It's college football time BABYYYYYYY. And with the return of
college football comes the return for the chase of its highest individual
award: the Heisman Trophy. Last year's race was dominated nearly end-to-end by
Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa before Oklahoma QB Kyler Murray bumped him in the last
week of the season. We here at The Sports Examiner have put together the ten
candidates we believe are the most likely to win this award in 2019.
But before we unveil those ten,
let's look at some honorable mentions. How about some love for guys like Shea
Patterson of Michigan, Grant Delpit of LSU, Georgia RB D'Andre Swift,
Nebraska's Adrien Martinez, and Oregon's Justin Herbert. It might seem
blasphemous to not include Herbert in the Top 10, but his stats last year were
a little lacking. That being said, let's get started.
10. Rondale Moore, Purdue-
Easily the least well-known player on this list, Moore will have to produce
some remarkable stats to become the first receiver to win the Heisman since
Desmond Howard in 1991. Fortunately, Moore is incredibly talented and is coming
off a season where he led the nation in receptions. If any receiver can win the
Heisman this year, it's Moore.
9. Justin Fields, Ohio State-
Fields got very little playing time in his freshman year at Georgia, but anyone
who saw footage of his time in high school knows just how talented he is. Now
that he's the starter at Ohio State, Fields is poised to break out as a major
star.
8. Travis Etienne, Clemson-
While Trevor Lawrence is going to get more of the nation's attention, don't
sleep on Etienne. He spent a lot of time in our Heisman watch last season and
impressed in the national championship game. The junior ran for 24 scores last
year and has to be considered one of the top backs in the nation.
7. Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma- Hurts
was never the most spectacular QB during his time at Alabama, but he got the
job done. He won a national title in 2018 and was named SEC Offensive Player of
the Year in 2018. Now he's part of a program that has produced the last two
Heisman winners.
6. Jake Fromm, Georgia- Fromm
is a guy that seems to continuously get overlooked by Heisman voters. It's hard
to explain, as Georgia has been excellent the last two years and Fromm has put
up great numbers. Could this be the year Fromm asserts his dominance?
5. Ian Book, Notre Dame- After
starting last season as the backup to Brandon Wimbush, Book earned the starting
job and led the Fighting Irish to an undefeated regular season and a berth in
the CFP. If Notre Dame has another successful season, it's hard to imagine Book
not getting some Heisman love this year.
4. Sam Ehlinger, Texas-
Ehlinger made a big leap last year. He threw for more than 3,000 yards and 25
touchdowns while leading Texas to a berth in the Big 12 title game and win over
Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. If Texas is once again a player on the national
stage, expect Ehlinger to make it to New York.
3. Jonathan Taylor, Wisconsin-
The Badgers may have had a disappointing 2018-2019 season, but that wasn't
Taylor's fault. Not only did his 2,194 rushing yards last year lead the nation,
but he also ran for 16 touchdowns. Those stats will be enough to generate some
Heisman buzz, but he won't be able to win unless Wisconsin once again becomes a
major force in the Big 10.
2. Trevor Lawrence, Clemson- It
seems crazy to not have Lawrence at #1, especially after his star-making
performance in last season's national championship game, but it's never smart
to bet on the preseason favorite. Last year, Kyler Murray entered the season
with the 12th best betting odds to win the Heisman. According to John Ewing of
The Action Network, from 2009-2017, there have been 92 players who have been
considered preseason Heisman favorites. During that time period, only two preseason
favorites (Baker Mayfield & Marcus Mariota) have won the Heisman. So for
that reason alone, Lawrence is at #2. Of course, Lawrence could have a
remarkable season and render all this meaningless, but I'll take my
chances.
1. Tua Tagovailoa, Alabama-
Like I mentioned in the intro, Tagovailoa pretty much dominated the Heisman
race from whistle-to-whistle. It was only until the final regular week of the
regular season that he was overtaken by Murray. Still, let's not forget just
how incredible of a season he had. The Sports Examiner 2018 NCAAF Player of the
Year won the Maxwell Award and threw for 43 touchdowns while leading the
Crimson Tide to an undefeated regular season. On a personal note, he is one of
the most spectacular college football players I've ever seen. I haven't been as
awed watching a player since Johnny Football's freshman year. Thus, Tua
Tagovailoa is The Sports Examiner's pick to win the Heisman Trophy in 2019.
Thanks for reading everyone. Be sure to check back here every week for updated Heisman rankings.
