board, while WalterFootball.com projects him as the No. 4 pick (and first offensive tackle taken).
Tunsil is coming back from a broken leg that he suffered during the Peach Bowl in December, and he's also dealing with an NCAA investigation that stemmed from a domestic dispute with his stepfather. As long as neither of those things impacts his ability to anchor Ole Miss' line this year, he'll be accepting the Outland in a few months.
Runner-up: Ronnie Stanley, Notre Dame (three votes)
Rotary Lombardi Award
10 of 16
Joey Bosa, Junior, Ohio State (Nine Votes)
The Rotary Lombardi Award has one of the most specific descriptions for eligible recipients. According to its website, it's an honor meant to identify the best "down linemen, end to end, either on offense or defense, who set up no farther than 10 yards to the left or right of the ball, or linebackers who set up no farther than five yards deep from the line of scrimmage."
To this, our pick to win the Lombardi this year simply shrugs. It's what Joey Bosa did last season after most of his biggest plays and what he'll likely end up doing while posing with the award in December.
The Ohio State defensive end falls well in line with the qualifications for this award, as he's among the most dominant players in the country. Award namesake Vince Lombardi loved players who had the kind of motor Bosa shows on every single snap, which makes him a perfect choice for this honor.
Runner-up: Scooby Wright, Arizona (three votes)
Rimington Trophy
11 of 16
Jack Allen, Senior, Michigan State (Nine Votes)
The center is often the forgotten member of the offensive line despite being the one who gets each play started and is responsible for pointing the rest of the blockers in the right direction. The Rimington Trophy honors these men in the middle, and after he was a finalist last season, we're going with Jack Allen to win the award in 2015.
The 6'2", 296-pound Allen has started 35 games for Michigan State, including 30 at center. Last year, he did not allow a sack, according to his bio on Michigan State's website, and under his watch, the Spartans set numerous school records, including points per game, first downs, total offense and rushing yards.
Allen and fellow fifth-year senior Connor Cook, MSU's quarterback, will combine for a veteran tandem that is at the heart of the Spartans' push for a playoff bid. If that doesn't happen, it won't be because of anything Allen failed to do.
Runner-up: Max Tuerk, USC (six votes)
Chuck Bednarik Award
12 of 16
Scooby Wright, Junior, Arizona (Seven Votes)
Chuck Bednarik passed away in March, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most ferocious and punishing tacklers in football history. The award named after the man known as "Concrete Charlie" aims to honor a college defender who plays the same way, and Scooby Wright claimed this award in 2014 after almost single-handedly carrying Arizona's defense.
Wright will again be the focal point of what the Wildcats do on that side of the ball, unlikely to ever leave the field and always involved in the play. He was the national leader in tackles, tackles for loss and forced fumbles last year, and in Arizona's 4-2-5 alignment, he spent as much time getting into the backfield as he did dropping back into coverage.
Wright's all-around topnotch play will again be rewarded, earning the Bednarik for the second year in a row. He would be the first such repeat winner since Penn State's Paul Posluszny in 2005-06.
Runner-up: Jalen Ramsey, Florida State (five votes)
Dick Butkus Award
13 of 16
Scooby Wright, Junior, Arizona (Nine Votes)
Of all the awards we have Scooby Wright claiming in 2015, the Dick Butkus Award is the one that our voters felt was the clearest choice. This makes sense, since it's an honor given to the nation's top linebacker, yet in 2014, Wright did not win this one—it went to UCLA's Eric Kendricks—despite claiming three other trophies.
Wright had 163 tackles last year, nine more than any other player in the FBS, and his 99 solo takedowns were second to only the 101 that Kendricks tallied. As the man whom Arizona's defense works around on every play, he'll again be in line to top the tackle categories in 2015.
But it won't just be numbers that win Wright this award. It will be the game-saving plays, such as when he stripped Oregon's Marcus Mariota and recovered the fumble to secure a huge road upset of the Ducks last season.
Runner-up: Jaylon Smith, Notre Dame (three votes)
Jim Thorpe Award
14 of 16
Jalen Ramsey, Junior, Florida State (Nine Votes)
Jalen Ramsey enters his third year as a starter in Florida State's secondary, moving back to the cornerback position he played as a freshman in 2013. He was a safety last season, but with the Seminoles losing both starting corners, he's been tasked with helping to fill that void.
It's one of the many reasons that Ramsey will end up winning the Jim Thorpe Award, which is given to the nation's top defensive back. There are also his punishing hits and great eye for the ball, which has led him to intercept three passes and break up 13 others in the last two years.
"Jalen Ramsey is everything a team would want in a defensive back—elite athleticism and physicality, championship-level experience and an incredible amount of versatility," Bleacher Report's Justin Ferguson said. "Wherever Florida State puts him on the field, Ramsey is disrupting offenses and making plays of the highest order."
Runner-up: Vernon Hargreaves III, Florida (eight votes)
Lou Groza Award
15 of 16
Roberto Aguayo, Junior, Florida State (16 Votes)
The Lou Groza Award, given to the top place-kicker in college football, hasn't had a repeat winner since 1998-99, when Florida State's Sebastian Janikowski won it in back-to-back years. Roberto Aguayo will be the next Seminoles kicker to achieve this feat, having already won the Groza as a redshirt freshman in 2013, and he probably should have won last year as well instead of Maryland's Brad Craddock.
There's never been a three-time Groza winner, but there's rarely been a kicker as good as Aguayo.
He's missed just four kicks in his career, all field goals of at least 40 yards, and none of his 149 extra-point attempts have failed to go through the uprights. Last year, his 27 field goals helped FSU remain unbeaten throughout the regular season, and with a young and inexperienced offense in 2015, he's likely to be called upon quite often to put points on the board.
Runner-up: Brad Craddock, Maryland (two votes)
Ray Guy Award
16 of 16
JK Scott, Sophomore, Alabama (16 votes)
An Alabama player has claimed one of the major national awards in seven of the past eight years, including wide receiver Amari Cooper's Biletnikoff Award last year and the Heisman Trophy that Mark Ingram took home in 2009. All told, the school has had players win nine of the 16 awards on this list, and JK Scott will make that 10 by being the first Crimson Tide player to be named the nation's top punter.
Scott was Alabama's unofficial MVP in 2014, when as a true freshman he led the nation with a 48.0-yard punting average. Of his 55 punts, 31 were downed inside the 20-yard line, including five of seven in the Tide's win over previously unbeaten Mississippi State last year.
"The MVP of the game was probably their punter," MSU coach Dan Mullen said afterward, per Brad Zimanek of the Montgomery Advertiser.
Runner-up: Tom Hackett, Utah (three votes)
All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
All slides written by Bleacher Report featured columnist Brian J. Pedersen. Follow the author on Twitter at @realBJP.
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