2019 Heisman Predictions
Let’s just say the 2019 Early Top Ten Heisman Trophy Prediction piece had issues. No one – NO ONE – saw Joe Burrow coming. And no, no one had DeVonta Smith in mix for the 2020 Heisman. However, we at least had Trevor Lawrence, Kyle Trask, and random Alabama quarterback in last year’s preseason mix. Predicting the 2021 Heisman race? The 2019 LSU Tigers football team represented Louisiana State University in the 2019 NCAA Division I FBS football season.The Tigers played their home games at Tiger Stadium (nicknamed Death Valley) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and competed in the West Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC) where they were led by their third-year head coach Ed Orgeron.
To start speculating early, who should be the top candidates for the 2021 Heisman Trophy?
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This piece was solid four years ago when the Baker Mayfield Would Win call connected, and three years ago it was full of right ideas, wrong applications, and a whole slew of whiffs.
Let’s just say the 2019 Early Top Ten Heisman Trophy Prediction piece had … issues. No one – NO ONE – saw Joe Burrow coming.
And no, no one had DeVonta Smith in mix for the 2020 Heisman. However, we at least had Trevor Lawrence, Kyle Trask, and random Alabama quarterback in last year’s preseason mix.
Predicting the 2021 Heisman race? Assume this is all typed in pencil.
More than ever, we don’t know what we don’t know.
1. Transfers, transfers, transfers. With this year’s free pass to transfer, don’t get comfortable in any way with your current starting quarterback or top running back. It’s going to be a crazy next several months.
2. Draft, draft, draft. There are still several key guys who might opt-out, get out, or just decided they want to preserve themselves for the NFL. It’s going to be a crazy next several months.
3. Seniors, seniors, seniors. It’s possible this year for some seniors to decide they don’t want to face the real world quite yet – and why would they? In the COVID season, everyone gets an extra year of eligibility if it’s wanted. It’s going to be a crazy next several months.
And finally …
4. The real world. We’re all assuming things will be better and 2021 will see a more normal type of football season. You want to bet the house on that? We can hope for something better, but …
It’s going to be a crazy next several months.
The goal is getting the early 2021 Heisman call close to the pin, so we start with this.
2021 Heisman Trophy Watch List: Names On A List As Fliers … Just In Case
Every name in this group seems like a crazy call that has no business working in the discussion of the 2021 Heisman Trophy. Call it the Joe Burrow and DeVonta Smith curveball list.
It’s in alphabetical order after beginning with …
The Field
It’s the wimp way out, but do you really want to pick the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner a year in advance? Take The Field – not Justin Fields – over everyone else, and you’re likely to be right. But that’s no fun, so we press on.
QB Matt Corral, Jr. Ole Miss
And here we go with the parade of SEC quarterbacks. The main difference between Corral and several others is 1) experience, 2) a team with a likely bad defense to 3) once again force him to put up massive numbers. He ran for over 500 yards and four scores, and hit 71% of his throws for 3,337 yards and 29 touchdowns.
QB Max Johnson, Soph. LSU
Or, just make this spot for Insert Starting LSU QB Here. Lost in all of the problems with the Tigers in 2020 was a passing game that really did work. It wasn’t 2019, but there was hope. Now the program has to settle in on a quarterback from way too many options – and maybe a top transfer. Johnson was the star of the Florida win and closed out with a 435-yard day against Ole Miss.
QB Emory Jones, Jr. Florida
Is he really going to take over the job with Kyle Trask done? He adds more of a rushing element to the mix, provided a bit of a spark in the Oklahoma debacle, and he’s got the skills to put up huge numbers if he’s the guy.
WR John Metchie, Jr. Alabama
No, but last year at this time if someone told you that DeVonta Smith was going to be in the Heisman equation …
Metchie averaged more yards per catch than Smith (17.8 to 15.6).
QB Bo Nix, Jr. Auburn
NO NO … DON’T LEAVE! This is a covering-the-bases listing with Nix going into his third year as a starter working under a new coaching staff. He won’t have the same NFL-caliber targets he had in 2020 when he threw 12 touchdown passes, and … sorry. Okay, carrying on.
QB Brock Purdy, Sr. Iowa State
It only seems like he’s been around for 15 years, but yeah, he’s a senior. Assuming he doesn’t turn pro early, he’s a terrific veteran who should be able to put up even better numbers as the expectations are reasonably higher now.
RB Bijan Robinson, Soph. Texas
The superstar recruit of last year led the team with over 700 yards and four scores – to go along with two receiving touchdowns – averaging over eight yards per carry. He closed out the season with 172 yards and three scores against Kansas State, and 183 yards and a score in the bowl win over Colorado – averaging close to 19 yards per carry in those two games. Now he’s Steve Sarkisian’s running back to work with.
RB Isaiah Spiller, Jr. Texas A&M
The raw numbers probably won’t be there, but he might get a long look in the race in a Great Player, Top Team sort of way. He only ran for 1,036 yards and nine scores, and there are more explosive players in the backfield, but he’s going to be the main man for the Aggie O.
2021 Heisman Candidates
– Top Ten 2021 Heisman Candidates
– Top Five 2021 Heisman Candidates
NEXT: Top Ten 2021 Early Heisman Candidates
The Heisman Trophy, first awarded in 1935 under a different name, was given to the top college football player in America on Saturday night in New York City. LSU quarterback Joe Burrow, the overwhelming favorite to win, became the first Tigers star to win the award since Billy Cannon in 1959.
Which school has produced the most Heisman Trophy winners since 1935? Here’s a full rundown of every Heisman winner:
Schools with the most Heisman winners:
Ohio State: 7
Oklahoma: 7
Notre Dame: 7
USC: 6
Army: 3
Auburn: 3
Florida: 3
Florida State: 3
Michigan: 3
Nebraska: 3
Nine schools tied with 2: Alabama, Georgia, Miami, Navy, Texas, Texas A&M, Wisconsin, Yale, LSU
21 schools tied with 1: Baylor, BYU, Boston College, Colorado, Chicago, Houston, Iowa, Louisville, Minnesota, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Oregon State, Penn State, Pittsburgh, Princeton, South Carolina, SMU, Stanford, Syracuse, TCU, UCLA
Winners by year:
2019: Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
2018: Kyler Murray, QB, Oklahoma
2017: Baker Mayfield, QB, Oklahoma
2016: Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville
2019 Heisman Rankings
2015: Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
2014: Marcus Mariota, QB, Oregon
2013: Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
2012: Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M
2011: Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor
2010: Cam Newton, QB, Auburn
2009: Mark Ingram Jr., RB, Alabama
2008: Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma
2007: Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
2006: Troy Smith, QB, Ohio State
2005: Reggie Bush, RB, USC (vacated)
2004: Matt Leinart, QB, USC
2003: Jason White, QB, Oklahoma
2002: Carson Palmer, QB, USC
2001: Eric Crouch, QB, Nebraska
2000: Chris Weinke, QB, Florida State
1999: Ron Dayne, RB, Wisconsin
1998: Ricky Williams, RB, Texas
1997: Charles Woodson, CB, Michigan
1996: Danny Wuerffel, QB, Florida
1995: Eddie George, RB, Ohio State
1994: Rashaan Salaam, RB, Colorado
1993: Charlie Ward, QB, Florida State
1992: Gino Torretta, QB, Miami
1991: Desmond Howard, WR, Michigan
1990: Ty Detmer, QB, BYU
1989: Andre Ward, QB, Houston
1988: Barry Sanders, RB, Oklahoma State
2019 Heisman Predictions Nfl
1987: Tim Brown, WR, Notre Dame
1986: Vinny Testaverde, QB, Miami
1985: Bo Jackson, RB, Auburn
1984: Doug Flutie, QB, Boston College
1983: Mike Rozier, RB, Nebraska
1982: Herschel Walker, RB, Georgia
1981: Marcus Allen, RB, USC
1980: George Rogers, RB, South Carolina
1979: Charles White, RB, USC
1978: Billy Sims, RB, Oklahoma
1977: Earl Campbell, RB, Texas
1976: Tony Dorsett, RB, Pittsburgh
1975: Archie Griffin, RB, Ohio State
1974: Archie Griffin, RB, Ohio State
1973: John Cappelletti, RB, Penn State
1972: Johnny Rodgers, WR/RB, Nebraska
1971: Patt Sullivan, QB, Auburn
1970: Jim Plunkett, QB, Stanford
1969: Steve Owens, FB, Oklahoma
1968: O.J. Simpson, HB, USC
1967: Gary Beban, QB, UCLA
1966: Steve Spurrier, QB, Florida
1965: Mike Garrett, HB, USC
1964: John Huarte, QB, Notre Dame
1963: Roger Staubach, QB, Navy
1962: Terry Baker, QB, Oregon State
1961: Ernie Davis, HB/LB/FB, Syracuse
1960: Joe Bellino, HB, Navy
1959: Billy Cannon, HB, LSU
1958: Pete Dawkins, HB, Army
1957: John David Crow, HB, Texas A&M
1956: Paul Hornung, QB, Notre Dame
1955: Howard Cassady, HB, Ohio State
1954: Alan Ameche, FB, Wisconsin
1953: Johnny Lattner, HB, Notre Dame
1952: Billy Vessels, HB, Oklahoma
1951: Dick Kazmaier, HB, Princeton
1950: Vic Janowicz, HB, Ohio State
1949: Leon Hard, End, Notre Dame
1948: Doak Walker, HB, SMU
1947: Johnny Lujack, QB, Notre Dame
1946: Glenn Davis, HB, Army
1945: Doc Blanchard, FB, Army
1944: Les Horvath, HB/QB, Ohio State
1943: Angelo Bertelli, QB, Notre Dame
1942: Frank Sinkwich, HB, Georgia
1941: Bruce Smith, HB, Minnesota
2019 Heisman Predictions
1940: Tom Harmon, HB, Michigan
1939: Nile Kinnick, HB/QB, Iowa
1938: Davey O’Brien, QB, TCU
1937: Clint Frank, HB, Yale
1936: Larry Kelley, End, Yale
1935: Jay Berwanger, HB, Chicago