Now four weeks into the college football season, you’d think we’d have a little bit better idea as to who the finalist of the Trophy might be. But keep in mind that last year at this time, Denard Robinson and Terrelle Pryor were #1, 2 on everyone’s list, and Cam Newton was a good story and a surprise winner for Auburn.
However, if I were a Heisman voter, I know who I’d take right now, and it’s right in line to what I said in the pre-season. Still, the top SEVEN players on this list are easily interchangeable (including #7 being #1 on many lists). This list is based off of if I were a Heisman voter, not the national idea. Keep that in mind as we look at the top 10, and a few sleepers, for the Heisman Trophy.
1. Kellen Moore, QB, Boise State
Currently has his team in the top four in the standings, Moore has been, as expected, impressive, consistent, and making the most out of his team that lost two current NFL receivers. While he hasn’t been dominant in the stat book, based on the fact that I’d put Boise State firmly in the Top 3, Moore has proved that his success can be sustained over the year, and that he should lead his team to an undefeated season, Moore gets my vote.
2. Marcus Lattimore, RB, South Carolina
Marcus Lattimore is college football’s best running back as far as being a complete, NFL built back since Adrian Peterson, with Lattimore possibly being better than Peterson. So far this year, he has 611 yards, second most in the country, has gone over 240 yards once, and put up 176 yards against Georgia. The one game he had under 100 yards, last week against Vanderbilt, he had 73 receiving yards and a touchdown. He’s almost impossible to stop, I don’t expect him slowing down, and if the SEC is as jumbled as I think it will be by season’s end, South Carolina could be in the SEC Championship game.
3. Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama
So far this year, Richardson hasn’t been a major stat-producer, though is ranked #11 in the country in rushing yards. He doesn’t have the 200 yard game that Lattimore and LaMichael James boast. But Richardson is a big reason why the Crimson Tide are one of the best (and highly ranked) teams in the country, he’s averaging 6.6 yards a carry, and should continue to be outstanding all year long based on his running style.
4. Robert Griffin, QB, Baylor
Griffin was a our #11 ranked Heisman candidate in our preview in the pre-season, and even then I thought I was going out on a limb to put him there. Four weeks into the season, Griffin has more TDs (13) than incompletions (12), including two of those being drops. Griffin has his Baylor Bears undefeated and playing very well, and if he can somehow keep this up and really challenge for a Big 12 championship, Griffin has a chance to go from injured last year to Heisman contender and NFL first rounder.
5. LaMichael James, RB, Oregon
The nation’s leading rusher (only by 2 yards over Lattimore), James is already in the national spotlight thanks to his successes last year. He has had back to back 200 yard games, including 288 yards last week at Arizona. Unless Oregon can be firmly be in the Pac-12 championship game, though, I’m not going to be willing to put James in the mix.
6. Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford
Luck still strongly in the mix, but if I were a voter right now, I don’t see how Luck is your final pick unless your basing it entirely off of last season, which isn’t what the Heisman Trophy was meant for. With a Top 10 team, maybe the most complete in the Pac-12, there’s no question he could be right back in the mix come 2-3 weeks from now. He’s the number one pick in the draft, but not a finalist for me right now for the Heisman.
7. Landry Jones, QB, Oklahoma
Oklahoma has looked vulnerable at times, and Jones’s 5-4 touchdown to interception ratio and not being ranked in the Top 20 in passer rating or yards means that maybe Jones isn’t clearcut favorite anymore. He still is the head of a team that, if all goes according to plan, should be playing in the BCS National Title game. But with Baylor playing well, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State having Top 10 squads, and Oklahoma’s history of blowing potentially great seasons, Jones is far from a lock for the Heisman Trophy.
8. Brandon Weeden, QB, Oklahoma State
Weeden could very quickly rise up this board if he continues to be productive, consistent, and win big time games like he did against Texas A&M. While being 28 years old may hurt his draft stock, Weeden seems poised, confident, and ready to lead his Cowboys to a Big 12 crown. They’ve looked better than the Sooners so far this season, including Weeden over Jones, and if Oklahoma State continues to move up the poles, Weeden will shoot up this list for my vote for the Heisman.
9. Russell Wilson, QB, Wisconsin
Wilson’s transition to the Badgers has gone better than most could have imagined. He’s playing extremely well in the system, is producing big plays while not turning the ball over, and has his team looking like the Big Ten’s best. He’ll need to continue his production, have a wow game this weekend against Nebraska, and push his team into national title contention to really start getting votes in my opinion.
10. Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan
The Big Ten’s leading rusher and one of the most productive runners in all of college football, Robinson has his Wolverines back where they were last year at this time: Undefeated and being a potential surprise team to win the conference. The only difference this year is the defense looks improved, they have a big win already, and Robinson looks like he’ll be staying healthier this season. Michigan should be strongly considered in the Big Ten title mix, and Robinson could lead the Wolverines back to the days of BCS games and award winners.
On the Cusp
–Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia
-Bernard Pierce, RB, Temple
-Case Keenum, QB, Houston
-Tyler Bray, QB, Tennessee
-Darron Thomas, QB, Oregon
-Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma State
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
