Ranking the top 10 Heisman winners since 2013 ft. Derrick Henry
The Heisman Trophy is a symbol of prestige and college football excellence. But all Heisman winners aren't created equally. Some are merely very good while some are legendary. Here's our rundown of the top 10 Heisman winners since 2013.
Ranking the top 10 Heisman winner since 2013 ft. Derrick Henry
10. Lamar Jackson
Not only did Jackson's Cardinal team not win the title in his Heisman year, they barely finished in the top 25 at 9-4. Jackson was great, throwing for 3,543 yards and 30 touchdowns while running for 1,571 yards and 21 touchdowns. He did return the next year, 2017, and nearly replicated his stats, finishing third for a second Heisman.
9. Kyler Murray
Murray will be hard to explain historically. He didn't get Oklahoma past the College Football Playoff semifinals but did throw for 4,361 yards and 42 TDs. He's battled injuries and inconsistency in the NFL and seems destined to be a Heisman footnote.
8. Caleb Williams
A member of the "I Stayed Around for THAT" club, Williams was great in 2022. He threw for 4,537 yards and 42 TDs, even though USC missed the playoff. He returned in 2023 and didn't come close to approaching the same productivity.
7. Baker Mayfield
After finishing third and fourth in the previous two years, Mayfield won a lifetime achievement Heisman in 2017. He passed for 4,627 yards and 43 touchdowns, but Oklahoma didn't make the CFP title game.
6. Jayden Daniels
Daniels had a brilliant 2023 season but didn't factor in the national title race. Still, in a fairly dry race, he threw for 3,812 yards and 40 scores while rushing for another 1,134 yards and 10 scores. It was a more impactful performance than Lamar Jackson's anyway.
5. Bryce Young
Young is another player who won the Heisman and then stuck around for a fairly subpar encore. He won the Heisman in 2021, leading Alabama to the title game and throwing for 4,847 yards and 47 TDs. He didn't approach either number in 2022 and finished sixth in the voting.
4. Marcus Mariota
Mariota made it to the national title game as a Heisman winner but couldn't quite finish the perfect season. He threw for 4,454 yards and 42 scores (and ran for another 770 yards and 15 TDs) but lost to Ohio State in the first CFP title game.
3. DeVonta Smith
The third and final player on the list to win a national title in the year of his Heisman, Smith had an epic season. He caught 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 TDs. If there's a knock on Smith's year, it's that no receiver wins the award alone. But then, neither does anyone else.
2. Joe Burrow
Burrow's Heisman season is one of the few that can rival Henry's campaign. He broke Tim Couch's Southeastern Conference passing yardage mark and proved his brilliance with an epic 5,671 yards and 60 TDs. His work that season may never be equaled.
1. Derrick Henry
Henry had it all-- an electric season, a national title and a significant career to follow. Henry rushed for 2,219 yards and 28 scores in 2015, and Alabama took down Clemson for the national title. King Henry is an easy No. 1.
Which Heisman winners stacked up most impressively? Share your opinion below in our comments section!