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Former LSU star Jayden Daniels won’t be around to defend his Heisman Trophy, leaving the race for college football’s premier individual award open to another handful of SEC quarterbacks.
Passers from the conference have taken home the Heisman in three of the past five years; counting former Alabama receiver DeVonta Smith, the SEC has won four of the past five overall. This preseason, the top tier of Heisman favorites includes Texas junior Quinn Ewers, Georgia senior Carson Beck and Alabama junior Jalen Milroe.
Joining this group in the preseason Heisman conversation are a handful of quarterback transfers in the Big Ten and ACC, one running back from the Big 12 and two of the biggest wild cards in the early race: Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter.
QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
Ewers broke through in 2023, tossing 22 touchdowns and completing 69% of his throws in leading Texas to the Big 12 championship and a College Football Playoff berth. Experience played a big role in his growth as a second-year starter. Could Arch Manning’s hyped arrival have also sparked Ewers’ growth? With the Longhorns a major playoff contender as new members of the SEC, the junior has a budding Heisman campaign that’s hard to ignore.
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers signals at the line of scrimmage during his team’s game in 2022 against Iowa State at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.
QB Carson Beck, Georgia
Beck was one of the breakout stars of last season after stepping in seamlessly for Stetson Bennett. Beck would best Bennett’s 2022 numbers in completion percentage (72.4% to 68.3%), yards per attempt (9.5 to 9.1), efficiency rating (167.9 to 161.2) and touchdown-to-interception ratio. Now established as one of the top quarterbacks in the FBS and with Georgia the favorite for the national title, Beck is entrenched at or near the top of the…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/top-10-heisman-trophy-contenders-103751264.html
Author : USA TODAY Sports
Publish date : 2024-08-19 10:37:51
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