Dec 10, 20175 min read

CFB: Ranking Past Heisman Finalists

The Heisman Trophy is one of the most coveted awards in the country, of any sport, as it is given to the most outstanding college football player in the nation. It also has one of the most storied histories, but where do some of the more recent winners like Derrick Henry (2015), Lamar Jackson (2016), and Baker Mayfield (2017), stand when compared to past winners like Charles Woodson (1997), Carson Palmer (2002), and Johnny Manziel (2012)? Charles Post and Tyler Taylor are going to compare each and every Heisman candidate stretching back 20 years ago, meaning that even runner-ups, like Vince Young (2005), can be slotted here.

1. Tim Tebow (Florida): Tebow was a three-time Heisman finalist, in 2007, 2008, and 2009, as well as a two-time national champion in 2006 and 2008, under Urban Meyer. It doesn't get much better than the lefty signal caller who passed for 9,285 yards, 88 touchdowns, to 16 interceptions, and a 66.4 percent passing clip. Not to mention that he was also a menace on the ground, bulldozing over defenders since his freshman year, stacking up 2,947 rushing yards for 57 scores. Although, he wasn't very successful in the NFL with the Denver Broncos or New York Jets, Tebow will always be remembered as one of college football's best players ever.

2. Cam Newton (Auburn): Newton was a prized recruit, signing with Florida prior to the 2007 season, but the aforementioned Tebow was already the solidified starter. Newton played two years with the Gators, totaling 177 yards on 12 passes and 21 rushes, scoring four touchdowns. But then he ran into some trouble and was kicked off of the team. More than a year later, he wound up at Auburn, and the rest is history. In one year, he quickly became the most dominant player in the nation, throwing for 2,854 yards and running for 1,473 yards. He led the Tigers to a perfect 14-0 record, with an SEC title, and his second national title, this time over Oregon.

3. Reggie Bush (USC): Bush paved the way for guys like Christian McCaffrey and Bryce Love (more on them later), as he simply couldn't be tackled. He returned kicks, punts, ran the ball, and caught the ball out of the backfield, and he was efficient and explosive at every turn. Watching Bush was like watching a blur run right by you, and defenders were lucky to even get a hand on him, let alone bring him to the ground. In three years, the Trojans' running back ran for 3,169 yards and a career average of 7.3 yards per carry. He also finished with 38 total touchdowns. Bush was a two-time Heisman finalist, and was part of a 37-2 record while on campus.

4. Vince Young (Texas): Young, the guy that was beat out by Bush in the 2005 Heisman ceremony, is still looked at as one of the best players ever, and is widely considered as the best Texas player, despite not winning the Stiff Arm. Why? Because he threw for 6,040 yards and 44 touchdowns, as well as 3,127 rushing yards and another 37 scores. Young had arguably the most memorable individual performance, totaling 467 yards in the 2005 national title game, for three touchdowns, and 75.0 percent passing. He was unstoppable in that game, and helped the Longhorns to a 34-4 record during his three years in a Longhorns uniform.

5. Deshaun Watson (Clemson): Watson, like Young, never won the award. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he played just as good, if not better, than most Heisman winners. He was invited to back-to-back ceremonies, becoming a two-time finalist, but lost out to Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson, respectively. He stacked up a miraculous 10,168 passing yards, including a pair of 4,000-yard seasons. He also had 1,934 yards on the ground, propelled by 1,105 yards in his sophomore season. Watson led Clemson to two ACC titles, a 4-1 bowl record, two national championship appearances, and a victory over Alabama last year.

6. Matt Leinart (USC): Leinart was the quarterback to those USC teams that had Bush in the backfield, and they were one of the most dynamic duos in history, earning a 37-2 spot, as previously mentioned. They were named national champions twice according to some polls, and played in two consecutive BCS championships. In three years, Leinart tossed for 10,693 yards, 99 (!) touchdowns, and 23 picks. He was named the 2003 Heisman winner, and then returned in 2004 as a candidate, but lost out to his teammate, Bush. In 39 career games, he had a 64.8 completion percentage, before being drafted by the Arizona Cardinals.

7. Charles Woodson (Michigan): Woodson was involved in one of the most notorious Heisman classes of all-time as three of the four went on to be Hall of Fame level players in the NFL, besides Ryan Leaf who struggled to live up to lofty expectations. The other two finalists: Peyton Manning and Randy Moss. Many people think Manning should have won this award, but Woodson was an absolute monster during his Wolverines career. He finished with six touchdowns, 16 picks, and 537 yards. He helped Michigan win their most recent title, winning the 1997 Rose Bowl and national championship, and earned a 29-8 clip during his time in Ann Arbor.

8. Peyton Manning (Tennessee): Manning, even though he failed to win the award, had one of the best college careers of anyone, and then continued his dominance into the NFL, winning two Super Bowl champions, and being considered as a top five quarterback of all-time. Before playing for the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos, though, he was a stud at Tennessee. He threw for 11,201 yards, 89 touchdowns, 62.5 percent passing, and 8.1 yards per attempt, in four years as a Volunteer. However, he wasn't able to win a national championship, which is the first player on this list that failed to do so.

9. Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M): Manziel was a magician, and even though he only played two years at Texas A&M before opting to leave for the NFL Draft, where he was selected by the Cleveland Browns, he was as difficult of a player to game plan as we've seen in the last 20 years. He was so quick on his feet and shifty in the pocket, and his passing improved greatly during his tenure with the Aggies. Manziel threw for 7,820 yards in two seasons, highlighted by a 4,000-yard year in his second season. He nearly singlehandedly brought Texas A&M from 7-6 to 11-2, including a 41-13 rout of Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl in his first year under center, as he became the first freshman to win the award. And in his second year, at 9-4, he was a finalist for the award.

10. Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma): Mayfield started his career at Texas Tech as a walk-on, and threw for 2,315 yards as a freshman. Not bad, right? He was just getting started, though. For his entire career, he's compiled 14,320 passing yards and 129 touchdowns, to 29 interceptions. He is the most recent Heisman winner, taking home the award in 2017, and he's finished in the top five the last three seasons, every year since transferring to Oklahoma. He has led the Sooners to a pair of College Football Playoff berths, with a Sugar Bowl victory in the middle, but the one thing holding him back is that he hasn't won a national title. Maybe 2017 is his year?