The Heisman Memorial Trophy is college football’s best-known and most-followed pageant, a popularity contest that rarely awards the sport’s most respected trophy to the best player in the sport — merely the best offensive player in the sport.
The last defender to win the Heisman was Michigan defensive back Charles Woodson, and he had to go both ways to do it — 43 tackles, seven interceptions, 11 catches for 231 yards and a TD while returning punts. He was the epitome of special, and a rarity, as Heisman voters just refuse to acknowledge that the best player on a football field can play defense.
So you won’t see any here. Rather than to simply continue raging against this injustice, I will acknowledge how the award is given and not how I want it to be. However, knowing that the Heisman is a popularity contest, allows us to acknowledge that the biggest story in the sport is Deion Sanders’ arrival in Colorado.
What Deion Sanders’ move to Colorado means
RJ Young shares his thoughts on Deion Sanders becoming the new head coach at Colorado.
There is presently no bigger star in the sport than Coach Prime. And he left no doubt about who is going to be the Buffaloes’ starting quarterback in 2023 — none other than his son, Shedeur Sanders. And by the way, he can play.
The younger Sanders will begin his Pac-12 career after winning two SWAC titles, SWAC Offensive Player of the Year, and the Jerry Rice Award (FCS Freshman of the Year). He led Jackson State to its first undefeated regular season, and he calls Tom Brady uncle. With the Buffs set to host Lincoln Riley and USC in Boulder next year, not to mention a season-opening showdown against College Football Playoff-bound TCU, the eyes of the nation will be on the play of Sanders — if they aren’t already.
If Sanders can quarterback Colorado to its first conference title in more than 20 years in a conference that counts CU rival Utah as its two-time defending champion, you won’t need help knowing who will win the Heisman. It’ll be Sanders.
1. Colorado QB Shedeur Sanders
Sanders has a chance to be the most dynamic Colorado quarterback since Kordell Stewart, and he could also benefit from having the school’s best all-around player since Rashaan Salaam on his side if Travis Hunter — who has also been linked to Florida State — decides to join him.
It’s been nearly 30 years since Salaam won the 1994 Heisman at Colorado after rushing for more than 2,000 yards and 24 TDs, and leading the Buffaloes to a win against No. 3-ranked Notre Dame.
2. USC QB Caleb Williams
Any list of this kind is going to get intense side-eye — if it hasn’t already — if we go much further without acknowledging that the reigning Heisman winner will return to college next season.
The first USC Heisman winner since Reggie Bush was able to do so without even securing his league’s conference title, which leaves room for him to improve his argument for becoming — Ohio State fans, avert your eyes — just the second two-time winner in history.
With another 4,000-yard passing performance and nearly 50 TDs (47 in 2022), Williams has a shot to make history if USC can succeed in winning the Pac-12 title and earning the program’s first CFP invitation.
3. Michigan QB J.J. McCarthy
The reason McCarthy is here and not Donovan Edwards or Blake Corum — if he decides to return to Ann Arbor for the 2023 season — is because this is a quarterback-driven award. It’s not just that all four finalists in 2022 were quarterbacks, it’s that a TCU quarterback (Max Duggan) beat out Corum for a finalist spot.
A running back hasn’t won the award since 2015 (Derrick Henry of Alabama), and just three have won it since 2000.
Unlike most on this list — including Williams — McCarthy has yet to lose a game as a starting quarterback. Winning goes a long way.
4. Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison, Jr.
Kyle McCord (or Devin Brown) and TreVeyon Henderson might have something to say about this. But Harrison, Jr. is the first Biletnikoff Award finalist at Ohio State since Terry Glenn in 1995. He has the best chance of any returning wideout to win the Heisman since DeVonta Smith and could be OSU’s first since 2006.
Watch: Marvin Harrison Jr. catches 42-yard TD
Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud hits Marvin Harrison Jr. for a 42-yard touchdown against Michigan earlier this season.
5. Georgia’s starting QB: Brock Vandagriff, Carson Beck or Gunner Stockton
With respect to Stetson Bennett and what he’s accomplished — like leading UGA to its first national title in 40 years — the Dawgs have built a national power in spite of the quarterback. The Dawgs are powered by outstanding offensive lines and defenses, but the Heisman is largely a quarterback award. When it’s not, it’s largely a running back award.
Still, we can’t overlook the starting quarterback on a national title-caliber team, and all three competing to lead UGA in 2023 are capable of winning the Heisman.
6. Alabama starting QB: Jalen Milroe or Ty Simpson
In the Nick Saban era at Alabama, it has never paid to bet against him or the offense he runs. Since the emergence of Blake Sims, every Alabama quarterback has benefited from a robust offensive scheme, with Bryce Young becoming the first Tide quarterback to win the award.
Whether it’s Milroe or Simpson in the 2023 QB derby, he’ll get the same chance to play in front of a national television audience and be given the benefit of the doubt. Milroe looked shaky in his only start this season against Texas A&M, but if he demonstrates a better ability to take care of the ball, he can contend for the Heisman.
7. Clemson QB Cade Klubnik
Klubnik was more than credible for Clemson once he was ushered into playing for DJ Uiagalelei, a player still trying to find his 2020 form.
His 22-for-24 passing performance against North Carolina in the ACC title game, which included 309 total yards and two TDs, left no doubt about whose team the Tigers are now.
8. Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.
Penix was the nation’s leader in passing offense — more than 4,300 yards — with 29 TDs and just seven INTs. When he announced his return, Huskies fans rejoiced. He has a chance to lead them to their first Pac-12 title since 2016 and is their first bona fide star at quarterback since Jake Browning.
Watch: Michael Penix Jr. throws 62-yard laser vs. Oregon
Michael Penix Jr. delivered when it mattered for Washington, as his 62-yard TD tied the game against Oregon earlier this season.
9. Texas QB Quinn Ewers
Although Arch Manning will have something to say above this throughout the spring and the summer, the thought is that Ewers will retain his starting job on the Forty Acres. With Doak Walker Award-winning running back Bijan Robinson off to the NFL, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian might run more of the offense through his former five-star quarterback.
With a win for Texas at Alabama next season, Ewers might vault into the top five of this list just after Labor Day.
10. Wisconsin RB Braelon Allen
With Luke Fickell as the head coach in Madison, we could see the first 300-carry season for Allen, which might spell doom for the Big Ten. Allen has rushed for at least 1,100 yards in each of his first two seasons with no more than 208 carries in any one season.
11. Penn State RB Nick Singleton
Singleton is the rare running back who can outshine almost any quarterback. After rushing for 941 yards and 10 TDs as a true freshman, he’ll likely set the table for the kind of season Drew Allar — or whoever wins the ensuing PSU QB battle — might have in a stacked Big Ten.
12. North Carolina QB Drake Maye
Maye finished this season with more than 4,200 passing yards, 36 TDs and 10 INTs, and led UNC to an ACC title game appearance in his first year as a starter. With former UNC offensive coordinator Phil Longo off to Wisconsin, though, it remains to be seen if the offense he’ll run in 2023 will allow him the chance to put up gaudy numbers again.
13. QB DJ Uiagalelei
At Clemson, Uiagalelei began his career as the man most likely to challenge Young for QB1 in the 2023 NFL Draft. Since then, he’s only flashed his potential a few times over the past three years. Now, with his name in the transfer portal, the bet is he’s too great a player to discount. If he finds the right program, the right fit, look out for what could be the best comeback season of 2023.
14. Florida State QB Jordan Travis
Travis turned into a brilliant dual-threat quarterback in 2022, with more than 3,100 total yards and 29 TDs with just four INTs. All three of FSU’s losses were to ranked ACC teams, and the Seminoles are a threat to end up in the ACC title game in 2023. But no one will overlook them next season after they pulled off a win against SEC West champ LSU.
15. Ole Miss RB Quishon Judkins
Judkins was the breakout player of the year. With former five-star running back Zach Evans sharing the room with him, Judkins still managed to rush for 1,476 yards and set the school record for rushing TDs in a season with 16.
16. Notre Dame RB Audric Estime
Like Singleton, Estime has a chance to stand out early in 2023 while ND establishes a quarterback — perhaps Tyler Buchner coming back from injury. He can begin strong and perhaps put ND back in the race for the CFP. However, he’ll have stiff competition in his own running back room with Logan Diggs. With a September matchup against Ohio State in 2023, Estime will have a chance to vault into the national spotlight early.
17. Arkansas QB KJ Jefferson
The Razorbacks look like a team capable of winning the SEC West when Jefferson is healthy. In just 10 games in 2022, he put up more than 2,800 total yards, 29 total TDs and threw just four INTs. With losses to the defense that include coordinator Barry Odom, linebackers Bumper Pool and Drew Sanders, as well as wideout Jadon Haselwood on the offense, they’ll need him to shine in 2023.
18. Kansas State QB Will Howard
If Deuce Vaughn returns for his senior season, he could usurp his starting quarterback. He’s already said he’ll play in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama, and that’s a boon for the Wildcats. Since stepping in as quarterback for injured Adrian Martinez against TCU on Oct. 22, Howard has won every game he’s played in, including handing TCU its only loss and securing the Big 12 Championship against a CFP team.
Watch: Will Howard throws deep strike
Kansas State quarterback Will Howard throws a 42-yard touchdown pass to tight end Sammy Wheeler against Kansas this season.
19. LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier
Nussmeier leaped onto this list after lighting up the defending national champion Bulldogs in the SEC Championship Game. In relief of starter Jayden Daniels, Nussmeier threw for 294 yards and two TDs with a pick against Kirby Smart’s defense.
20. QB Devin Leary
Like Uiagalelei, Leary is too great a talent to discount — no matter where he plays next season. He left NC State after breaking Philip Rivers’ single-season record for TDs in a season. Of course, his stock could rise if he ends up at a program capable of taking advantage of his prodigious skill.
21. Utah RB Ja’Quinden Jackson
With quarterback Cam Rising off to the NFL, it’d make sense to focus the offense on running the ball. Jackson has been extremely productive when called on at Utah. After beginning his career as a quarterback at Texas, he transitioned to running back, where he averaged 6.9 yards per rush in 2022 for the Utes.
22. TCU QB Chandler Morris
Morris beat out Davey O’Brien Award winner Duggan for the starting job in 2022. But if Duggan returns for another season, he will likely vault to the front of the Heisman conversation. Duggan wouldn’t be the first Big 12 player to finish the season as a Heisman finalist only to win the award the following year. Former Oklahoma QB Baker Mayfield did the same in 2016 and 2017.
23 Iowa QB Cade McNamara
The Iowa Hawkeyes could best be described as Georgia above the Mason-Dixon Line. They’ve played outstanding defense — even producing their first Butkus Award winner in 2022 — for consecutive seasons but have been held back by their quarterback play and offense. If McNamara can lead a second program to its first-ever CFP appearance, it would be rather difficult not to envision him winning an invitation to New York next December.
24. Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel
Gabriel flashed the form he showed in his first two seasons at UCF during his first season in Norman. If he can play to his ability for an entire season, there’s no reason not to believe he could contend for the Heisman in 2023.
25. Tennessee QB Joe Milton
If Milton shows out against ACC champion Clemson in the Orange Bowl, that could be his last game in college. However, he has a year of eligibility left, and with Hendon Hooker off to the NFL, Milton would vault into the Heisman conversation on his ability, the strength of the UT offense and Josh Heupel’s ability to develop great quarterback play dating back to his days as offensive coordinator Oklahoma.
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RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports and the host of the podcast “The Number One College Football Show.” Follow him on Twitter at @RJ_Young and subscribe to “The RJ Young Show” on YouTube.
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