Heisman Trophy Candidate for SEC
Interesting Heisman Candidates from the SEC
Unlike other conferences, the SEC is not dominated by quarterback play, especially not in 2023. With five quarterbacks chosen out of the SEC in the last NFL Draft, that position group has been weakened, lessening the NCAA football odds of the Heisman winner coming from the conference.
However, that does not mean that the SEC does not have quarterback talent to compete for the award. They are just underdogs. On top of that, the SEC has a lot of talented players outside of the quarterback position that have solid College Football odds for the Heisman.
The lack of a clear-cut favored quarterback coming out of the SEC for the Heisman does make College Football predictions difficult. On the other hand, the conference is stacked with talent, and if a non-quarterback was going to win the award, it could come from the SEC.
Honorable Mention
Brock Bowers, a tight end from Georgia, might be the most surprising possible option for College Football picks to win the Heisman. Only two tight ends won the award, in 1936 and 1949. It seems almost impossible that one would win in 2023, but if anyone could do it, Bowers might be the one. In his two years with the Bulldogs, he has caught 119 passes for 1,824 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns.
On top of that, Bowers was fourth in receiving yards in the SEC last season. With Georgia having a new starting quarterback, Bowers will be the number one option for the offense, which could lead to a bigger season. Not to mention Georgia is the favorite to win the National Championship.
Brock Bowers is reportedly viewed as a “better prospect” than Kyle Pitts was coming out of college by many NFL scouts.
And Pitts was the highest drafted TE in NFL history (4th overall).
One NFL scout reportedly believes Bowers is a “more athletic” version of George Kittle.… pic.twitter.com/lZjGgSnuKA
— NFL Rookie Watch (@NFLRookieWatxh) July 3, 2023
Running back Quinshon Judkins from Ole Miss is another non-quarterback that could make a case for the Heisman. Last season, Judkins made College Football news by rushing for 1,567 yards and 16 touchdowns as a freshman. He also had to share the backfield with Zach Evans, who has moved on to the NFL. That leaves a massive hole Judkins could fill and be the focal point of an offense with questions about the team’s quarterback. A 2,000-yard season with 20 touchdowns seems possible for Judkins and could make him a legit Heisman candidate.
Bet now on NCAAF Heisman Trophy
There are still some quarterbacks in the SEC that could have better NCAA odds for the Heisman as the season goes along. KJ Jefferson from Arkansas had some early Heisman buzz in 2022, but an injury slowed him. He is a quarterback who is both good in the pocket and can scramble. However, he would need to put up bigger stats in 2023, passing for 2,648 yards and running for 640, accounting for 33 touchdowns in 2022. On top of that, the Razorbacks would need a great season, possibly making the SEC Championship, to back up the Jefferson hype.
Dual-Threat Quarterback from LSU Leads the Way
Despite the overall lack of standouts at the quarterback position, they are still the position with the best chances of winning the Heisman. LSU’s quarterback Jayden Daniels had a solid 2022 in his first season with the team. His dual-threat ability was put on full display, passing for 2,913 yards and rushing for 885. Daniels also accounted for 28 touchdowns, but only 17 were passing, which needs to be higher to have a chance at the Heisman.
What also plays into Daniels’ Heisman odds is that the Tigers could end up being one of the top teams in the nation. If that does happen, Daniels will surely have better stats, and LSU could also be in play for a National Championship Playoff spot. It would be hard to leave Daniels off the final four Heisman contenders if the Tigers do that.
