Deshaun Watson Says He's Best Player in Country After Failing to Win Heisman

Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson doesn't need the Heisman Trophy voters to tell him who college football's top star is.

"I'm the best player in the country," Watson said Monday, per ESPN.com. "That's how I think. That's how I feel. People have their own way of voting."

Watson finished second to Louisville Cardinals quarterback Lamar Jackson in the Heisman voting, and the results weren't particularly close. Jackson collected 525 first-place votes compared to 269 for his ACC counterpart.

Rank	Player	First-Place Votes	Total Points
1	Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville	525	2,144
2	Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson	269	1,524
3	Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma	26	361
4	Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma	7	209
5	Jabrill Peppers, LB, Michigan	11	208

USA Today's Nicole Auerbach provided further context for Jackson's Heisman win:

Of course, Watson is well within his rights to proclaim himself the best player in college football. He helped lead the Tigers to a 12-1 record and a second straight College Football Playoff berth. He also threw for 306 yards, five touchdowns and three interceptions in Clemson's 42-36 victory over Louisville on Oct. 1.

Strictly in terms of passing numbers, Watson was superior to Jackson. Jackson owned a decided edge on the ground, though.

Player	Comp. %	Pass. Yards	TD	INT	Rush. Yards	Rush. TD
Watson	67.6	3,914	37	15	529	6
Jackson	57.6	3,390	30	9	1,538	21

Watson will have an opportunity to get the last laugh on Jackson. 

Louisville lost its last two games to eliminate itself from the playoff discussion. The Cardinals take on LSU in the Citrus Bowl on New Year's Eve.

Clemson, on the other hand, faces off with Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl. Bringing the Tigers their second national championship would be a great way for Watson to close out his college career—while simultaneously one-upping Jackson in the process.