Honorable Mentions: Mississippi State QB Will Rogers, Alabama QB Bryce Young, Michigan RB Blake Corum
5. Alabama RB Jahmyr Gibbs
I’d like to put Bryce Young here, but because he missed a game, I’ll put Gibbs ahead of him. Through six outings, the dynamic back has 532 yards, two rushing touchdowns, 220 receiving yards, and three receiving touchdowns. Every time he’s on the field, Gibbs is a weapon and needs to be accounted for. His Heisman moment thus far has to be against Texas. The Longhorns gave Bama a run for their money and, when the ground game wasn’t working, he made himself useful through the air. With nine catches, 74 yards, and a score, he helped push the Crimson Tide to a close win. He’s been the best dual-threat back in college and deserves the recognition.
4. UCLA QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
The DTR-Chip Kelly combo is LETHAL. So far, DTR has been able to notch 1,510 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, two interceptions, 231 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns. Against a very good eleventh-ranked Utah Utes squad (known for their swarming defense), DTR passed for 299 yards, four touchdowns, and rushed for another score. His dynamic play could win UCLA the Pac-12 and help his Heisman case. When a team succeeds, it’s the best players that shine through. This could be the case for DTR and the Bruins as the season ramps up.
3. Alabama OLB Will Anderson
When you’re considering players for the Heisman, you have to take into consideration how good a team would be if a certain player were taken off the roster. If you removed Anderson from Alabama, I think they lose to Texas A&M. He may not appear on the stat sheet every week, but his presence makes it so teams have to game plan around him. He’s a true match-up nightmare wherever he lines up. This season, Anderson has 29 tackles, five sacks, one interception, and one touchdown. His best game of the year came against a very good Arkansas team with a high-powered offense when he tallied 7 tackles and .5 sacks. He’s terrifying, imposing, and the best defender in college football.
2. Tennessee QB Hendon Hooker
With how good Hendon Hooker has been playing, I had to put him in my top three. Thus far, he’s led Tennessee to an undefeated season while passing for 1,432 yards, 10 touchdowns, and zero picks. He has rushed for 231 yards and three touchdowns. Hooker is the reason that the Vols are undefeated and, without him, they’d be fighting to be .500. As much as I hate Tennessee, I have to tip my cap to Hooker and this team. This week will be his Heisman make-or-break moment against Alabama and, if he steps up to the plate, he’ll stay in the top three.
1. Ohio State QB CJ Stroud
He’s the clear-cut number one guy. You cannot look me in the eyes and tell me that CJ Stroud isn’t the best player in college football. It’s just not possible. Through six games, Stroud has passed for 1,737 yards, 24 touchdowns, and only three picks. Stroud has three games over 350 passing yards and is heating up after a slow start. In the past, Stroud has never shied away from a challenge and, with big games on the horizon, I don’t think Stroud backs down. I said at the start of the season that Stroud would win the Heisman and it’s coming to fruition.