Heisman Trophy Contenders and Pretenders

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Two weeks to go until we find out who will capture the most prestigious individual award in sports, the Heisman Trophy for 2025.

Who will end up in New York for the award ceremony?

The Pretenders:

• Jacob Rodriquez, Texas Tech Linebacker. He’s a great player to be sure, and he’s been moving up lists in recent weeks as a trendy pick. But the vast majority of voters haven’t seen him play, he plays half his games in tiny Lubbock, Texas…and he doesn’t play quarterback.
• Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame running back. A marquee player on one of the game’s most marquee programs. Problem is, the Fighting Irish haven’t played a marquee schedule, and his outstanding performances have come against mediocre teams. He’s a non-QB who won’t be playing on Championship Saturday.
• Emmett Johnson, Nebraska running back. Another back who’s having a monster season. Over 1,500 all-purpose yards and all that. Problem is, his team is just 7-4 and won’t be playing for a conference title….and he doesn’t throw passes.
• Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt quarterback. Keeps compiling stats against good teams, but Vandy isn’t a ‘prime time’ team yet and he’s been overshadowed by QB’s in his own league who’ve lifted their teams a little bit higher.
• Haynes King, Georgia Tech quarterback. That crashing sound you heard Saturday night was the Ramblin’ Wreck’s hard landing after losing an ACC home game to Pitt, which effectively took them out of conference title contention and also ended their quarterback’s Heisman campaign.
• Gunnar Stockton, Georgia quarterback. How can a voter who’s choosing “the most outstanding college football player in America” legitimately vote for someone who isn’t the best player on his own loaded team? Nor is Stockton the best quarterback in the country…or even the SEC.

The Contenders:

• Fernando Mendoza, Indiana quarterback. He’s the frontrunner for good reason, but there’s a lot of pressure on a guy in his position, where the award is his to lose. The Hoosiers have a talented roster to be sure, but is it as talented as Ohio State’s? He locks it up if he has a really good game against the Buckeyes in the Big Ten title game. On the other hand, he could lose it if the best defense in the game completely shuts he and his team down…which is possible.
• Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State QB and star wideout. Can’t really have one without the other. Smith is the best player in the sport right now, but someone has to get him the football. There’s a reason Travis Hunter won the award last season – Shedeur Sanders was throwing it to him. If Smith is THE difference maker in the Buckeye’s final two games against Michigan and Indiana, he could become the second consecutive pass catcher to win it. That would require a couple of acrobatic scoring catches, which are nothing new for him. Sayin has been the benefactor of having all that talent around him to distribute the ball to. He’s done his job admirably, and voters have a way of rewarding that. If he’s the reason Ohio State wins their final two and goes into the playoff unbeaten, he could win.
• Ty Simpson, Alabama quarterback. He’s in a familiar spot for Crimson Tide signal callers. Clearly he’s not the best player on his team, but he IS the QB and the face of a team that’s at the top of the marquee. Plus he’s got two big games left to shine and perhaps separate himself from the field.
• Marcel Reed, Texas A&M quarterback. On the outside rail, but with a chance to shine in two huge TV games the next two weeks. If Reed lights it up against Texas and then in the SEC title game and the Aggies roll into the playoff unbeaten, he will at the very least be in NYC for the ceremony.