2016 Sports Examiner Awards

Last year, we presented the first ever The Sports Examiner awards. It was a humble affair, with only a handful of awards being given out. Some of the recipients last year included American Pharaoh, the Golden State Warriors, and Tom Brady. This year, we're taking our awards to a whole new level. We have a total of 53 awards in eight different categories. These categories range from soccer to individual sports. Let's get started.

NFL:

Player of the Year: Dallas's Offensive Line
There have been a lot of phenomenal players this year, including Tom Brady, Matt Ryan, David Johnson, Matthew Stafford, and Derek Carr. But can you really make a case for one of those individuals over the other? That's why we are giving this award to the best O-line in the country. Not only have they been instrumental in Dallas being arguably the best team in the league, but are also big reasons Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliot are MVP contenders. It's an unconventional pick, but Tyron Smith, Zack Martin, Travis Frederick, Doug Free, and Ronald Leary are worthy of this award.
Last Year's Winner: Tom Brady

Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys

No rookie had a bigger impact on their team's fortunes than Elliot did. Drafted in the first round by the Cowboys, Zeke entered the season with high expectations, but he managed to exceed them all. He leads the league in rushing yards and is second in rushing touchdowns.only to LeGarrette Blount. Of course, Zeke also has a phenomenal offensive line to thank and another standout rookie, QB Dak Prescott. Don't be surprised if Elliot is one of the top vote-getters for the MVP award.

Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick, New England Patriots

You could make the case that Belichick is the greatest football coach of all-time, but we're looking just at 2016 here. Belichick has overcome Tom Brady's four-game suspension, the injury to Jimmy Garropolo, the injury to Rob Gronkowski, and other hurdles to lead the Patriots to the best record in the AFC. He's managed to make stars out of guys like Chris Hogan and Malcolm Mitchell while relying on established talents such as Julian Edelman and Martellus Bennett.

Offensive Player of the Year: Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta offense might be the most dangerous one in the entire league. It's full of explosive playmakers like Julio Jones, Devonta Freeman, and Tevin Coleman. Spearheading the charge is Ryan, who is second in passing yards, third in passing touchdowns, and second in QBR. He's the main reason Atlanta is in prime position for a playoff spot.

Defensive Player of the Year: Von Miller, Denver Broncos

It all started in February, when Miller recorded six tackles and 2.5 sacks to become only the fourth defensive player of this millennium to win Super Bowl MVP. He's also been great this regular season this well. He's the star of a Broncos defense that led the league in sacks and is tied for second in forced fumbles (behind only Oakland). Miller has been instrumental in key games for the Broncos and is the front-runner to win the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Breakout Star of the Year: Dak Prescott, Dallas Cowboys

Most of the top players and MVP candidates this season, such as Pittsburgh's Le'Veon Bell, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, Detroit's Matthew Stafford, Oakland's Derek Carr, or Arizona's David Johnson, either met lofty expectations set at the beginning of the season or reached previous heights. No one had any real high expectations for Prescott, however. He was expected to backup franchise QB Tony Romo, and maybe see a little action along the way. That fell through when Romo was injured before the season started. Prescott has started every game since, even though Romo is now cleared. Thanks in large part to Prescott's play, Dallas has the best record in the NFC.

Comeback Star of the Year: DeMarco Murray, Tennessee Titans

Two years ago, Murray had an incredible season with the Dallas Cowboys. He led the league in rushing yards and touchdowns while winning Offensive Player of the Year. Unfortunately, that magic failed to reproduce last year in Philadelphia. Things changed when Murray found himself with the Titans. Behind a good offensive line (including rookie Jack Conklin), Murray is second in the league in rushing yards and has Tennessee, which posted an abysmal 3-13 record last year, contending for a playoff spot.

Play of the Year: Aaron Rodgers to Jeff Janis Hail Mary

With five seconds left to go in the game, the Packers found themselves down by seven against the Arizona Cardinals. Superstar QB Aaron Rodgers somehow managed to fire off a pass that was caught in the end zone by Jeff Janis. It was an incredible play that kept Green Bay's Super Bowl hopes alive. Unfortunately for the Packers, they ended up losing this game and were eliminated from the playoffs.

Rising Star of the Year: Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles

Wentz was selected #2 overall in last year's draft by the Eagles. The general consensus was that Wentz wouldn't start right away, as Sam Bradford had the starting job. Furthermore, it was agreed that Wentz first needed some experience. However, Bradford's demands for a trade were met, so Wentz was thrust into the starting role. He started off the season red-hot, as the Eagles won their first three games. They have cooled down significantly since then (they've lost eight of their last 10), but Wentz has excelled at times, and he has shown that he has what it takes to be a franchise QB.

Team of the Year: Denver Broncos

The Broncos beat the heavily favored Carolina Panthers to win the Super Bowl in February. They then capitalized on that momentum to fight for a playoff spot in the 2016-17 season. The team is full of star players, including Trevor Siemian, Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr., Emmanuel Sanders, and C.J. Anderson.

NBA:

Player of the Year: LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

No, LeBron didn't win the regular season MVP (he came in third), but he did win something more important: Finals MVP. LeBron did the exact thing he returned to his hometown of Cleveland for- win an NBA title. Many thought it couldn't be done, but the greatest player of our generation proved the naysayers wrong and finally made amends for leaving his city a few years prior.
Last Year's Winner: Steph Curry

Coach of the Year: Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors

Before you start making "Warriors blew a 3-1 lead" jokes, remember that the Warriors posted the best regular season of all-time. Yes, Kerr wasn't there the entire season due to medical issues, but it's still his squad.

Breakout Star of the Year: Kristaps Porzingis, New York Knicks

When the New York Knicks selected Porzingis with the 4th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Knicks fans and players alike were upset. Porzingis was a relatively unknown, unpolished player, while more heralded players like Justice Winslow, Stanley Johnson, and Frank Kaminsky were still on the board. Porzingis's raw talent shone through, however, and he became one of the most talked about players in the league. During his rookie year, he averaged 14.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, and 1.9 BPG. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting to Karl-Anthony Towns and is widely considered to the future of the Knicks.

Rookie of the Year: Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves

Expectations were high for Towns going into the 2015-2016 NBA season. After all, he had been picked #1 overall by the Timberwolves. Towns proved all of his fans right, as he averaged a double-double and won Rookie of the Year. It's painfully obvious to everyone who's seen him play that he is the future of the NBA,

Play of the Year: Kyrie Irving's 3-Pointer over Steph Curry in Game 7 of the Finals

There's so much to love about this play. First off, this is the play that pretty much sealed the deal for Cleveland's title win. D'Angelo Russell claims he has ice in his veins, but he's got nothing on Irving. The pressure he was feeling must have been enormous, yet he calmly drained the shot. Add the fact that it was over reigning NBA MVP Steph Curry, and you have the perfect recipe for a perfect play.

Comeback Star of the Year: Paul George, Indiana Pacers

While playing for Team USA ahead of the 2014 World Championships, George suffered a nasty leg injury. The video was watched on Youtube millions of times. The injury caused George to miss a lot of playing time, and his first full season back was the 2015-2016 one. He resumed his role as team leader and even was named an All-Star. He finished the season with 23.1 PPG and 7.0 rebounds per game as the Pacers made the playoffs.

Rising Star of the Year: Andre Drummond, Detroit Pistons

When the Pistons selected the freshman Drummond ninth in the 2012 draft, it was because of his size and raw potential. Since then, Drummond has evolved into one of the best big men in the league. Last season was by far his best one. He earned his first All-Star selection, took the Pistons to their first playoff berth since 2009, and lead the league in double-doubles and rebounds. He's also looking good thus far in the 2016-2017 season. Detroit is third in the division and Drummond is fourth in double-doubles.

Team of the Year: Cleveland Cavaliers

Who else would it be? They upset the heavily-favored Golden State Warriors to win the NBA Title and currently boast the best record in the Eastern Conference. They're definitely among the favorites to win the title next year.

MLB:

Manager of the Year: Terry Francona, Cleveland Indians

Francona won the AL Manager of the Year award after leading the Indians to a division title in the AL Central. He also took the Indians to the World Series, where they went to seven games with Chicago.

Pitcher of the Year: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals

With his NL Cy Young this year, Scherzer became only the sixth pitcher in history to win Cy Youngs in both leagues (he won the AL one in 2013 when he played for the Detroit Tigers). He led the majors in strikeouts and led the NL in wins with 20.

Rookie of the Year: Corey Seager, Los Angeles Dodgers

Seager was the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year. He cracked the National League's top ten in batting average, slugging percentage, multihit games, and total bases. Our runner-up is Michael Fulmer of the Tigers, who posted an 11-7 record and won AL Rookie of the Year.

Player of the Year: Kris Bryant, Chicago Cubs

Not only did Bryant help the Cubs win their first World Series in more than a decade, but he also won the NL MVP. He won the award after leading the NL in runs scored and WAR while coming in the top ten in home runs, slugging percentage, and RBIs. He also assisted with the final out in Game 7 of the World Series.

Hitter of the Year: David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox

The slugger ended his career with a great season, winning both the AL Hank Aaron Award and a Silver Slugger. He led the majors in OPS, slugging percentage, and doubles while hitting 38 home runs and recording a .315 batting percentage.

Team of the Year: Chicago Cubs

This is a pretty obvious award. The Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games to win the World Series, giving the franchise their first title since 1908. Anytime a team ends a 108-year drought, there's cause for celebration.

NCAAF:

Player of the Year: Lamar Jackson, Louisville

When the season began, Jackson wasn't even considered a dark-horse Heisman contender. He had been named the Music City Bowl MVP last year, but he was considerably behind players like DeShone Kizer, Dalvin Cook, Christian McCaffrey, Deshaun Watson, and Leonard Fournette. Then, in Week 1, Jackson accounted for eight total touchdowns. The rest was history. Earlier this month, Jackson won the Heisman Trophy and the Maxwell Award, cementing him as the best college football player of the year.
Last Year's Winner: Christian McCaffrey

Coach of the Year: Nick Saban, Alabama

Saban's march to this award began in January when #2 Alabama beat #1 Clemson to win the national championship. The march continued during the 2016 regular season, as Alabama was one of only two undefeated teams, along with Western Michigan, and secured a spot in the playoffs.

Breakout Star of the Year: Lamar Jackson, Louisville

As I wrote above, Jackson was pretty much a complete unknown going into this year. Sure, some people knew of his talent, but I don't think anyone expected this. Jackson finished fifth in rushing touchdowns and twelfth in passing yards.

Rising Star of the Year: Derrius Guice, LSU

Leonard Fournette might be the most outstanding running back in college football. His backup might one day take that title. The sophomore increasingly saw more action as the year progressed. He finished the regular season with 14 scores and an average of 8 yards per carry. Now that Fournette and Stanford's Christian McCaffrey have declared for the draft, Guice should be the premier running back of 2017. The runner-up for this award is Alabama QB Jalen Hurts. Yes, his team made the playoffs, but that's more because of the defense than offense.

Comeback Star of the Year: James Conner, Pittsburgh

As a sophomore in 2014, Conner was one of the best running backs in the country. However, things took a tumble in 2015. Conner tore his MCL in the first game of the season and missed all of the 2015 season. Later that year, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. He finished chemotherapy in May and suited up again. He bounced back in a major way this year, rushing for 1,060 yards and 16 touchdowns.

Team of the Year: Alabama

Alabama has been miles ahead of any other team this year. Not only did it win the 2016 national championship, but it also boasts the best record of any collegiate team in the country. If you pay any attention to college football, their dominance is not surprising. Alabama has been one of the best, if not the best, teams in the nation for years now.

NHL:

Player of the Year: Sydney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins

Yes, Patrick Kane won the Hart Trophy (the NHL's MVP award) for the 2015-2016 season, but Crosby did finish second. Furthermore, he led the Penguins to a Stanley Cup victory and picked up the Conn Smythe trophy for his efforts.

Goalie of the Year: Braden Holby, Washington Capitals

This award was pretty obvious, seeing as Holtby won the Vezina Award (which is given to the league's best goalie). Holtby tied Martin Brodeur's season win record while becoming only the seventh goalie in NHL history win consecutive 40-win seasons. He finished the regular season eight in save percentage and sixth in saves.

Team of the Year: Pittsburgh Penguins

The Penguins won their second Stanley Cup in eight years (only the Chicago Blackhawks have won more Stanley Cups during that time). Their stellar play has extended into this season, where they find themselves atop the Eastern Conference and Metropolitan Division. Is it too soon to be thinking dynasty here?

Individual Sports:

Female Golfer of the Year: Ariya Jutanugarn

Jutanugarn had a great year in 2016. She won more money than anyone else on the LPGA tour, won five events (including the Ricoh British Women's Open), was named the LPGA's Player of the Year, and finished first in the final rankings.
Last Year's Golfer of the Year: Jordan Spieth

Male Tennis Player of the Year: Andy Murray

For years now, Murray has been making his ascent into the upper echelons of tennis royalty. This year, it seems like he has finally cemented himself as the best male tennis player alive. Highlights from this year include finishing the season ranked #1 and winning an Olympic gold medal.
Last Year's Tennis Player of the Year: Serena Williams

Male Golfer of the Year: Dustin Johnson

The American Dustin Johnson led the PGA in winnings by accumulating more than 9.37 million dollars. He also won three events, including the U.S. Open, was the best member of Team U.S.A.'s Ryder Cup win, and was named the PGA's Player of the Year
Last Year's Golfer of the Year: Jordan Spieth

Female Gymnast of the Year: Simone Biles, U.S.A.

Besides maybe swimming, gymnastics is the most popular summer Olympic sport. That might be the reason Simone Biles took over the American news and stole the hearts of viewers across the world. The incredibly talented Biles walked away from Rio with four gold medals, including one for the individual all-around.

Female Tennis Player of the Year: Angelique Werber

Last Year's Tennis Player of the Year: Serena Williams
Kerber ended the year at #1 in the WTA rankings. She has a lead of more than 2,000 points on #2 Serena Williams. The German also won a silver medal at the Olympics and won both the Australian and U.S. Opens.

Male Gymnast Player of the Year: Kohei Uchimura

Uchimura won the gold medal in the men's individual all-around competition in Rio. This win made him the first gymnast in 44 years to win back-to-back individual all-around golds on the Olympic stage. He also won a gold medal with the Japanese team.

Male Swimmer of the Year: Michael Phelps, U.S.A.

Phelps wasn't even supposed to be in Rio. He retired after the London Olympics in 2012 but made a comeback in 2014. He won four gold medals in Rio, further solidifying his claim as the greatest Olympian of all-time.

Female Track Star of the Year: Elaine Thompson

Thompson may not get as much recognition as her fellow Jamaican, but she's certainly deserving of more. At the Rio Games, she won the gold medal in the 100 and 200 meters while winning a silver as part of Jamaica's 4x100 relay team.

Male Track Star of the Year: Usain Bolt, Jamaica

Though there were questions about Bolt's condition going into these games, the fastest man in the history of the world proves all of his doubters wrong. Bolt won the seventh, eighth, and ninth gold medals in his career, cementing himself as arguably the greatest track star of all-time.

Female Swimmer of the Year: Katie Ledecky, U.S.A.

There may be no bigger star coming out of Rio than the teenage Ledecky. The star swimmer tore the house down in Rio. She won five gold medals and one silver while managing to break two world records.

Soccer:

Premier League Team of the Year: Leicester City

When one thinks of elite Premier League teams, one thinks of teams such as Chelsea, Manchester United, and Manchester City. A year or two ago, Leicester City would have been nowhere near the conversation. Now, they find themselves Premier League champs in one of the greatest Cinderella stories in recent history.

Male Player of the Year: Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo won this year's Ballon d'Or, given annually to the year's best soccer player. It's hard to disagree with that, as Ronaldo had a sensational year. He captained the Portuguese national team as it won the European Championship, giving Portugal its first-ever major tournament win. Ronaldo also became the nation's all-time leading scorer.
Last Year's Winner: Lionel Messi

Female Player of the Year: Melanie Behringer
The German men's team usually gets most of the love, but the German women's team claimed the gold at the Olympics. Leading the way was Behringer, who scored a tournament-leading five goals. She also helped Bayern Munich win the German championship.
Last Year's Winner: Carli Lloyd

MLS Player of the Year: David Villa, New York City FC
Winner of the Landon Donovan MVP Award, Villa tallied 23 goals and four assists for his club as they made it to the conference semifinals in the post-season. He is the first player to win both the award and the World Cup.

MLS Team of the Year: Seattle Sounders FC
Seattle won the 2016 MLS Cup, the first title in franchise history. They did so after beating Sporting Kansas City, FC Dallas, and Colorado Rapids en route to the finals. In the finals, they beat Toronto FC in penalty kicks to secure the gold.

National Team of the Year: Argentina

Argentina spent much of the year as the #1 team in FIFA's rankings and ended the year in that position as well. They had a disappointing loss to Chile in the Copa America finals, but they also won four 2018 World Cup qualifying matches.

General Awards:

Legend of the Year: Muhammad Ali

Put simply, Ali was one of the greatest athletes to ever set foot on this earth. His legacy is among the greatest in sports history. Sadly, he passed away this year after battling Parkinson's Disease for 32 years. Along with men like Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens, Ali will always be remembered as one of the most iconic athletes of all-time.
Last Year's Winner: Kobe Bryant

Upset of the Year: Chicago Cubs & Cleveland Cavaliers Erase 3-1 Deficits

In a best-of-seven series, whoever wins four games first wins. Thus, when a team finds themselves down three games to one, they almost always lose. This year we saw two teams erase 3-1 deficits and win national titles. The first was the Cavs, who rallied back against the Golden State Warriors to win the NBA title. Cleveland found themselves on the opposite side a few months later, however, when the Cubs came back to beat the Cleveland Indians for the World Series.
Last Year's Winner: Holly Holm defeats Ronda Rousey

Moment of the Year: Chicago Cubs win the World Series

The play itself was a fairly tame one: Michael Martinez of the Cleveland Indians grounded out to Kris Bryant. But it was the final out of Game 7 in the World Series, giving the Cubs their first World Series win since 1908. It was a curse many thought they would never see broken.

Play of the Year: Kris Jenkins's Three wins Villanova the National Title

March Madness is easily the most anticipated annual tournament in sports. There are always upsets to be predicted and brackets to be busted. The best moment of this year's tournament came in the national title game. As time expired, Kris Jenkins of Villanova hit a three to give Villanova the 77-74 win over North Carolina. It was an awesome play that was the best of the year.
Last Year's Winner: Malcolm Butler's Super Bowl Interception

Franchise of the Year: Chicago Cubs

When this award was created last year, I gave only one rule: they had to have won a title during the calendar year. That means the Pittsburgh Penguins, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Broncos, and Chicago Cubs are eligible. The clear winner is the Cubs, who won their first title since 1908. It was the most infamous losing streak in all of sports.
Last Year's Winner: Golden State Warriors

Sports Star of the Year: The U.S. Olympics Swim Team

The biggest international event in sports is the summer Olympics. There cannot be any doubt of that. It takes place every four years and determines the best athletes in the world. There are always a few athletes that steal the international stage. In recent years that has included athletes such as Michael Phelps, Usain Bolt, and Gabby Douglas. This year, there were a lot of individual standouts, but the real standout was the American swim team. There were so many great stories and accomplishments among these individuals that we had to recognize all of them. Michael Phelps won four gold medals, Katie Ledecky set two world records, Simone Manuel became the first black woman to win an individual gold for swimming at the Olympics, Nathan Adrian won four medals, and Anthony Ervin became the oldest person to ever win an individual gold medal for a swimming event at the Olympics. How can we choose one when there are so many great stories to be recognized?
Last Year's Winner: American Pharaoh

Thank you so much for reading. Be sure to check back soon for a new post.

The Sports Examiner's 2016 Heisman Ballot

The Heisman finalists have been announced: Lamar Jackson of Lousiville, Deshaun Watson of Clemson, Dede Westbrook and Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma, and Jabrill Peppers of Michigan. All five of these players are extremely deserving. Instead of doing a final Heisman watch, we've decided to do a mock ballot. The Sports Examiner doesn't have an actual vote, but this is how we would vote. Let's get started.

Honorable Mentions:

J.T. Barrett, Ohio State- Barrett had an up-and-down season, but at the end of the day he led his team into the playoffs. Had he won the Big 10, there is a good chance that he would have been invited to New York.

Jake Browning, Washington- Browning had a hell of a season up until his run-in with USC. Not only did Washington pick up their only loss of the season, but Browning threw two picks and ran for -36 rushing yards.

Dede Westbrook, Oklahoma- Westbrook was easily the best wide receiver in college football this year, especially thanks to the brilliant play of QB Baker Mayfield. Whether or not he deserves to be a Heisman finalist is debatable, but he definitely deserves some love.

Jalen Hurts, Alabama- I had a really tough time with this one, but I have to leave Hurts off. Yes, he is the quarterback of the best team in the nation, but that doesn't automatically give him a finalist spot. He had too many weak performances to make the ballot.

Zach Terrell, Western Michigan- Terrell and Hurts are the only QBs to start for undefeated teams. Unfortunately, he plays for Western Michigan, so he really flew under-the-radar this season. He should still get some votes though.

Third Place:
Jabrill Peppers, Michigan

Out of all of the Heisman contenders, Peppers is the most unique. No one else had such a big impact on offense, defense, and special teams. There is probably no player that has made such a huge impact this year. Granted, his stats weren't eye-popping, but for Peppers that's not an issue. His Heisman candidacy is built on his all-world athleticism, not his yards per carry.

Second Place:
Deshaun Watson, Clemson

The first half of Deshaun Watson's season wasn't great, but Clemson was undefeated, so he hung around in the conversation. The second half of the season was a different story. Sure, Clemson lost to Pitt, but Watson played some lights-out football. I was very tempted to put him at #1, but I just couldn't do it.

First Place:
Lamar Jackson, Louisville

At the end of the day, I put Jackson at the top. No one else this year has been anywhere close to as outstanding as Jackson has. Sure, things got a little rough at the end, but that shouldn't erase everything else that happened.

Thanks for reading all our posts this season. Check back soon for more articles.

Heisman Watch Week 13

The college football regular season is almost over. Next week is championship week, which means that it is the last chance for Heisman candidates to make their case. A few weeks ago, Lamar Jackson had this wrapped up, but the race is now a lot more open. Things are getting exciting. Let's get started.

We have one player who fell off: Dalvin Cook. He's completely fallen off of the Heisman bandwagon. We have two players on the watch list: USC's Sam Darnold and Oklahoma's Dede Westbrook.

10. D'Onta Foreman, Texas (Last Week: NR)- Foreman has really jumped onto the scene recently. He's now only the 27th player in FBS history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season. Of course, Foreman has no real chance of winning the Heisman, but he should at least get a few votes.

9. Zach Terrell, Western Michigan (Last Week: 10)- Terrel and Western Michigan is now ranked #17. They are still undefeated and will take on Ohio in the MAC title game next week. Terrell's not going to win, but he will get some votes.

8. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 5)- Pumphrey had a decent shot at making Manhattan a few weeks back, but now he's being overshadowed by Foreman. He ran for 53 yards and one score against Colorado State.

7. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 7)- Now that Michigan's probably not going to make the playoffs, Peppers's Heisman chances fall a bit. He still has a good chance of being invited to New York though.

6. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 8)- If Browning and Washington beat Colorado, Washington will win the Pac-12 and most likely make the playoffs. That should be enough for Browning to become a Heisman finalist.

5. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 6)- Mayfield had the week off, but he still rises thanks to the fall of Pumphrey. He's been putting up solid numbers all season and Oklahoma still has an outside shot at making the playoffs.

4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- The good news: Barrett and the Buckeyes will almost certainly be in the playoffs. The bad news: Barrett hasn't impressed enough the last few weeks. He'll definitely get some votes, but he probably won't be a Heisman finalist.

3. Jalen Hurts, Alabama (Last Week: 4)- Even if Alabama loses to Florida, they should still make the playoffs. But if Hurts wants to become only the third freshman to ever win the Heisman, he's going to need a huge game.

2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- You could make a case for Watson to be the Heisman front-runner. Clemson is close to making the playoffs and Watson has had a great season. Against in-state rivals South Carolina, Watson threw for six scores.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Jackson had a rough game against unranked Kentucky. He threw for three interceptions as the Cardinals fell to the Wildcats. Jackson is still the leading Heisman candidate, but he's going to need Watson to falter next week.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for the final Heisman watch of the season.

Heisman Watch Week 11

We're solidly in November, so the Heisman race is really heating up. A lot of players have dropped in and out of the race, and it looks like we're down to a select few. The real contenders are on this list, with only a few honorable mentions. Those honorable mentions are Alabama's Jonathan Allen, Oklahoma's Dede Westbrook, Penn State's Saquon Barkley, Washington State's Luke Falk, USC's Sam Darnold, and Texas's D'Onta Foreman. Let's get started. 

10. Zach Terrell, Western Michigan (Last Week: 10)- Western Michigan, along with Alabama, is now one of only two undefeated teams in the country. They're led by Terrell, who had more than 100 total yards and a score against Kent State. 

9. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 9)- Cook has taken over Seth Russell's spot has the most overlooked Heisman contender. He continues to put up big numbers but has been kind of overshadowed by others. He ran for 108 yards and one score against Boston College. 

8. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 2)- Browning falls by six spots after his loss to USC. This was a particularly big loss for the Huskies, as it ruined their undefeated season and they fell out of the Top 4 in the rankings. Against USC, he threw two picks and had negative 36 rushing yards. 

7. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 8)- Mayfield moves up one spot after a great performance against Baylor. He threw for 300 yards, ran for 12 yards, and had three total scores. Oklahoma is now ranked in the Top 10. 

6. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 5)- Pepper's specialty is making plays on offense, defense, and special teams. Unfortunately for him, he needs to put up better stats to contend with the likes of Lamar Jackson and Donnel Pumphrey. 

5. Jalen Hurts, Alabama (Last Week: 7)- Hurts enters the Top 5 after his phenomenal performance against Mississippi State. He accounted for five touchdowns and accounted for 497 total yards. Alabama is still undefeated and ranked #1. 

4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- Despite Clemson losing to Pittsburgh, Watson only slips a spot. He had a spotty game against Pitt, but still managed to throw for 580 yards and three touchdowns. 

3. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 6)- Pumphrey finally moves into the Top 3 after weeks of hovering around. Against Nevada, he ran for 198 yards and one touchdown as the Aztecs won by 30. 

2. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- Barrett had fallen to the wayside through the emergence of Deshaun Watson and Jake Browning, but he's now a top contender again. In OSU's win over Maryland, Barrett accounted for four total scores. 

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Jackson had nearly 200 yards of total offense while throwing a touchdown pass. Honestly, Jackson could throw three picks and fumble twice next week and he'd still win the Heisman.

Thanks for reading everyone. 

Heisman Watch Week 10

We're back up to 10 contenders after we shorted it down to nine last week. When November rolls around, we tend to see the list of real Heisman contenders close up. That being said, we do have a few players on our watch list: West Virginia's Skyler Howard, UNC's Mitch Trubisky, Alabama's Jonathan Allen, and Texas's D'Onta Foreman. We have one player who dropped off last week: Baylor's Seth Russell. His Bears lost their second game of the season and fell of the CFP rankings. Let's get started.

10. Zach Terrell, Western Michigan (Last Week: NR)- After weeks of being on the fringe, Terrell jumps into our Top 10. Western Michigan is ranked at 21 after their 32 point win over Ball State. Terrell threw for three scores and 367 yards.

9. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 7)- Cook uncharacteristically struggled against NC State, as he rushed for only 65 yards and one score on 18 carries. He did also have 2 catches for 17 yards, but it's not enough to keep him in the Top 7.

8. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: 9)- Mayfield's Heisman campaign is in the middle of a resurgence. Oklahoma is ranked at #11 and Mayfield threw for four scores and 328 yards against Iowa State.

7. Jalen Hurts, Alabama (Last Week: 8)- The Crimson Tide gritted out a tough win against their rivals, the LSU Tigers. Hurts didn't have great stats (10/19 for 107 yards and one pick with 114 rushing yards and one rushing TD), but Alabama won to stay undefeated.

6. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 6)- Pumphrey had an unusually quiet game against Hawaii. He ran for 112 yards on 21 carries as San Diego State won its eighth game of the season.

5. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 4)- Peppers continues to do a little bit of everything. Against Maryland, he ran for 19 yards on two carries, recorded five tackles and a QB hurry, and returned a kick for 14 yards.

4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 5)- Barrett moves back into the Top 4 as the Buckeyes absolutely destroyed #10 Nebraska 62-3. Barrett threw for four scores and 290 yards. On top of that, the Buckeyes are now ranked at #6.

3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson suffered a shoulder injury against Syracuse, but he appears to be okay going forward. In his limited time, he threw for two touchdowns and ran for one more.

2. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 3)- Browning has slowly been climbing up our list and he finally cracks the Top 2. Browning threw for six touchdowns as the Huskies obliterated Cal. Washington is now ranked at #4.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Every time I sit down to this list, it seems like a futile exercise. It's pretty much a given that Lamar Jackson is going to win the Heisman. Sure, his team might not make the playoffs, but he's been sensational all season long. He accounted for seven total scores as the Cards beat BC by 45.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 9

Last week, our Heisman watch had only nine players. This week, thanks to the reemergence of a certain Big 12 player, we have ten players again. Now that we're in November, the Heisman race is getting serious. We now have a great idea about who's going to be in New York next month. Let's get started.

10. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: NR)- A few weeks ago, it seemed like Mayfield's Heisman campaign was over, but against all odds, he's back. His reemergence comes after a dominant win over Kansas in which he threw for 236 yards and four scores.

9. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 6)- No one was flying under the radar more than Russell over the last few weeks. He needed to keep winning for his Heisman race to continue, but his Bears fell to Texas. The bright side: he did account for three touchdowns.

8. Jalen Hurts, Baylor (Last Week: 9)- Hurts moves up a spot after the fall of Seth Russell. He didn't play in Week 9, but he goes up against LSU next week.

7. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Yes, Florida State fell to Clemson, but that's in no way Cook's fault. He rushed for 169 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Cook is easily one of the best backs in the nation right now, and he has a great chance of being invited to New York.

6. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 7)- Pumphrey continues to put up fantastic numbers. Against Utah State he ran for 223 yards on 32 carries (for a 7.0 average) as SDSU won 40-13.

5. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 4)- Ohio State eeked out a win over Northwestern, but Barrett played well. He didn't have any scores, but he did pass for 223 yards and added 71 yards on the ground.

4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 5)- When Peppers first made our Heisman watch, we were understandably pessimistic about his Heisman chances. Now, it looks like Peppers has a real shot. He's getting plenty of offensive shine while still making plays for the defense.

3. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 3)- Washington ran the ball more than they passed, but Browning still had a great game. He threw for 186 yards and two scores as the Huskies beat the #17 Utes.

2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson faced a very tough opponent in Florida State, but he led his team to a huge victory. He had more than 400 total yards and two passing scores as the Tigers kept their undefeated season alive.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Another week, another sensational performance by the consensus Heisman front-runner. The Cardinal threw for four touchdowns and 361 yards while also adding 88 on the ground.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 8

For the first time this season, we only have nine players listed in our Heisman watch. That is not to say these are the only men who are in the Heisman conversation. There are also players like Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and UNC's Mitch Trubisky making some noise. Unfortunately for them (and the other honorable mentions), they didn't do enough to warrant a top ten spot on this list. With that being said, they could definitely make it next week. Greg Ward Jr. was also denied a top ten spot after his loss to SMU. Let's get started.

9. Jalen Hurts, Alabama (Last Week: NR)- Hurts has been on the radar for a while now, but he finally breaks through after leading the Tide to a win over #8 Texas A&M. He accounted for three total touchdowns as 'Bama won by 19.

8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Cook had the week off, but he takes on Clemson at home next week. Cook has thus far been outshone by Donnel Pumphrey, but a great showing over Clemson would do wonders for Cook.

7. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 9)- Pumphrey has made headlines for his fantastic season thus far, but he's still flying a bit under the radar. If he wants to go to New York, he's going to need to continue to put up monster stats.

6. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 6)- I've said it countless times before, but I believe Seth Russell is not being taken seriously as a Heisman contender. Baylor isn't exactly seen as an elite team (like Michigan or Alabama), and his stats may be inflated by Baylor's pass-happy offense, but Russell's work should not go ignored.

5. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 4)- The Wolverines ran roughshod over Illinois, but Peppers had a relatively quiet game. He accounted for only two tackles and accounted for 72 total yards. A big performance against in-state rival MSU will help him tremendously.

4. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Barrett slips a spot after OSU was upset by unranked Penn State. There's still a good chance Barrett goes to New York though, He had a good game against Penn State and OSU still has an outside chance of making the playoffs.

3. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 5)- At the beginning of the season, it seemed like all of the Pac-12's Heisman hopes would be pinned on guys like Christian McCaffrey and Royce Freeman. Instead, Browning has emerged as one of the nation's best quarterbacks. Against Oregon State he threw his 26th touchdown of the season as the Huskies stayed unbeaten.

2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson and the Tigers had the week off to prepare for Florida State next week.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- At this point, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Jackson will win the Heisman. Against Virginia he threw for three scores and racked up more than 400 yards of offense.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 7

Week 7 was a pretty solid week for all of our Heisman contenders. There were a few slip-ups here and there, but nothing too egregious. That's why everyone who is in our Heisman list last week is still on there this week. Let's get started.

10. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M (Last Week: 9)- Knight's had a pretty good season thus far, but it will all be for naught if he doesn't do well against Alabama in Week 8. A good game and a win against the Tide will launch Knight up our Heisman list.

9. Donnel Pumphrey. San Diego State (Last Week: 10)- Pumphrey's Heisman chances took a plunge when San Diego State fell off the rankings, but it's hard to ignore Pumphrey's stats. Against Fresno State he ran for 220 yards and two scores. It was however, the first time all year he didn't record a reception.

8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Cook failed to find the end zone against Wake Forest, but he still did record 115 rushing yards. He's one of the best running backs in the country and needs to prove that in order to keep his Heisman campaign alive.

7. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 6)- Like Cook, Ward failed to find the end zone (he played against Tulsa) but he still racked up some impressive yardage: 254 passing yards and 142 rushing yards.

6. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell quietly has put up a fantastic season thus far. Against Kansas he accounted for four total touchdowns as the Bears won by 42. Russell has thus far been overshadowed by players like Deshaun Watson and J.T. Barrett.

5. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 5)- Browning was on a bye this week, but he stays steady at the #5 spot.

4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 4)- Like Browning, Peppers stays put after a bye week. The #3 Wolverines take on Illinois next week.

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- The Buckeyes were pushed to the brink by Wisconsin, but they ended up pulling out the win in Wisconsin. Barrett threw for a touchdown and added two more on the ground.

2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 2)- Watson and the Clemson Tigers were pushed to the limit by NC State. Watson accounted for all three of Clemson's touchdowns in this game two through the air and one rushing.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Louisville struggled against Duke, but Jackson still played quite well. He accounted for more than 300 total yards and two scores as the Cards won 24-14.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 6

The end of October and the beginning of November is when the Heisman conversation starts to get serious. Some of the front-runners, like Christian McCaffrey and DeShone Kizer, have vanished while new stars like Lamar Jackson and Jake Browning are lighting up the fields. The real contenders are emerging and the Heisman conversation is getting serious. Let's take a look at the Top 10 Heisman candidates.

While we have a number of honorable mentions (like Zach Terrell of Western Michigan and Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong Jr.), we have only one player who dropped off last week. That would be Stanford's Christian McCaffrey. Although he was #1 on this list just a few weeks ago, McCaffrey and the Cards have been on a very rough streak the last two weeks. McCaffrey has been playing at a level far below where he was last year.

10. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 9)- San Diego State is no longer undefeated nor ranked, but Pumphrey is still putting up big numbers. He put up nearly 200 all-around yards on Saturday as the Aztecs beat UNLV.

9. Trevor Knight, Texas A&M (Last Week: NR)-  After weeks of being on the fringe, Trevor Knight finally makes it onto our Heisman watch. The Aggies beat #9 Tennessee in a thriller as Knight accounted for five total touchdowns and 349 total yards.

8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 8)- Florida State's chances at making the playoffs may be over, but Cook's Heisman campaign is still rolling. He rushed for 150 yards and had a touchdown catch as FSU upset the #10 Hurricanes.

7. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell continues to find himself on the edge of the Top 5. He and Baylor were off on Saturday, but the #11 Bears take on Kansas next week. Look for Russell to have a great game against them.

6. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 5)- Houston may have fallen to Navy, but Ward still put up big numbers. He threw for three touchdowns and rushed for another one. Ward's great stats are keeping him in the conversation, but he'll need to win out from here.

5. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: 10)- Browning continues to be one of the best quarterbacks in the game. Against Oregon, he passed for six touchdowns and 304 yards while throwing zero picks.

4. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 6)- Last week, I questioned whether or not Peppers was a viable Heisman candidate. He really proved me wrong in Michigan's win over Rutgers. Not only did he record two tackles, but he also rushed for two scores.

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- Barrett uncharacteristically struggled against Indiana. He went 9 for 21 while throwing a TD and a pick. However, he did have a strong ground game, as he rushed for 137 yards and one score.

2. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- Watson's been on a real roll the last two weeks. Against Boston College on Thursday, Watson threw for 270 yards and four scores. He also added 33 yards on the ground.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Jackson's last two weeks have featured a loss and a bye week. It's a real testament to his season that he's still #1 in our rankings. The Cardinals play Duke next week.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 5

Week 5 has come and go, and it was full of some pretty exciting games. Tennessee's improbable underdog season continued after a Hail Mary against Georgia, Clemson and Louisville went to the wire, and Michigan barely outlasted Wisconsin. Of course, we're here to talk about all of the Heisman implications. Who took a hit and who stepped up? Let's find out.

As we've had the last few weeks, we have a number of honorable mentions. I want to single out one player in particular: Alabama's Jalen Hurts. He may just be a freshman, but he's leading the best team in the country. We also have Patrick Mahomes II of Texas Tech, Tennessee's Josh Dobbs, UNC's Mitch Trubisky, Cal's Davis Webb, Nebraska's Tommy Armstrong Jr., Brad Kaaya of the Hurricanes, and Trevor Knight of the Texas A&M Aggies.

10. Jake Browning, Washington (Last Week: NR)- Washington was seen as a fringe team last week, but they now find themselves ranked #5. The Huskies ran all over #7 Stanford and Browning threw for 210 yards and three scores.

9. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 6)- Pumphrey plays weaker opponents compared to the other Heisman candidates, so he needed to win as many games as possible as well as racking up massive yardage in those games. He rushed for 151 yards and one score, but San Diego State lost to South Alabama and is no longer ranked. If the Aztecs lose again, Pumphrey's Heisman campaign may be over for good.

8. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 9)- Florida State may have fallen to North Carolina, but Cook shone nonetheless. His 29 carries went for 140 yards and three scores. Florida State is still ranked, but as a running back, his Heisman campaign is not dependent on the success of his team.

7. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 8)- Russell had himself a solid outing against Oklahoma State. He threw for 178 yards and one score while also rushing for 88 yards and two scores. Baylor is still undefeated, and that might be the most important part of his Heisman campaign.

6. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 5)- Peppers had a rough day against Wisconsin, with only three tackles and 33 return yards. If Peppers want his Heisman campaign to be taken seriously, he'll need bigger games. Instead, he found himself overshadowed by his teammates in Week 5.

5. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 7)- Ward's Heisman campaign has fluctuated wildly, but he is now firmly planted in the Top 5. He had a phenomenal game against Connecticut, going 32 of 38 for 389 yards and three scores while adding 65 rushing yards and two scores on the ground. The injury concerns are still there, but Ward has done enough to earn his spot in the Top 5.

4. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 2)- McCaffrey has now gone two straight weeks without a rushing or receiving touchdown. His Heisman campaign is in serious danger, and he'll need to start putting up better numbers if he wants to contend with the likes of Lamar Jackson, Deshaun Watson, and J.T. Barrett.

3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 4)- During the first four weeks of the season, Watson's play can best be described as unspectacular. That all changed in Week 5 when Watson threw for 306 yards and five scores (he also added 91 rushing yards). More importantly, Clemson beat the number three team in the country

2. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Barrett has been inching closer towards the #2 spot for some time now, and he finally snags it this week. He threw for 236 yards and four TD's (as well as 46 yards on the ground) as the Buckeyes ran over Rutgers.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Yes, a QB's Heisman campaign is tied to his team's win record. And yes, Louisville lost to Clemson in Week 5. Still, it's hard to argue with the notion that Jackson has still been the most outstanding player in college football. Even in the loss to Clemson, he accounted for three scores and more than 400 yards of total offense.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for updated rankings.

Heisman Watch Week 4

Our Heisman watch is pretty steady compared to last week's seismic shake-up. Only one player dropped off and the top five remained unchanged. Don't expect this to be the case next week however, as players will soon find themselves getting tested against conference opponents. Let's get started.

The only player to drop off from last week is LSU's Leonard Fournette. His performance this season has been somewhat underwhelming, as proven by his performance against unranked Auburn on Saturday. Not only did LSU lose, but Fournette failed to find the end zone.

We have five players on our honorable mention list, and they're all QBs: Tommy Armstrong Jr. of Nebraska, Brad Kaaya of the Hurricanes, Washington gun-slinger Jake Browning, the Aggie Trevor Knight, and Josh Dobbs of the Tennessee Volunteers.

10. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 10)- Chubb struggled mightily against Ole Miss. He rushed for only 57 yards before leaving with an ankle injury. However, Chubb is expected to play in Week 5, so he barely beats out one of the QBs on our honorable mention list for the number 10 spot.

9. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: NR)- Cook finds himself back on our watch list after his fantastic performance against South Florida. Not only did he rush for 267 yards and two touchdowns, but he also led the Seminoles in receiving yards.

8. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 10)- Russell quietly continues to be one of the most productive quarterbacks in college football. Against Oklahoma State, Russell threw for 387 yards and four scores while also leading the Bears in rushing.

7. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 8)- Ward put up beautiful numbers against Texas State, as he threw for 289 yards & two touchdowns and went 20 for 26. He added 39 yards and a score while rushing. Ward is hampered by the fact that he doesn't play many quality opponents, so he'll have to continue to put up big numbers and stay undefeated.

6. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: 7)- Pumphrey was inactive in Week 4, but he rises after Chubb's slip. Pumphrey leads the nation in rushing yards and is third in rushing touchdowns. Like Ward, Pumphrey doesn't play many quality opponents, so that will hurt his stock a little bit, especially when looking at Power Five players like Dalvin Cook and Lamar Jackson.

5. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: 5)- Peppers is looking to be only the second defensive player in history to win the Heisman. The first was Michigan's Charles Woodson. The only defensive player to have come close in recent years was Manti Te'o, who was the runner-up to Johnny Manziel. But if anyone can break through, it's Peppers. No one in the nation has more tackles for loss than him and he leads the nation in punt return yards per game.

4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 4)- As I said last week, Watson has yet to have a truly spectacular game this season. That being said, Clemson is undefeated and ranked at #5. Watson threw for 304 yards and ran for 36 more as Clemson rolled over Georgia Tech.

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- Barrett had the week off, so he stays in the number three spot. We'll next see him in Week 5 when he takes on Rutgers at home in a Big 10 conference matchup.

2. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 2)- McCaffrey didn't exactly have a banner game against the UCLA Bruins, but he did account for more than 150 all-purpose yards as Stanford stayed undefeated.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 1)- Is there any defense that can contain Lamar Jackson? The Lousville QB accounted for more than 470 yards of total offense while also racking up seven touchdowns. Jackson's stats have been nothing short of fantastic thus far. He's sixth in the nation in rushing yards, first in rushing touchdowns, seventh in passing touchdowns, and ninth in passing yards.

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 3

Week 3 was a big one for the Heisman race. We saw a lot of contenders from last week dropout and some new players who are making their case. Some of these new players have reignited their campaign while others are just now making their case. The number of contenders are possibly higher than they were at any other time this season. It's going to be difficult to rank all of them, but we'll do our very best.

Five players from last week dropped off the rankings. The most notable player is Deondre Francois, the Seminoles QB. He was fourth last week and drops off after accounting for less than a 100 yards and throwing a pick. Two other QBs also dropped off, including Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma and Notre Dame's DeShone Kizer, both of whom lost to ranked teams (although Kizer had a much better performance than Mayfield did). Two running backs also dropped off: Dalvin Cook of Florida State and Royce Freeman of Oregon. Both backs had subpar games over the weekend.

We have a number of honorable mentions to look at, and all four of them are quarterbacks. Let's give some love to Brad Kaaya of Miami (Fl), Tommy Armstrong Jr. of Nebraska, Josh Dobbs of Tennessee, and Tyler O'Connor of Michigan State. They'll need strong performances going forward in order to bolster their campaigns.

10. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: NR)- Russell finds himself back on our Heisman watch after a strong performance against Rice. He threw for three touchdowns and more than 330 yards and Baylor is now ranked at 16.

9. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: NR)- Fournette's been a little inconsistent thus far this season, but he's now on the rise after running holes through the Bulldogs defense. He ran for 147 yards and two scores while also picking up some receiving yards.

8. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: NR)-  Ward tumbled after suffering a shoulder injury, but he looks to become a serious contender once again. He threw for 326 yards and one score while also rushing for 73 yards and two scores.

7. Donnel Pumphrey, San Diego State (Last Week: NR)- Pumphrey has recently come out of nowhere to become a serious Heisman contender. He may not play for a big-name team, but he is the nation's leading rusher.

6. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 5)- Chubb takes a slight hit after his lackluster performance against Missouri. He ran for only 63 yards, but the Bulldogs are undefeated and are very much in contention for a playoff spot. If Georgia continues to do well, it will be great for Chubb.

5. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan (Last Week: NR)- Peppers is the only defensive player who has made the list thus far this season. But Peppers is more than just a defender: he's also a skilled returner. Against Colorado in Week 3, he returned two kicks for 81 yards and four punts for 99 yards and a score. Add to the fact that he got 9 tackles in the game, and you have the making of a true superstar.

4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 6)- Watson barely played against South Carolina State, but in he did still go 12 for 15 while throwing three touchdowns. Watson has yet to have an outstanding game this season, but he's been very consistent. If he wants to go back to New York this year, he'll need to step it up a little bit.

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 3)- The Buckeyes star has been excellent thus far this season. In OSU's route of #14 Oklahoma, Barrett threw for 152 yards and four touchdowns while also adding 74 yards on the ground.

2. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 1)- McCaffrey had himself a game against USC on Saturday. He racked up 260 all-purpose yards and two scores while Stanford cruised to a win. The Cardinals are now ranked #7.

1. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 2)- Jackson continues to be the most outstanding player in college football today. In Louisville's dismantling of #2 Florida State, Jackson threw for 216 yards and a score while adding 146 yards and four scores on the ground.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for the newest Heisman edition.

Heisman Watch Week 2

The Heisman campaign is still in the early phases for this season, but we already have a number of key candidates. And of course, we get more and more every single week. This was a relatively quiet week, with only two ranked teams (#15 TCU and #22 Oklahoma State) going down. With a lot of teams having an easy week, we saw a lot of big-name players having good games. But was it enough for them to make our list? Let's find out.

Our drop-offs from last week are Seth Russell, Greg Ward Jr,, and Leonard Fournette, all of whom played very little or not at all last week. Our three honorable mentions go out to Washington's Jake Browning (who has thrown for 8 touchdowns thus far in the season), the Volunteer Josh Dobbs (who threw for three scores against Virginia Tech), and Trevor Knight of Texas A&M (who threw for three scores and 344 yards).

10. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma (Last Week: NR)- Mayfield dropped off last week due to a loss to Houston, but he bounces back after throwing for three touchdowns and 244 yards on Saturday. The Sooners are still ranked at #14. 

9. Royce Freeman, Oregon  (Last Week: NR)- Like Mayfield, Freeman dropped off the list after a weak Week 1 performance. In Week 2 however, he ran for 207 yards and two scores as Oregon beat Virginia. 

8. DeShone Kizer, Notre Dame (Last Week: NR)- Kizer was an honorable mention last week, but he moves up after going 16 of 18 for 165 yards and a touchdown (not to mention the one he had on the ground). 

7. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 5)- Cook slips a couple of spots, but he still had a good outing against Charleston Southern. The Seminole ran for 80 yards and two scores as Florida State moved up to #2 in the polls.

6. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 4)- Waston has only been trending downwards as the season began, and his performance against Troy really didn't help. Though Clemson won, Watson threw two picks while posting a QBR of 36.5. 

5. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 3)- Chubb had a remarkable game in Week 1, but he slowed down a bit in Week 2. The Bulldogs won, but Chubb only ran for 80 yards and two scores. Not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but a rather pedestrian one for Chubb. 

4. Deondre Francois, Florida State (Last Week: 4)- When the season began, all the Seminole Heisman hype was firmly planted on the shoulders of Francois's teammate, Cook. Now, after throwing for five touchdowns in two games, Francois finds himself one of the Heisman front-runners. 

3. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: 2)- The Buckeyes crushed Tulsa, but Barrett didn't put up eye-popping stats. While he did rush for two scores, he had zero from the air. Of course, the rainy weather is why OSU chose to run the ball more, but it still hurts Barrett a bit. 

2. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: 10)- Jackson follows up his incredible Week 1 game by putting on a show in Week 2 against Syracuse. In just two games thus far, Jackson has accounted for thirteen scores. A win over Florida State next week would do wonders for his Heisman campaign,

1. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 1)- McCaffrey holds on to the top spot this week, but just barely. Stanford was inactive this week, but they have a big conference match-up against USC next week.

Thanks for reading everyone. 

Heisman Watch Week 1

That might have been one of the wildest opening weekends in college football history. Two top-five teams lost, Texas is relevant for the first time in years, and we saw games from Thursday to Monday. Of course, with so much action, there's a lot of Heisman action to talk about. We finally got to see a lot of the contenders like Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook in action, as well as other possible breakout stars. There's a lot of stuff to talk about, and that's what we'll do here. Let's get started.

Three players dropped off from last week: Royce Freeman of Oregon (who only had 92 yards of total offense), Chad Kelly (who lost to Florida State), and Baker Mayfield of Oklahoma (who lost to Houston). We have two players on the honorable mention list: DeShone Kizer of Notre Dame (who accounted for six touchdowns despite losing to Texas) and D'Onta Foreman of Texas (who ran for 131 yards and a score against ND).

10. Lamar Jackson, Louisville (Last Week: NR)- Jackson turned heads on Thursday when he passed for six touchdowns and rushed for two more when #19 Louisville dismantled Charlotte. The Cardinals are now six spots higher in the rankings and have a chance to compete for the ACC title.

9. Deondre Francois, Florida State (Last Week: NR)- Francois won his first career game when he beat Ole Miss on Monday night. All the Heisman spotlight was on Dalvin Cook and Chad Kelly going into this game, but Francois completely stole the show. He threw for 419 yards and two scores while also rushing for 59 yards.

8. Seth Russell, Baylor (Last Week: 7)- Russell threw for 163 yards and four touchdowns as he led Baylor to victory over Northwestern State. On top of that, Baylor now looks like the favorite to win the Big 12.

7. Leonard Fournette, LSU (Last Week: 1)- Fournette drops out of the top spot after putting up 138 rushing yards and zero scores against Wisconsin as #5 LSU suffered an upset loss. However, next week he faces Jacksonville St.  in what should help him bounce back.

6. Greg Ward Jr., Houston (Last Week: 10)- Ward continues his dark horse Heisman campaign after leading Houston to an upset win over #3 Oklahoma. He threw for 321 yards and two touchdowns, and the Cougars are now #6.

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida State (Last Week: 5)- Cook had a bit of a  rough game against Ole Miss, as he only had 91 rushing yards and zero scores. However, he did catch 7 passes for 101 yards as the 'Noles knocked off #11 Ole Miss.

4. Deshaun Watson, Clemson (Last Week: 3)- #2 Clemson had a bit of a lackluster win against unranked Auburn. His statline wasn't great (248 passing yards with one score and one interception), but at least Clemson won.

3. Nick Chubb, Georgia (Last Week: 6)- Chubb probably had the best game of anyone who was on our Heisman watch last week. He had 222 yards on the ground (to go with his two scores) as Georgia beat #22 UNC.

2. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State (Last Week: NR)- Looking back on my list from last week, I can't believe I left Barrett out. He made me pay for that oversight by throwing for 349 yards and accumulating six total touchdowns. Now that he's not fighting for playing time, he's the smartest pick for a Buckeye Heisman winner since Troy Smith.

1. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford (Last Week: 2)- I had a tough choice between McCaffrey and Fourntette for the top spot last week, but I see now that McCaffrey was the way to go. Not only did he have 2 rushing scores, but he also picked up 40 receiving yards as well as 44 return yards. At this point, he's the safe pick to win the Heisman.

Thanks for reading everyone. Check back next week for an updated Heisman watch.

NFL 2016-2017 Season Preview

Labor Day weekend means two things: a much-needed Monday off and that football season is back. On Thursday night, we'll get a rematch of the most recent Super Bowl- the Denver Broncos and the Carolina Panthers. Of course, things are a little bit different now. Denver is without legendary QB Peyton Manning while Carolina has their lead receiver in Kelvin Benjamin back. Of course, we must look at every single team in the NFL, because that's our job. We'll preview every single team, predict the playoffs, and hand out awards. Let's get started.

NFC North:

Minnesota won the division last year, but that's looking less certain this year. Now that their starting QB Teddy Bridgewater is out for the season, things are looking a lot less certain. Sure, they got Sam Bradford, but that's nowhere a guarantee that they'll win the division. Meanwhile, Green Bay is yapping on their heels. Now that Jordy Nelson is back, their offense should be firing on full gear. I'll pick Green Bay to win the division, but Minnesota should absolutely be contending for a wild-card shot.

Unfortunately for Detroit and Chicago, their outlooks are a bit more bleak. Detroit will certainly miss Calvin Johnson and Chicago just doesn't have the talent to match up to GB and the Vikings. That being said, Chicago has the potential to be a lot better than they were last year. Kevin White has returned after missing all of last season while they also picked up Danny Trevathan from the Broncos. The Bears probably won't be that great this year, but they should finish ahead of the Lions.

NFC East:

The Cowboys were ready to win the division, but then Tony Romo went and suffered a season-ending injury. All the other pieces are in place, including first-round pick Ezekiel Elliot. The 'Boys have rookie Dak Prescott ready in place, and he was impressive in the preseason. If he doesn't work out, there's also Mark Sanchez. However, even if one of those two QBs don't work out, this division belongs to last year's winner: Washington. Sure, they have a running back issue (Alfred Morris went to Dallas and Matt Jones is injured) but they also got Josh Norman, arguably the best corner in the NFL. Washington should win this division and Dallas has a chance of fighting for a wild-card spot.

I'll pick New York to finish third over the Eagles. Both teams are problematic, but the Giants still have more talent (like Eli Manning, Odell Beckham Jr., and Sterling Shepard). In fact, there's a small chance of them making the playoffs. It's small, but it exists.

NFC South:

Carolina's the easy pick here. Not only did they win the NFC last year, but they got back Kelvin Benjamin, their young, talented receiver who was out last year. On paper, they might be the most talented team in the league: Cam Newton, Jonathan Stewart, Luke Kuechly, Greg Olsen, Thomas Davis, Jonathan Stewart, etc.

Out of the three remaining teams (Atlanta, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay), I pick Atlanta to finish second. Dan Quinn didn't provide the complete resurgence many Falcon fans were hoping for, but there were bright spots. Devonta Freeman emerged as one of the best backs in the league and rookie safety Keanu Neal should help the defense out. New Orleans should improve from their dismal season last year, thanks to the departure of Rob Ryan and the addition of TE Coby Fleener. Tampa Bay might surprise us (especially if second-year QB Jameis Winston continues to develop), but a tough division will keep them in the basement.

NFC West:

This is a tough pick between the Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals. Both teams should make the playoffs, but I'm gonna go with Arizona because Seattle didn't really get better this offseason. In fact, you could argue they got worse. They lost o-linemen J.R. Sweezy and Russell Okung as well as defender Brandon Mebane. Meanwhile, Arizona has the full use of breakout star David Johnson. Carson Palmer will continue off his fantastic season last year and should lead his team to the division title. Don't be too disappointed Seattle fans though, they'll almost certainly make the playoffs.

I'll pick the Rams to finish ahead of the 49ers. Jeff Fisher coaching your team pretty much guarantees a 7-9 or 8-8 finish while the 'Niners have plenty of problems, including their quarterback situation. Jared Goff will eventually start, and he'll have a tough learning curve.

AFC North:

This is a two-team division between the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Le'Veon Bell's suspension will be mitigated by DeAngelo Williams, but gunslinger Andy Dalton was having a fantastic season last year before falling to injury. If he continues where he picked off last year, Cincy's going to be hard to beat. Their defense is a force to be reckoned and it's the reason why they get the edge over Pitssburgh.

Baltimore has had a bad string of luck with injuries recently. Last year it was former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco, now it's pass-catcher Benjamin Watson and running back Kenneth Dixon. These injuries will make it hard for Baltimore to compete with Cincy and Pittsburgh, but at least they'll be ahead of Cleveland. Speaking of the Browns, it's hard to not think they'll improve from last season. They have a new head coach Hue Jackson and new QB RG3, plus WR Josh Gordon is finally back. They'll probably still be better than last year, but it's hard to picture them finishing in the top three.

AFC East:

It doesn't matter if Tom Brady is suspended for four games, the Patriots are still the clear facorites in their division. Jimmy G can handle things well enough and when Bill Belichick is your coach, things are always good. Their team is full of talented players like Rob Gronkowski, Martellus Bennett, and Julian Edelman.

I'm picking the Jets to finish second, as they did last year. Ryan Fitzpatrick is back and Rex Ryan has done a good job with the New York defense. I'm picking the Dolphins to finish third. Yes, they have problems with their running game, but Ryan Tannehill is a franchise QB with some good targets. It's tough to put the Bills at the bottom, as they have a talented team, including Tyrod Taylor, Sammy Watkins, and LeSean McCoy.

AFC South:

This is tough, as Andrew Luck is back, but I still have to go with the Texans. Their passing game was arguable their biggest weakness last year, but thanks to the additions of Brock Osweiler and Will Fuller, things are looking up. Plus, the QB situation wasn't the only problem in Indy last year. Frank Gore failed to live up to expectations while they lost TE Coby Fleener. Indy will make things difficult for the Texans, but I expect Bill O'Brien's team to win out.

The Jaguars are ready for a breakout season, thanks to a number of factors. Donte Fowler Jr. is ready to make his season debut after being injured all of his rookie season. They also drafted the very athletic Myles Jacks well as DB Jalen Ramsey. The Titans will continue to struggle, especially if they can't protect Marcus Mariota.

AFC West:

The defending champs are the clear favorites in this division. Sure, they lost a lot of talent (like Mailk Jackson, Peyton Manning, and Danny Trevathan), but they have plenty of other talented players (like Von Miller, CJ Anderson, and Demariyus Thomas). They're easily the best team in this division.

The Oakland Raiders are ready for a breakout season thanks to the emergence of Derek Carr and Amari Cooper. Sure, they lost Charles Woodson to retirement, but they also got a number of other talented players on defense, like Khalil Mack. Unfortunately, I still think they're falling short of the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are coached by Andy Reid, one of the best coaches in the league, and they have talented players like Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles, and Alex Smith. The San Diego Chargers will finish at the bottom of the division. They have a franchise QB and talented team, but the other teams should have them beat.

Projected NFC Seedings: 1) Carolina Panthers 2) Arizona Cardinals 3) Green Bay Packers
4) Washington Redskins 5) Seattle Seahawks 6) Minnesota Vikings

Projected AFC Seedings: 1) Denver Broncos 2) New England Patriots 3) Cincinnati Bengals
4) Houston Texans 5) Pittsburgh Steelers 6) Kansas City Chiefs

Playoff Predictions:

The Packers take on their division rivals in the first round. I'm going to take the more experienced team here and say Green Bay moves on. In the other NFC wild-card game, we see Seattle at Washington. I got to go with Seattle on this one, they're a better team overall. The Seahawks then take on Carolina, and just like last year, I predict the Panthers win. In the other second-round match, I predict Green Bay takes out Arizona in the upset. Remember, their playoff match last year was extremely close and the Packers didn't have Jordy Nelson then. Finally, in the NFC title game, Carolina outlasts Green Bay to move on to their second straight Super Bowl.

We open the AFC side of things with KC at Cincinnati and Pittsburgh at Houston. I know Cincy has a problem getting it done in the first round of the playoffs, but I predict their luck changes this year. I also predict the Steelers outplay Houston to move on. In the second round, I'm going with the upset and taking Pittsburgh over New England. It's a bit of a risky pick, but I just think Pittsburgh has more pieces than the Pats. Meanwhile, Denver outlasts Cincinnati to move on. In the AFC title game, I'll pick the Steelers to outlast Denver, as the pressure is too much for their young QB.

In the Super Bowl, I'm picking Carolina over Pittsburgh. Carolina has an absolutely loaded team and they will be looking to bounce back from their humiliating defeat last week. The MVP: QB Cam Newton, who has one helluva game.

Regular Season Awards:
MVP: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Offensive Player of the Year: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings
Defensive Player of the Year: J.J. Watt, Houston Texans
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ezekiel Elliot, Dallas Cowboys
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Leonard Floyd, Chicago Bears
Coach of the Year: Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers

Thanks for reading everyone.

Heisman Watch Week 0

After about 7 months of waiting, the college football season is back. It's been a long wait for it, but it looks like it's all going to be worth it. The off-season was exciting (thanks to stories like John Harbaugh's antics in the South and QB battles at schools like Notre Dame and Alabama), but it has nothing on the drama and intrigue of the real season.

Of course, along with the college football season comes the Heisman Trophy, the single-most prestigious trophy awarded to an individual athlete. It may be too early to already pick a Heisman favorite, but what's the fun in waiting. Our weekly Heisman watch will kick off with our Top 10 contenders and some honorable mentions. Let's get started.

There are plenty of honorable mentions to give out, but we'll highlight a few: QB Brad Kaaya of Miami (Fl), Josh Rosen of UCLA, and whoever the starting QB of Notre Dame is. With that being said, let's get to our list.

10. Greg Ward Jr., Houston- This may seem like an odd pick, but Ward really has the skills to pull off this upset. He passed for over 2,000 yards and rushed for more than 1,000 yards last season. However, he'll need to lead his team to a victory over Oklahoma in Week 1 in order to win the Heisman.

9. Royce Freeman, Oregon- The Oregon running back had a great season last year, but was overshadowed by other backs (like Christian McCaffrey and Ezekiel Elliot). Now, he's poised to have a real breakout year.

8. Chad Kelly, Ole Miss- This might seem like another odd pick, but Kelly and Ole Miss had a great season last year, topped off by Kelly throwing for more than 4,000 yards. He's currently the best quarterback in the SEC and if he keeps winning, he'll stay in the Heisman conversation.

7. Seth Russell, Baylor- Russell had limited playing time last year, but he shone whenever he did. Quarterbacks have always done well in Baylor's system (like Robert Griffin III), so everything is set up for Russell to succeed.

6. Nick Chubb, Georgia- Chubb was looking fantastic last season before suffering a terrible season-ending injury. Now that he's completely healthy, look for him to run rampant all over opposing defenses.

5. Dalvin Cook, Florida St- Cook might have been a little under-the-radar last season, but he still had a great year. In total, he rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 19 touchdowns. If FSU does well this year, Cook will have a lot to do with it.

4. Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma- Mayfield was one of last season's biggest breakout stars and Oklahoma ended up making the College Football Playoffs. If Oklahoma does well again this season, Mayfield will definitely be a Heisman finalist.

3. Deshaun Watson, Clemson- Watson is easily one of the biggest preseason favorites. Not only did he play in the national title game last year, but he was a Heisman finalist. There's a very good chance he can do the same thing again this year.

2. Christian McCaffrey, Stanford- Last year, McCaffrey broke Barry Sanders's single-season all-purpose yards record, and it was good enough to have him finish second in the Heisman voting. If he has a season anything like that again, he'll be a lock for New York.

1. Leonard Fournette, LSU- By the midway point of last season, Fournette was easily the Heisman leader. Unfortunately, he had a string of bad games that essentially derailed his candidacy. This year however, could be the season that Fournette goes the distance.

Thanks for reading everyone.

6 NFL Teams who had Great Offseasons and 4 who Didn'tt

The NFL offseason is one of the most exciting off-seasons in all of sports. With free-agency, trades, the combine, draft, and more, it's a very expecting time to be a football fan. Now that the draft is over, the off-season is over. There's nothing really left to do but wait for training camp this summer. Since the off-season is now over, we can look back and look at it as a whole. Although we can't fully and realistically grade it until after a few years when we see how everything turns out, we're going to do our best now. We're going to identify six teams that had a great off-season and four who didn't. Let's get started.

Great

6. Tennessee Titans- The biggest part of their success came from trading their #1 overall draft pick to Los Angeles for a bunch of other picks. Their biggest pick came at #8 (the Rams' original spot): T Jack Conklin. This was a great pick, as he was the best offensive-linemen still on the board (Ronnie Stanley was already drafted and Laremy Tunsil's character issues sent him sliding) and the Titans need to protect Marcus Mariota (who was injured last season), the man they see as their franchise QB. They also got defensive end Kevin Dodd from Clemson, who's got all the physical attributes to be a playmaker in the NFL, and Heisman winner Derrick Henry, who will give a much-needed spark to their run game.

They also resigned TE Delanie Walker, who was a big target for Mariota last season and one of the league's best. On top of that, they also signed WR Rishard Matthews (giving Mariota a new target), traded for RB DeMarco Murray (who should do better than he did last season with the Eagles), and got QB Matt Cassel (who will be a good backup in case Mariota goes down again).

All in all, a very productive offseason for the Titans. They won't be contending for the playoffs next season, but this is definitely a move in the right direction.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers- The Bucs flew under-the-radar a bit, but they still made a splash. Their defense was the real issue last season, so they focused on it in the draft. With a crop headlined by Vernon Hargreaves and Noah Spence, this is a solid draft class. Spence is a Round 1 talent but dropped because of character issues. Hargreaves meanwhile, has top ten talent. The 'Bucs also got kicker Roberto Aguayo in the second round. While this move was subject to a lot of internet ridicule, Aguayo is an elite kicker in a league that now features longer extra points.

Their biggest free-agent move was resigning elite RB Doug Martin. They also further addressed their defense by adding CB Brent Grimes, who's an elite corner despite having some baggage (his wife), and DE Robert Ayers, who had a great season last year in New York. TB also picked up Seattle guard J.R. Sweezy.

The 'Bucs play in a tough division (Carolina, New Orleans, and Atlanta), so don't expect them to chase the division crown next year. Nonetheless, they did get a lot better this offseason. They should be making the playoffs within a few years.

4. Houston Texans- Yet another AFC South team to come out of the offseason stronger, the Texans added a bunch of offensive firepower in their quest to retain the division crown next season. After all, it was their defense (thanks to guys like J.J. Watt, Jonathan Joseph, Brian Cushing, and Vince Wilfork) that led them to the playoffs. The Texans had very little stability at the QB position last year, but they remedied that by landing one of the biggest free-agent targets: QB Brock Osweiler. They also got Lamar Miller, who was very productive for the Dolphins over the last few seasons. He should make up for losing Arian Foster (who was injured for most of last season anyways).

At the draft, Houston loaded up even more on offense. They used their first-round pick to trade up and get Notre Dame's Will Fuller. The Texans already have an elite WR1 in DeAndre Hopkins, but Fuller is a speedster who is great with the deep-ball. He and Osweiler should work well together. The Texans also drafted Fuller's teammate Nick Martin (one of the top ten o-linemen in the draft) and the incredibly athletic Braxton Miller.

By making significant improvements to their offense, the Texans have to be the favorites to win the AFC South next year.

3. Baltimore Ravens- Like Tampa, Baltimore quietly had a very good offseason. They used the sixth pick in the draft to get Notre Dame's Ronnie Stanley, something that will hopefully help them forget about Kelechi Osmele. They also drafted the talented back Kenneth Dixon and Navy's Keenan Reynolds, someone who should make big plays and will be an upstanding guy in the locker room.

Along with Osmele, the Ravens also said goodbye to safety Will Hill. However, signing Eric Weddle away from SD is an upgrade. They also kept elite kicker Justin Tucker and receiver Kamar Aiken, who brokeout last season. They also added Mike Wallace from Minnesota and TE Ben Watson, who brokeout last season with the Saints.

As good as that all is, possibly the best news for Ravens fans is that Joe Flacco is coming back. Their franchise QB and former Super Bowl MVP missed a lot of playing time last year and having Jimmy Clausen just wasn't the same. With Flacco back, expect the Ravens to push for the playoffs.

2. Oakland Raiders- The Raiders had a fantastic offseason, starting with free agency. They signed Kelechi Osmele away from Baltimore. This is a huge coup, as Osmele is one of the league's best guards and is only 27. They also signed Seattle's Bruce Irwin, which should help the defense. Though the Raiders lost the legendary Charles Woodson to retirement, they signed safety Reggie Nelson and Sean Smith from the Chiefs, so the secondary looks strong. They also resigned Marquette King (one of the league's best punters) and OT Donald Penn, a very reliable player.

The Raiders further stocked up on their secondary options by drafting West Virginia safety Karl Joseph in the first round. They also drafted Shilique Calhoun from MSU (which will help ease the sting of Justin Tuck's retirement) and Calhoun's teammate Connor Cook. The Raiders already have a franchise QB in Derek Carr, but Cook should prove to be a reliable backup.

Thanks to a great offseason, the Raiders are actually playoff contenders next season.

1. Jacksonville Jaguars- Indianapolis better be worried, as every single team in their division had a strong offseason. However, Jacksonville unarguably had the best offseason of any team in the league. It all started when they signed DE Malik Jackson (one of the biggest free-agency prizes) away from the defending Super Bowl champs. The Jags also resigned talented TE Mercedes Lewis. They then bolstered their secondary by acquiring S Tashaun Gipson (one of the few bright spots in Cleveland last season) and the talented Prince Amukamara. To top it off, they nabbed RB Chris Ivory, who had a great season last year in New York.

As good as they were in free agency, they were even better in the draft. In fact, any draft expert will tell you Jacksonville had the best draft of anyone. It started off with them taking Jalen Ramsey with the fifth pick overall. Then, in the second round, they took Myles Jack of UCLA. With that, they managed to score arguably the two best defensive talents in the entire draft. They also drafted Sheldon Day of Notre Dame, another man who can contribute to the defense.

All in all, a fantastic offseason for Jacksonville. The possible cherry on top: their first-round pick in 2015 (Donte Fowler Jr.) is ready to go after missing all of last season due to injury. We could see Jacksonville making the playoffs this year.

Not so Great

4. New England Patriots- The Pats were handicapped by not having a first-round draft pick, but they didn't make it up anywhere else. If you had to sum up their draft in one word, it would be "disappointing". Their biggest pick was QB Jacoby Brissett at 91, a pick that makes absolutely no sense. Yes, Brady has been suspended for four games, but that's what Jimmy Garoppolo is there for. Brissett could have been picked up later, the 91 pick would have been better used getting a weapon for Brady. A lack of receivers was an issue last season, and while Malcolm Mitchell is talented (they got him with pick #112), he's not enough.

New England also failed to make a splash in free agency. The only notable FA they signed were Chris Long (who's past his prime) and Terrance Knighton (who actually may help). On top of that: nothing. They even lost WR Brandon LaFell to Cincy, contributing to their WR problems.

New England's obviously gunning for the Super Bowl, and they are contenders. However, there are teams talented than them, and they should have used this offseason to get better. Instead, they sat on their hands.

3. San Francisco 49ers- The 'Niners hired Chip Kelly (fresh off a contentious stint in Philly) as their new HC. While that move may ultimately work out, it's hard to see it as a huge positive right now. Their biggest offseason story revolved around QB Colin Kaepernick. It looks like Kap is their QB of the future, but things are not exactly off to a hot start. In free agency, San Fran was pretty much a dud. The only real star they got was Zane Beadles, a guard from Jacksonville.

The team also had trouble making an impact in the draft. The only real star they got was Oregon's DeForest Buckner, a defensive star. They traded up for a late first-round pick and essentially wasted it on G Joshua Garnett of Stanford. There were much better targets (including offensive-linemen) available, so this made absolutely no sense.

The 49ers will not be anywhere near the playoffs this season, especially since they play in a division with Arizona and Seattle. This offseason should have been a good step on the path to rebuilding, but it looks like their engine has stalled.

2. Seattle Seahawks- It all started going downhill when Marshawn Lynch, one of the league's true elite running backs, decided to retire. While Thomas Rawls proved himself a capable back last season, he's fairly unproven and has still not fully taken over Lynch's role. They did draft Notre Dame's C.J. Prosise and Alex Collins from Arkansas, so that should help a little bit. Unlike San Fran and NE, they actually had a decent draft. Their first-round pick (Germain Ifedi of Texas A&M) should start while Jarran Reed of Alabama will make an impact on the defense.

However, Seattle struggled in free agency. None of their new signings are worth talking about, and they lost two members of the o-line: J.R. Sweezy and Russell Okung. They also lost defender Brandon Mebane to San Diego.

The 'Hawks should have spent their offseason trying to make up the ground between them and Carolina (and Arizona), but they ultimately failed to make a huge impact.

1. Denver Broncos-  Ask any football expert, and odds are they'll say Denver had one of the worst offseasons in the entire league. Their issues revolved around the QB position. Thanks to Peyton Manning retiring and Brock Osweiler signing with Houston, the Broncos had Mark Sanchez as their starter. No offense to Sanchez, but come on. They also lost key defenders Danny Trevathan and Malik Jackson & guard Evan Mathis. They did get Russell Okung from Seattle, but made no other impactful free-agent signings.

The Broncos did draft Memphis QB Paxton Lynch in the first round, and he should be the starter. However, Lynch is unproven and it remains to be seen whether or not he will succeed in the NFL. The only other standout pick was Ute back Devontae Booker, who was a Heisman contender last season. He should be a good backup for C.J. Anderson.

The Broncos really have their work cut out for them defending their title, and this offseason really highlighted that.

Thanks for reading everyone.

45 Great Picks from the Last 2 Days of the 2016 NFL Draft

We already did a pick-by-pick analysis of the first round, but there's much more going on in the next six rounds. After all, much more players are taken in those rounds and they have plenty of star potential. Current NFL stars who were drafted in Days 2 and 3 include Tom Brady, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, Drew Brees, Travis Kelce, DeSean Jackson, Golden Tate, Josh Norman, Tyrann Matthieu, and Kawann Short. Out of all the players drafted in Rounds 2-7 this year, there are definitely some future Hall of Famers and Super Bowl winners. In this article we'll look at 30 picks that we here at The Sports Examiner loved. Let's get started.

45. New Orleans Saints: Michael Thomas, WR (Ohio State): Rd. 2, Pick 16 (Overall: 47)- Thomas was a big play-maker for the Buckeyes and will be a good target for Drew Brees.

44. New York Jets: Christian Hackenberg, QB (Penn St.): Rd. 2, Pick 20, Overall (51): The Jets have yet to resign Ryan Fitzpatrick, so drafting a QB seems like a smart move. Hackenberg is a great player who should be a successful slinger for NYJ.

43. Cleveland Browns: Emmanuel Ogbah, DE (Clemson): Rd. 2, Pick 1 (Overall: 32)- Getting Ogbah significantly helps the Browns' pass-rushing efforts, something that is important in a division with Big Ben, Andy Dalton, and Joe Flacco.

42. Cincinnati Bengals: Andrew Billings, NT (Baylor): Rd. 4, Pick 24 (Overall: 122)- The Bengals are a pretty stacked team, so they went for one of the best guys still on the board. Billings should learn a lot working with Geno Atkins.

41. Houston Texans (from Atlanta): Nick Martin, OG (Notre Dame): Rd. 2, Pick 19 (Overall: 50)- Though his older brother Zack is a better talent, Martin will help protect Brock Osweiler and create room for Lamar Miller.

40. Washington Redskins: Su'a Cravens, OLB (USC): Rd. 2, Pick 22 (Overall: 53)- As I said in the previous post, the main issue the Redskins had to address was their defense. Getting a playmaker like Cravens helps to address that.

39. New York Giants: Sterling Shephard, WR (Oklahoma): Rd. 2, Pick 9 (Overall: 40)- I would rather the Giants picked up a defensive player, but having another playmaker on your offense (along with Odell Beckham Jr. and Victor Cruz) certainly doesn't hurt.

38. Buffalo Bills (compensatory selection): Cardale Jones, QB (Ohio State): Rd. 4, Pick 41 (Overall: 139)- The Bills seem to have found their franchise QB in Tyrod Taylor, but having a man who knows how to win as your backup doesn't hurt. Jones has what it takes to be a franchise QB in this league, maybe even in Buffalo.

37. San Diego Chargers: Hunter Henry, TE (Arkansas): Rd. 2, Pick 4 (Overall: 35)- Henry was the best TE of this class and gives Phillip Rivers another target. A double-TE lineup with Antonio Gates could reap huge dividends for SD.

36. Kansas City Chiefs (from Tampa Bay): KeiVarae Russell, CB (Notre Dame): Rd. 3, Pick 11 (Overall: 74)- Russell is a sneaky-good corner who was a big reason Notre Dame did so well last season. The Chiefs should be in the playoff hunt this year, so Russell should get some invaluable playing-time and experience.

35. Detroit Lions: A'Shawn Robinson, DT (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 15 (Overall: 46)- The Lions' defensive line has not been the same since losing Ndamkong Suh, so this was a very smart pick.

34. Baltimore Ravens: Keenan Reynolds, RB (Navy): Rd. 6, Pick 7 (Overall: 182)- I love this pick. Reynolds had one of the best collegiate careers of all-time and this pick allows him to stay in-state.

33. New Orleans Saints (from New England via Arizona): Vonn Bell, FS (Ohio State): Rd. 2, Pick 30 (Overall: 61)- Like I said in the previous post, NO had a weak defense last year, so picking Bell was a good move. The former Buckeye could start at the beginning of the season.

32. Cincinnati Bengals: Tyler Boyd, WR (Pittsburgh): Rd. 2, Pick 24 (Overall: 55)- I like this move. The Bengals lost Marvin Jones to the Lions, so there is room for Boyd here. Working with A.J. Green (unarguably one of the best receivers in the league) also helps Boyd. The former Panther could become an important cog in a team looking to win the Super Bowl.

31. Chicago Bears (from Seattle): Cody Whitehair, OG (Kansas St.): Rd. 2 Pick 25 (Overall: 56)- Whitehair was one of the best o-linemen in the draft and it feels a need for the Bears, so this is a good pick.

30. Denver Broncos (compensatory selection); Devontae Booker, RB (Utah): Rd. 4, Pick 38 (Overall: 136)- The Broncos have C.J. Anderson, but Booker is a great back who runs hard, so the Broncos' offense will not suffer whenever Anderson is taking a break on the sidelines.

29. Los Angeles Rams (from Chicago via Buffalo): Pharoh Cooper, WR (South Carolina): Rd. 4, Pick 19 (Overall: 117)- If Jared Goff is to succeed in L.A., he's going to need weapons. He already has Tavon Austin and Todd Gurley, but adding another one only helps him.

28. Cleveland Browns (from Oakland): Ricardo Louis, WR (Auburn): Rd. 4, Pick 16 (Overall: 114)- Louis is most famous for his miracle catch against Georgia in 2013 and he's another deep-ball threat (along with Corey Coleman) for RG3.

27. Dallas Cowboys (compensatory selection): Dak Prescott, QB (Mississippi St.): Rd. 4, Pick 37 (Overall: 135)- After Tony Romo went down last season, the 'Boys struggled with Matt Cassel. If that should happen again this season, Dallas might have a better shot with Prescott.

26. Green Bay Packers (from Indianapolis): Jason Spriggs, T (Indiana): Rd. 2, Pick 17 (Overall: 48)- Eddie Lacy didn't have the fantastic season last year as many expected him to have, so adding a top-notch offensive linemen (and one many expected to go in the first round) should help.

25. Cleveland Browns (from Miami via New England): Scooby Wright III, ILB (Arizona); Rd. 7, Pick 29 (Overall 250)- If you look up the word "steal" in the dictionary, you'll find this pick. Wright is an incredibly talented and athletic linebacker who could make a real impact in Ohio.

24. Washington Redskins: Keith Marshall, RB (Georgia); Rd. 7, Pick 21 (Overall 240)- Most of the Georgia rushing game in the last few years has centered around Todd Gurley and Nick Chubb (and rightfully so), but Marshall is also a capable back that might be able to help the 'Skins forget about Alfred Morris.

23. New York Giants: Paul Perkins, RB (UCLA): Rd. 5, Pick 10 (Overall: 149)- The Giants have a great passing game (thanks to guys like Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr.), but their rushing game is not as great. Having a guy like Perkins who is a bruiser and runs hard can change that.

22. Oakland Raiders: Shilique Calhoun, DE (Michigan State): Rd. 3, Pick 12 (Overall: 75)- Calhoun made a name for himself in the Big 10 as a ferocious pass-rusher and he should make an impact in Nor Cal.

21. Cleveland Browns: Spencer Drango, OG (Baylor): Rd. 5, Pick 31 (Overall: 168)- The Browns need plenty of help rebuilding, so adding a top-tier talent certainly helps.

20. Detroit Lions: Jake Rudock, QB (Michigan): Rd. 5, Pick 16 (Overall: 191)- The Lions need a backup QB for Matthew Stafford, so might as well get a good, in-state QB.

19. Chicago Bears: Jordan Howard, RB (Indiana): Rd. 5, Pick 111 (Overall: 150)- The Bears lost their elite RB Matt Forte, so there is a big opportunity for Howard to shine.

18. Minnesota Vikings: Mackensie Alexander, CB (Clemson): Rd. 2, Pick: 23 (Overall: 54)- Alexander has first-round potential, so getting him in the second round is a steal.

17. San Diego Chargers: Max Tuerk, C (USC): Rd. 3, Pick 3 (Overall: 66)- The Chargers' run-game was disappointing last season (especially Melvin Gordon) so getting the second-best center in the draft is a smart move.

16. Cleveland Browns (compensatory selection): Rashard Higgins, WR (Colorado State): Rd. 5, Pick 35 (Overall: 172)- Higgins was once considered one of the best receivers in the nation and he should be one of the front-runners for Cleveland's breakout star next year.

15. Seattle Seahawks: C.J. Prosise, RB (Notre Dame): Rd. 3, Pick 27 (Overall: 90)- It looks like Thomas Rawls will be the starting rusher for Seattle next year, but Prosise (who was a Heisman contender last year) will be more than a competent backup.

14. Cleveland Browns (from Carolina): Cody Kessler, QB (USC): Rd. 3, Pick 91 (Overall: 93)- Kessler played well at USC. He probably won't get the chance to start in Cleveland, but he should be more than a serviceable back-up.

13. Seattle Seahawks (compensatory selection): Alex Collins, RB (Arkansas): Rd. 5, Pick 134 (Overall: 171)- See #13 (except for the Heisman contender part).

12. Jacksonville Jaguars: Sheldon Day, DT (Notre Dame); Rd. 4, Pick 5 (Overall: 103)- Day was a big part of ND's disruptive defensive-line last year. Jacksonville has a lot of young defensive talent, including Day, Jalen Ramsey, and Donte Fowler Jr.

11. Kansas City Chiefs (from Seattle): Kevin Hogan, QB (Stanford): Rd. 5, Pick 125 (Overall: 162)- Hogan is the most successful Stanford QB ever (and that includes guys like John Elway and Andrew Luck). He has all the tools to be a franchise QB and will learn a lot from Alex Smith and Andy Reid. I think he fits perfectly into KC's offensive scheme.

10. New England Patriots (from New Orleans): Malcolm Mitchell, WR (Georgia): Rd. 4, Pick 14 (Overall: 112)- It's no secret that the Pats have had receiver issues in recent years, so adding the underrated Mitchell is smart.

9. Buffalo Bills (from Chicago): Reggie Ragland, ILB (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 10 (Overall: 41)- Buffalo's defense was surprisingly disappointing last season, so getting Ragland may be that spark they need.

8. Miami Dolphins: Kenyan Drake, RB (Alabama): Rd. 3, Pick 10 (Overall: 73)- The Dolphins lost Lamar Miller, and Drake can be the man to fill that hole. He's a great back with lots of potential.

7. Tennessee Titans: Derrick Henry, RB (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 14 (Overall: 45)- The Heisman winner from last season should run like crazy in Tennessee, especially now that Jack Conklin is there. The o-line still needs work, but Henry should be productive next year.

6. Houston Texans: Braxton Miller, WR (Ohio State): Rd. 3, Pick 22 (Overall: 85)- Miller is a phenomenal athlete who's only been playing WR for a season. Expect Bill O'Brien to tap into Miller's potential.

5. Tennessee Titans, Kevin Dodd, DE (Clemson): Rd. 2, Pick 2 (Overall: 33)- Dodd is an impressive physical specimen who can really transform Tennesse's lackluster defense.

4. Seattle Seahawks (from Chicago via Buffalo): Jarran Reed, DT (Alabama): Rd. 2, Pick 18 (Overall: 49)- Reed is a guy who many believe should have gone in the first round, so this is a steal for Pete Carroll and the 'Hawks.

3. Oakland Raiders (from Cleveland via Philadelphia via Tennessee): Connor Cook, QB (Michigan State)- The Raiders have their franchise QB in Derek Carr, but having Cook gives them a competent back-up. The fact that Cook fell all the way to Day 3 is a shock.

2. Dallas Cowboys: Jaylon Smith, OLB (Notre Dame): Rd. 2, Pick 3 (Overall: 34)- One of the best picks in the entire draft. Not only did it create an intensely emotional moment, but it was a super smart pick. If he wasn't injured, Smith would probably be a top five pick. Though he will not be playing next season, he should be good to go for 2017, a time where Dallas wants to be a Super Bowl contender. This was a smart future pick

1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Myles Jack, OLB (UCLA): Rd. 2, Pick 5 (Overall: 36)- Arguably the best pick in the entire draft. Jack is one of the best athletes in the entire draft and would probably be a top five pick if it weren't for his knee issues. He can play next year and will be a vital part of a young but talented team (that includes guys like Jalen Ramsey, Blake Bortles, Allen Robinson, Donte Fowler Jr, and Allen Hurns) looking for a playoff spot.

How did your team do in the draft? Comment and let me know.