The 2024 Heisman Hopefuls

A look ahead to who might take home a statue at New York's Downtown Athletic Club this December

Source: Heisman.com

The Heisman Trophy is always thought out way too early.

Too many unknowns come into play during the season to make it possible for us to know who the best player in the country is when players and teams have barely practiced.

Injuries, breakouts and, call a spade a spade, lack of exposure for players in some cases.

There may be a running back in the Midwest who is rushing for 250 yards a week but isn’t on TV all the time, and only gets a special mention on the latenight highlight shows.

You can throw out any name and to me, it muddies the waters before a snap ever takes place.

It’s like preseason rankings and we all know my particular feelings on those!

I’ll throw a name out there that will be shocking and unsurprising all at the same time.

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama — Can he take the next step and lead Alabama into a new era for both of them? He showed flashes of brilliance, and then he showed times he was lost (see the 2024 Rose Bowl against Michigan for examples of both). But if we’re spitballing potential Heisman winners in August, why not?

The rest of the likely contenders for college football’s most prestigious individual award are:

Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon (from Oklahoma) — Now moving onto his third school, the idea of Gabriel playing with Oregon’s wide receiving core is an enticing idea for any playcaller. We’ll see how he and the rest of the Ducks adjust to life and the weather in the B1G.

Riley Leonard, QB, Notre Dame (from Duke) — Riley Leonard was impressive last season, leading Duke to victories over a ranked Clemson and North Carolina State while nearly defeating Notre Dame, before injuries caught up with him. However, it was enough for Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman to offer Leonard the Notre Dame starting job for 2024.

Kyle McCord, QB, Syracuse (from Ohio State) — Buckeye fans can say what they want about McCord’s play last season, but from the looks of Ohio State’s loss to Missouri in the Sugar Bowl in January, where the Buckeyes managed a total of 3 points, it appears McCord played in an important part of the team’s success in 2023. Is McCord that big of a difference maker? Syracuse, which was blown out 45-0 in its previous bowl game, will be the opportunity for McCord to make a name for himself.

Shaduer Sanders, QB, Colorado — Not much was expected from Sanders and the Buffaloes last season. The fact they started out 4-0, and Sanders’ dad, Deion, and the hype machine behind them, the rest of the season was a disappointment for Team Sanders. A new OC in Pat Shurmer, a 21-year NFL coaching veteran, and a year of D1 competition under his belt, we’ll see what Sanders can do to reclaim the excitement he and the Buffaloes enjoyed early in 2023.

Travis Hunter, DB/WR, Colorado — The best two-way player in college football. Was derailed by a chest injury last season and never regained the form he had early in the season.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas — Ewers may not be the best quarterback on his team, let alone the best player in college football. Arch Manning is sitting behind Ewers for a second season, and if the team struggles during its first season in the hyper-competitive SEC, don’t be surprised to hear call for Manning to replace him.

DJ Uiagalelei, QB, Florida State (from Oregon State) — DJ makes his third stop along the path to the NFL, following stints at Clemson (2020-22) and Oregon State (2023), with hopes of leading the Seminoles into the CFP, after the team missed out last season following the injury to quaterback Jordan Travis.

Cam Ward, QB, Miami Hurricanes (from Washington State) — A transfer from Washington State to the Miami Hurricanes, Ward hopes to lead the Hurricanes to their first ACC title and a spot in the CFP.

Miller Moss, QB, USC - Threw a record 6 TDs in Holiday Bowl vs. Louisville. Now facing a B1G schedule, we’ll see how Moss does playing every snap on a week-to-week basis. The Trojans have high profile games all season, giving Moss the exposure he’ll need to make a name for himself.