Heisman Finalists 2016: Predictions for Candidates' Order of Finish in the Race

The pursuit of college football's greatest individual award, the Heisman Trophy, comes down to Saturday night, as five student-athletes will be on hand in New York City for the award's bestowal. 

As always, there is plenty of representation from the offensive side of the ball—three quarterbacks and one wide receiver—alongside one playmaker who takes snaps on all sides of the ball. 

Here are the five finalists for the Heisman Trophy:

Player	Position	School	Notable Stats
Lamar Jackson	QB	Louisville	3,390 pass yards, 1,538 rush yards, 51 total TDs
Baker Mayfield	QB	Oklahoma	3,669 pass yards, 38 pass TDs
Jabrill Peppers	LB	Michigan	73 total tackles, 1 INT, 14.8 yards per punt return, 1 TD
Deshaun Watson	QB	Clemson	3,914 pass yards, 529 rush yards, 43 total TDs
Dede Westbrook	WR	Oklahoma	74 receptions, 1,465 yards, 16 TDs

Predicting the Heisman Trophy Results

1. Lamar Jackson

2. Deshaun Watson

3. Baker Mayfield

4. Dede Westbrook

5. Jabrill Peppers

There is no disputing that Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson had a difficult final two games of the regular season against Houston, when he was sacked 11 times, and Kentucky, a four-turnover performance. 

But he still was the most explosive player for the first 10 weeks of the college football season, thanks to dual-threat capabilities that created 51 total touchdowns:

In a four-game stretch to start the season, he scored five or more touchdowns each week, including a five-touchdown performance in a dominating 63-20 win over then-No. 2 Florida State. 

He had at least two touchdowns in all but two games this season, as he could not be stopped throughout the majority of 2016. 

He ranked 12th in the nation in passing and eighth in rushing, leading all quarterbacks in the country in yards gained on the ground. 

No other Heisman candidate is that well-rounded offensively and is that much of a threat. So while the end of his season wasn't exactly Heisman-worthy, the other 83 percent of the season was. 

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.