The SEC's Heisman Trophy Contenders and Pretenders
By this point in the summer, you've already purchased your preseason college football preview magazine, downloaded one on your tablet and perhaps even made up your mind on who you think is going to win the 2016 Heisman Trophy.
Many of those players play in the SEC.
According to Odds Shark, five SEC players are listed among the favorites to win the Heisman. Many more could evolve into contenders as the season progresses.
Which players are contenders and pretenders? Our picks based on talent, scheme and exposure are in this slideshow.
LSU RB Leonard Fournette: Contender
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Despite the fact that a running back—Alabama's Derrick Henry—won the Heisman Trophy a year ago, the award is still driven by quarterbacks. It takes a special set of circumstances and a special year—like the one Henry enjoyed last year—for a running back to make a legitimate push.
LSU's Leonard Fournette is the most likely candidate around the country to replicate those circumstances.
Fournette led the nation in rushing yards per game a year ago at 162.75, is the focal point of the Tigers' conservative offense and enters the season as one of the heavy Heisman favorites at 4-1, according to Odds Shark.
"The 10 most unstoppable forces in college football: https://t.co/F0Sfbrkb98
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) July 20, 2016"
#1) Leonard @_Fournette's "truck stick" pic.twitter.com/OPnO119ki6
For Fournette to make a serious charge at the Heisman, his Tigers are going to have to contend for a College Football Playoff berth for a full three months rather than just two.
That might mean more responsibility for quarterback Brandon Harris in the passing game and a little less on Fournette's shoulders. If that happens, the those holes late in the season will open up a tad bit more, which could be all Fournette needs to run all the way to New York as a Heisman finalist.
Ole Miss QB Chad Kelly: Contender
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Whenever you can put your name ahead of former Auburn quarterback Cam Newton and former Florida quarterback Tim Tebow in the SEC record book, you're doing something right.
Ole Miss quarterback Chad Kelly did just that last year when he posted the third-best offensive season in conference history with 4,542 total yards—behind Johnny Manziel's 2012 and 2013 seasons at Texas A&M.
He's back for more, and "seconds" could include college football's most prestigious individual award.
Heisman voters love dual-threat quarterbacks, and since Ole Miss hasn't been able to run between the tackles for three years, those responsibilities have fallen on the quarterback's shoulders. Kelly ran for 500 yards and 10 touchdowns a year ago and will likely repeat the feat in 2016.
Through the air, he won't have Laquon Treadwell to rely on. However, Ole Miss' receiving corps is still loaded with talented players and head coach Hugh Freeze's system lends itself to success through the air. Kelly is 12-1 to win the award, according to Odds Shark, and is deserving of being in the Heisman discussion.
Georgia RB Nick Chubb: Pretender
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Nothing against Georgia running back Nick Chubb—he's a phenomenal running back who has proved that he can carry the load for Georgia's run-based offense from the moment that he received first-team snaps as a true freshman in 2014.
But I can't see him as a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender at this point in the season, even though he's listed at 14-1 on Odds Shark.
Sure, first-year head coach Kirby Smart said that he's on track to return from the knee injury that cost him the final two months of the 2015 season, and that he's ahead of fellow injured running back Sony Michel (wrist).
"Sony is rehabbing hard, trying to get back out there," Smart said, according to Jake Rowe of 247Sports. "He’s limited probably more than Nick right now, where Nick is doing everything he can do."
But what will Chubb's "100 percent" be after the injury? Will he be used as the workhorse after the injury once Michel returns?
Smart will likely want to give Chubb more of a break once Michel is healthy to keep his star fresh for a full season, which will prevent Chubb from having that ultradominant season that a running back must have to legitimately push for the Heisman Trophy.
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Alabama WR Calvin Ridley: Pretender
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Alabama sent Amari Cooper to New York as a Heisman finalist following the 2014 season, but don't count on Calvin Ridley—now at 25-1, according to Odds Shark—following in his footsteps just two years later.
Why?
The supporting cast outside for Alabama is better than people realize.
ArDarius Stewart came on strong last year with more than 60 receiving yards in three of Alabama's final four games, tight end O.J. Howard broke out in the College Football Playoff National Championship with 208 receiving yards and Bowling Green graduate transfer Gehrig Dieter was a 1,000-yard receiver a year ago. On top of them, Robert Foster could see a bigger role in 2016.
It's much more likely that offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin spreads the ball around to a bunch of different receiving options rather than one emerging as the focal point—which is what needs to happen if a receiver is going to become a legitimate Heisman candidate.
Simply put, Alabama is too loaded to boast a Heisman contender at receiver.
Tennessee QB Joshua Dobbs: Contender
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As is the case with Ole Miss' Chad Kelly, Tennessee's Joshua Dobbs is very much a contender in the Heisman race due to his ability to create through the air and on the ground.
Dobbs, 25-1 according to Odds Shark, rushed for 671 yards and 11 touchdowns and will thrive again on the ground with veterans Jalen Hurd and Alvin Kamara as his primary running mates.
But what about through the air?
He only passed for 2,291 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago, and his 105.66 passer rating against ranked opponents leaves a lot to be desired. But with the downfield passing attack being the primary focus of the offseason, Preston Williams emerging as a potential star in the spring and Josh Malone working back to 100 percent, a step forward through the air should be expected.
"Everyone wants to talk about the quarterback, but sometimes playing winning football at the quarterback position is a byproduct to the players around him," head coach Butch Jones said at SEC media days. "We've had the unfortunate circumstances the last couple of years to be decimated by injuries at the wide receiver position."
Tennessee is the SEC East favorite and has a dual-threat quarterback who plays in a system where video game numbers should be expected. That's a recipe for Heisman success.
Alabama RB Bo Scarbrough: Pretender
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Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough has surged from off the board to 20-1 to win the Heisman, according to Oddschecker.
Fair?
Let's not get too crazy.
I know Derrick Henry won the award a year ago, but the way offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin used him last year was a departure from the norm for Alabama. Typically, there's a committee in Tuscaloosa. Mark Ingram had Trent Richardson to spell him. Richardson had Eddie Lacy. Lacy had T.J. Yeldon. Yeldon had Henry.
Last year, Alabama lacked running back depth and found its version of a Mack truck to shoulder the load. While Scarbrough is 6'2", 230 pounds, he has just 104 career rushing yards, some offensive line questions in front of him and will likely be part of a committee early with sophomore Damien Harris.
That will prevent Scarbrough from putting together a season comparable to Henry's, which is what needs to happen to make a legitimate Heisman run based on the quarterback talent that will likely contend around the country.
Texas A&M QB Trevor Knight: Contender
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Before you jump to the comment section and tell the world about Trevor Knight's struggles at Oklahoma, remember that he's not in Norman anymore.
The Texas A&M graduate transfer is in an offense under head coach Kevin Sumlin that has already produced a Heisman Trophy winner, will benefit from the presence of offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone (and the absence of former coordinator Jake Spavital) and has one of the best wide receiving groups in the country, led by Christian Kirk, Josh Reynolds and Ricky Seals-Jones.
At 50-1 odds, according to Oddschecker, the veteran who threw for over 300 yards in both of his games versus SEC teams while at Oklahoma has earned the job and confidence of his new teammates.
"That was a situation where Texas A&M filled a void for Trevor Knight as a guy who wanted to play, as a graduate transfer, a guy who wanted to play at a high level, be around a program that he thought fit his skill set with some coaches he thought fit his skill set and some teammates that he wanted to play with, got him a little bit closer to home since he's from San Antonio," Sumlin said at SEC media days.
He's going to have to be more consistent at Texas A&M, but Knight has a situation that's ready-made for a Heisman run.
Auburn RB Jovon Robinson: Contender
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If you're looking for an off-the-board contender for the Heisman, look no further than Auburn running back Jovon Robinson.
The 6'0", 219-pounder from Memphis came on strong late last season with 90 or more rushing yards in five of his final six games, including 126 yards, a touchdown and offensive MVP honors in the Birmingham Bowl win over Memphis.
Head coach Gus Malzahn has produced 13 1,000-yard rushers in 10 seasons as a college head or assistant coach, and Robinson should be the workhorse for the Tigers in 2016. Malzahn already sent a running back to New York as a finalist for the Heisman in 2013, when Tre Mason emerged as a superstar out of his multidimensional rushing attack.
That multidimensional rushing attack should be replicated this year as long as junior college transfer John Franklin III takes control of the quarterback position. That'll take pressure off or Robinson, open those holes up just a little bit more and could open the door to a Heisman run.
Alabama's Eventual Winner at QB: Contender
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No, Alabama doesn't have a quarterback yet.
No, it doesn't matter.
The Crimson Tide will enter fall camp with four contenders for the top spot on the depth chart—junior Cooper Bateman, sophomore David Cornwell, redshirt freshman Blake Barnett and true freshman Jalen Hurts.
With the talented receiving corps that exists in Tuscaloosa that includes Calvin Ridley, ArDarius Stewart, Gehrig Dieter, Robert Foster and tight end O.J. Howard; uncertainty at running back and the ultimate trump card in offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, the winner of Alabama's quarterback battle will have the chance to not only lead his team to success, but make a run at the Heisman.
I think it'll be Barnett, based on his ability to stretch the field with his arm, stress defenses with his legs and the fact he is a guy out of California that Kiffin has targeted for a while.
Even if it isn't Barnett, the quarterback at Alabama is far more likely to make the trip to New York than a running back or wide receiver for the Crimson Tide. As stated earlier in this story, the running game should be handled by a committee and the ball is much more likely to be spread around outside.
Quotes obtained firsthand, unless otherwise noted. Statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com, unless otherwise noted. Recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.
Barrett Sallee is the lead SEC college football writer and national college football video analyst for Bleacher Report as well as a host on Bleacher Report Radio on SiriusXM 83. Follow Barrett on Twitter @BarrettSallee.
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