Stars made quite the showing during Championship weekend. We entered the weekend with a heated debate on who should lead the Heisman race, and it only got more convoluted after the Alabama trio of Mac Jones, Najee Harris, and Devonta Smith showed up and showed out against Florida in the SEC Championship. Will the award continue to be known as a “QB-only award,” or will voters opt for a different position? Let’s look at the tale of the tape, and my rankings of the Heisman hopefuls.
2020 Heisman Trophy Odds (FanDuel):
DeVonta Smith (Alabama) -170
Mac Jones (Alabama) +170
Kyle Trask (Florida) +1900
Trevor Lawrence (Clemson) +1900
Najee Harris (Alabama) +2400
5. Mac Jones:
2020 stats: 250 of 327 passing (76.5 percent); 3,739 yards; 32 touchdowns, four interceptions; 202.3 passing efficiency rating.
Jones has been impressive all season, and absolutely stunned defenses and viewers alike with how accurate he places the ball. However, I have a philosophy that might be a hot take: someone shouldn’t be a Heisman contender when they aren’t even the best player on their own team. Furthermore, Jones isn’t even the best quarterback this year. Moreover, unfortunately (or fortunately, outside the Heisman context) for Jones, he has a generational receiver making it easier for him. Almost half of Jones’ passing yards come from Smith alone. This goes without saying, and maybe it shouldn’t be used against Jones, but his numbers would be much worse without Smith.
4. Najee Harris:
2020 Stats: 214 carries for 1,262 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and 24 touchdowns; 32 receptions for 316 yards and three touchdowns (9.9 yards per reception); 6.4 yards per play overall.
Harris absolutely lit up the Florida defense in the SEC Championship, rushing for two touchdowns and catching three more. It’s hard enough for a running back to win the Heisman, but he sure has made his case this year and voters ought to take notice. He’ll probably win the Doak Walker Award but fall short in the Heisman race. Also, there was one other Alabama star that leads the trio, and the same philosophy that applies to Jones applies here as well.
3. Trevor Lawrence:
2020 stats: 198 of 286 passing (69.2 percent); 2,753 yards; 22 touchdowns, four interceptions; 211 rushing yards; seven rushing touchdowns; 172.7 passing efficiency rating.
What can’t be said about Lawrence? The dude is an absolute generational stud QB. Clemson’s big win over Notre Dame in the ACC Championship should help boost his odds, as he threw for 322 yards on 69.4% for two touchdowns and an interception (on a tipped ball). He also rushed for 90 yards, finding the endzone once on foot. Missing two games this season didn’t help his case, as it gave the other Heisman hopefuls a slight edge. The preseason Heisman favorite did just about everything this season, but two others caught the eye more.
2. Kyle Trask:
2020 stats: 285 of 409 passing (69.7 percent); 4,125 yards; 43 touchdowns, five interceptions; 50 rushing yards; three rushing touchdowns; 186.7 passing efficiency rating.
First and foremost, I will say that Trask is not an overall better QB than Lawrence, obviously. But he sure played like it this year. I tuned into every Florida game this year not because I enjoy watching a lousy defense, but solely to watch stellar QB play. Trask is going to be something special in the NFL. Florida unfortunately has three loses, and two of those came back-to-back to end the year. Albeit the losses were not entirely on Trask at all (again, I’m looking at you, Florida defense), and losing by six against a loaded Alabama team is nothing to penalize for. It’s just that a win would have vaulted Trask into first place, more than likely.
1. DeVonta Smith
2020 stats: 98 receptions, 1,511 receiving yards (15.4 yards per catch); 18 touchdowns from scrimmage (17 receiving, one rushing); 199 punt return yards, one touchdown
Smith is currently the frontrunner for the Heisman trophy. He has done nothing but put on a show each time he steps on the field. Smith’s route running is NFL level, and he can separate from whoever is covering him effortlessly. He is undoubtedly the best at his position, which is important when considering this award. The last wide receiver to win the Heisman was College Gameday’s own Desmond Howard in 1991. That needs to change this year. Smith topped off his record-breaking season with an explosive game against Florida, with 15 receptions for 184 yards (12.3 yards per reception) and two touchdowns. Heisman voters tend to have QB bias and look for Heisman moments. Well, the entire Florida game was a Heisman moment, so that should be enough to send the moving trucks to the Heisman House in his name.
Honorable Mentions:
Breece Hall:
2020 stats: 245 carries for 1,436 yards (5.9 yards per carry) and 19 touchdowns; 21 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns (8.1 yards per reception); 6.0 yards per play overall.
Worth noting is that Iowa State running back Breece Hall has fallen out of contention for the trophy. The story might be different if Iowa State had beaten Oklahoma in the Big 12 Championship, but he deserves a nod, nonetheless. Hall essentially carried Iowa State with his explosiveness and toughness. He’s without a doubt the best running back in the country, but his team just couldn’t get it done on Saturday. He’ll be back next year on the big stage, looking to take the trophy.
Zach Wilson:
2020 stats: 220 of 301 passing (73.1 percent); 3,274 yards; 30 touchdowns, two interceptions; 242 rushing yards; eight rushing touchdowns; 195.4 passing efficiency rating.
Zach Wilson was my Heisman favorite throughout the first half of the year. He’s been phenomenal all year and has an impressive arm. He seems to always land the deep ball with ease and knows how to extend plays. He really improved his playmaking decisions from the year before, and BYU fans should hope he comes back for his senior season. His Heisman hopes were shot down when BYU lost to Coastal Carolina in what was a game of undefeateds, but the stats speak for themselves. The Heisman voters will also see that BYU really didn’t play anyone special, and BYU not being in a conference hurts him, as it does every year for independent teams. Wilson just couldn’t give the voters his Heisman moment. Regardless, he, like Hall, deserves a nod.
Image Courtesy of ESPN.com