Handicapping the Heisman Trophy race as the college football season kicks off
History says the race for the 2022 Heisman Trophy will eventually coalesce around the top quarterbacks playing on the top teams in college football's Bowl Subdivision.
An outlier lurking across the line of scrimmage may upset tradition. Alabama linebacker Will Anderson enters the regular season with the name recognition and production to become the first defender to claim the award since Charles Woodson in 1997.
But he'll have to leapfrog one of his teammates to do so: Bryce Young took home the Heisman last season and will attempt to become the first player since former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin and just the second overall to win twice.
Joining Young and Anderson near the top of the Paste BN Sports preseason Heisman Watch are Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, who last season became the fourth OSU standout in as many years to finish in the top four of the voting, and Southern California's Caleb Williams, who is poised to become the face of college football on the West Coast after following former Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley to the Pac-12.
Another non-quarterback to watch is Texas running back Bijan Robinson, should he stay injury-free while the Longhorns take a big step forward after a dreadful 2021.
Here are the top contenders for the Heisman heading into the regular season:
QB Bryce Young, Alabama (Jr.)
The list of players who have failed to bring home a second Heisman since Griffin did so in 1975 is long and illustrious: Detmer, Leinart, Tebow and Manziel are among those who have tried and failed to match the achievement. What gives Young a shot at making history in what is likely his final season with the Crimson Tide? That Alabama is the favorite to win it all after finishing second in 2021 is a positive. Young will also play alongside an absurdly good collection of skill talent, including one of the top portal additions in former Georgia Tech running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
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QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State (So.)
After losing first-round picks Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave, the Buckeyes' passing game will center on preseason All-America pick Jaxson Smith-Njigba and a number of top prospects ready to take on a larger role in the offense. In other words: Don't worry about Stroud matching last year's ridiculous numbers (4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns on 10.1 yards per throw) despite a loss of star power. Stroud could easily unseat Young and take home the Heisman with another strong season and a Big Ten championship.
LB Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (Jr.)
The most dominant player in college football is an unstoppable menace capable of destroying even the best-laid offensive game plans. Here's one way to put his incredible sophomore season into perspective: Anderson led the FBS with 33.5 tackles for loss, a more than 50% increase over second-place finisher Devin Lloyd of Utah (22 tackles for loss). Anderson could put up numbers that are too good to ignore and write himself into college football history.
QB Caleb Williams, Southern California (So.)
There are questions about the overall state of the roster under Riley, making it premature to anoint the Trojans as the team to beat in the Pac-12 and a College Football Playoff contender. But there are fewer concerns about the health of the offense with the addition of Pittsburgh receiver Jordan Addison, giving Williams one of the top skill talents in the country as the centerpiece of the passing game. While not yet a finished product, Williams will be the top passer in the conference and a major contender for postseason hardware should USC make a run at a New Year's Six bowl.
RB Bijan Robinson, Texas (Jr.)
Robinson's a do-everything skill talent who went for 1,127 yards on the ground and 295 yards as a receiver despite missing the final two games of the 2021 season — and despite playing on one of the worst teams in modern program history under coach Steve Sarkisian. But having shown that he can play at an All-America level on a losing team, a healthy Robinson could be even more productive if the Longhorns' offense takes a leap with more experience in Sarkisian's scheme and newcomer Quinn Ewers taking over at quarterback.
QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma (Jr.)
Beyond his strong track record across two-plus seasons at Central Florida, what makes Gabriel such a dark-horse Heisman threat is his relationship with new Oklahoma offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby, who once held the same position with the Knights. Along with the solid supporting cast he'll join with the Sooners, Gabriel's familiarity with the scheme will let him hit the ground running and replace Williams as the best quarterback in the Big 12.
QB Tyler Van Dyke, Miami (Fla.) (So.)
There's little question about Van Dyke's ability to put up crooked numbers after playing as well as any quarterback in the Power Five during the second half of last season. After throwing for at least three touchdowns in each of his final six games of 2021, Van Dyke's Heisman campaign rests on one of the dominant questions of the season in the ACC: How quickly can Mario Cristobal turn Miami around?
RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin (So.)
Allen had only 12 carries for 49 yards in the first four games of his freshman season but exploded in conference play, topping the 100-yard mark in his next seven games and then going for 159 yards in Wisconsin's Las Vegas Bowl win against Arizona State. The Big Ten's leading returning rusher (1,268) wasn't a weapon out of the backfield; he made only eight grabs in 2021. But Allen could go beyond 1,500 yards on the ground.