B/R’s 2024 Heisman Trophy Rankings: Jeanty, Hunter and a Year of the Outliers

B/R’s 2024 Heisman Trophy Rankings: Jeanty, Hunter and a Year of the Outliers0 of 4

Loren Orr/Getty Images

For decades, two inarguable trends have dominated the Heisman Trophy race. The winner is almost exclusively a power-conference player, and it’s usually a quarterback.

Might we see an outlier in 2024?

With every passing week, that possibility becomes a little more probable. There are still a few players who match the typical criteria—Alabama’s Jalen Milroe and Miami’s Cam Ward right now, most notably—but Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty and Colorado two-way talent Travis Hunter are both demanding our attention.

Jeanty’s production is simply too great to ignore, and Hunter continues to excel on a CU squad that just keeps winning.

The tiers are a personal view but consider a player’s production, team success and more historical Heisman trends.

Tier 4: Worth Monitoring1 of 4

Quinn EwersDavid Buono/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado: On the heels of CU’s best performance, Sanders merits a mention. He threw for 290 yards and three touchdowns as the Buffs steamrolled UCF 48-21 on the road. Colorado is idle in Week 6 before a key matchup at home against Kansas State.

Brady Cook, QB, Missouri: Cook returns to the field this weekend in a pivotal game for Mizzou. If the Tigers win at Texas A&M, they’ll have navigated what seems like the second-toughest tilt on the schedule. Beyond it being impactful for Mizzou’s hopes of making the College Football Playoff, it’s a resume-building chance for Cook.

Quinn Ewers, QB, Texas: The most important part is Ewers will likely return when the Horns play rival Oklahoma in two weeks. However, it’ll be difficult for Ewers to regain his footing in the award race. The last time an eventual Heisman winner missed a regular-season game was in 1993, and Ewers has missed two.

Tier 3: On the Radar2 of 4

Garrett NussmeierSean Gardner/Getty Images

Cade Klubnik, QB, Clemson: In three September games, Klubnik passed for 842 yards and 12 touchdowns while scampering for 123 yards and four scores. He’s on a blazing hot streak. Clemson is aiming for a third straight ACC win when it travels to Florida State this weekend.

Carson Beck, QB, Georgia: The good news is Beck threw for 439 yards and three scores against Alabama, propelling a remarkable comeback from a 28-0 deficit to taking a late fourth-quarter lead. The bad news is two interceptions helped Bama build that margin, and Beck tossed a game-sealing third pick in the end zone during the final minute. Auburn comes to town in Week 6.

Garrett Nussmeier, QB, LSU: As the Tigers cruised past South Alabama, Nussmeier posted a career-high 409 yards while totaling four touchdowns and tossing a pair of interceptions. LSU is idle before a massive game at home against Ole Miss in Week 7.

Drew Allar, QB, Penn State: The main concern with Allar’s candidacy popped up Saturday: Against the best defenses, the Nittany Lions simply aren’t dangerous through the air. Allar said he didn’t get bored being efficient in the 21-7 win over Illinois. Hey, the result matters most! Whatever it takes. When we look through the Heisman lens, though, throwing for 135 yards is not going to attract much attention.

Tier 2: Top Contenders3 of 4

Ashton JeantyLoren Orr/Getty Images

Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State: I’m still not vaulting him into “front-runner” status because of the historical trend. If we voted today, he’d deserve to be a finalist. But we do not vote today. Nevertheless, plenty of coaches would be content if their top running back had 864 scrimmage yards and 13 touchdown in a season. Jeanty did that in September. Boise State hosts Utah State this weekend.

Will Howard, QB, Ohio State: Consider this a tenuous position for Howard, whose candidacy is buoyed by the very historical trends that are an obstacle for Jeanty. The coming weeks will be critical here. Next up for Howard is a clash with Iowa’s stout defense, followed by a trip to Oregon.

Jaxson Dart, QB, Ole Miss: Because of the Rebels’ upset loss to Kentucky, Dart is no longer a favorite. Still, he leads the nation in passing yards and has totaled 16 touchdowns. Ole Miss travels to South Carolina and LSU over the next two weekends, so Dart has a couple of valuable opportunities to bolster—or, yes, hurt—his resume.

Dillon Gabriel, QB, Oregon: That showdown with Ohio State is peeking over the horizon, but Oregon hosts Michigan State this Friday night. Gabriel totaled 301 yards and three scores with one interception in the Ducks’ 34-13 victory at UCLA on Saturday.

Nico Iamaleava, QB, Tennessee: Arkansas will be desperate for an upset when it hosts Tennessee this weekend. Iamaleava, meanwhile, could use an explosive showing to improve his Heisman odds. It’s not entirely fair to drop him from Tier 1 following an idle weekend, but the current front-runners have far greater production than Iamaleava.

Miller Moss, QB, USC: Moss put together a nice bounce-back performance after USC’s loss at Michigan. Although the Trojans had a rough start, he posted 325 total yards and four touchdowns in a 38-21 win over Wisconsin. USC heads to Minnesota this weekend.

Tier 1: The Favorites4 of 4

Travis HunterChris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama: Given that UGA clawed back by quieting Bama’s offense in the second half, I wouldn’t quite say Milroe has a “Heisman moment” locked in. But you could do a lot worse than throwing for 374, running for 117 and totaling four touchdowns—including a late, winning 75-yard score—against Georgia. He’s the deserved favorite right now.

Travis Hunter, WR/CB, Colorado: After an upcoming idle weekend, Colorado plays two massive games. Kansas State, currently ranked 20th, comes to Boulder, and then the Buffs travel to Arizona. If they split or sweep, Hunter figures to stick as a front-runner into November. He’s reeled in 46 passes—tied for third nationally—for 561 yards and six scores, made 16 tackles, nabbed two interceptions and forced a game-sealing fumble.

Cam Ward, QB, Miami: It wasn’t pretty, and it was controversial. However, the ‘Canes edged Virginia Tech 38-34 despite Ward’s three turnovers and a Hail Mary review that surprisingly went Miami’s way, given the original call on the field. But let’s keep perspective: Ward had a subpar game yet totaled 400 yards and five touchdowns in a win. The last part minimizes the impact of his giveaways. Miami plays at Cal in Week 6.