As we approach the halfway point in the season, we can now see which players are starting to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. These players have been major difference makers for their team this year, and some of them have even been the reason their team was able to win games. All these guys are making their case to be in New York at the end of the season. These are the Heisman trophy frontrunners through week 4 of the college football season.
The honorable mentions
With how many great players there are in college football this year, not all of them can make the top five list for the Heisman trophy. So here are some guys who are right on the outside looking in. Among the most notable of the guys on the outside looking in is Will Anderson, and while he may be the most dominant player in college football, his poor performance against Texas makes it difficult to rank him in the top five. Michael Penix Jr. is the next of the honorable mentions and while many people may have him in there top five, I believe he has just not proven enough to me to warrant putting him over the guys in this top five. The most shocking entrant to the honorable mention list is Kansas quarterback Jaylon Daniels. Like the Jayhawks, he has come pretty much out of no where to emerge as one of the premier players in college football and Daniels is making Kansas look as though they are serious Big 12 contenders.
5. Stetson Bennett – Georgia Bulldogs
Stetson Bennett and the Georgia Bulldogs had slightly lower expectations coming into the 2022 college football season. However, Stetson’s play has completely shattered any kind of low expectation that anyone may have had for him or for Georgia. In fact, his play so far this season has catapulted him from game manager status all the way to number 5 in my current Heisman trophy rankings. He may have even been a bit higher in my rankings had Georgia not struggled with unranked Kent St. in the manner that they did. His play this season has been nothing short of phenomenal and has led Georgia to claim the number 1 ranking. Even with the poor team performance against Kent St, I still firmly believe that Stetson Bennett belongs in the conversation of best player in college football.
4. Hendon Hooker – Tennessee Volunteers
Hendon Hooker, the Tennessee Volunteers quarterback, is without a doubt the most interesting person on this list. I say this because with his play so far, he is without a doubt in the mix for the Heisman trophy. However, he feels as though he is the most volatile person on this list. I say this because everyone else in this top five has already proven themselves as a Heisman contender at some point. Hendon Hooker, however, has only half proven himself up to this point. His performance vs Florida was nothing short of incredible and is the reason that Tennessee was able to take down the Gators this past Saturday. But with that being said, Hooker has not really shown to me that he can stay this consistent in all of his games this season. If he can stay consistent, I see him as a top three player in the country and I see Tennessee in at least a new year’s six bowl game if not the playoffs.
3. Caleb Williams – USC Trojans
Caleb Williams so far this season has shown that transferring schools is sometimes exactly what a player needs to do to drastically improve his career. That is not to say that Williams was not good as an Oklahoma Sooner, but rather to say that going to USC has pushed Caleb Williams into the conversation of best player in the country. The biggest issue that everyone, including myself, seems to have with putting Caleb Williams higher than the likes of Bryce Young or CJ Stroud is the level of competition that he faces. While there is nothing Williams can do about the teams he plays against, if he continues to put up the kind of numbers he has throughout the first 4 weeks then you can expect him to be in New York come December.
2. CJ Stroud – Ohio State Buckeyes
The current odds favorite to win the Heisman trophy this year is CJ Stroud. So why do I have him at number 2? Its simple really, I think that Bryce Young is the best player in the country and I think it would take something incredible to top him as of right now. Not to say that CJ Stroud has not been incredible so far this year, because he absolutely has, but I do not think he has had that Heisman moment yet this season. The good news for CJ Stroud is that he will have plenty of chances to have his moment because we are only four weeks into the college football season. And besides Bryce Young’s Heisman moment did not come until the final game of the regular season last year against the Auburn Tigers.
1. Bryce Young – Alabama Crimson Tide
I will be the first to admit that Bryce Young does not have as good of stats as CJ Stroud. However, with what Bryce has shown on the field this year it is clear to me that he is the best player in the country. Now that is not to say that someone like CJ Stroud or Caleb Williams cannot win the Heiman trophy, because they can. I just think that in order for Bryce Young to not win the Heisman trophy this year, Alabama will have to lose a regular season game this year, and I just cannot see that happening. Not to mention Alabama will have to face teams like Tennessee who has a guy in this list and I believe Alabama will beat Tennessee which will just improve Bryce Young’s Heisman chances even more.
