What’s Ashton Jeanty’s path to successful the Heisman? Joel Klatt prime 5 candidates

What if I instructed you earlier than the season {that a} Group of 5 participant was going to win the Heisman Trophy? It sounds wild, but it surely’s completely attainable.

In the newest episode of my podcast, “The Joel Klatt Present,” I broke down a handful of untamed eventualities that would presumably play out between now and the top of the common season. A type of wild, however completely attainable eventualities is a Group of 5 participant successful the Heisman Trophy.

Boise State operating again Ashton Jeanty is now the betting favourite to win the Heisman. He is averaging 206 speeding yards per sport. He has 16 speeding touchdowns via 5 video games, which is only a staggering quantity. Oh, he is additionally speeding for practically 11 yards per carry!

If you have not watched Jeanty but, please accomplish that. It is an absolute pleasure. He runs with energy. He is ferocious. He is quick. He is received nice stability.Â

Now, some would possibly level to Jeanty’s stage of competitors. However he went off towards Oregon, speeding for 192 yards on 7.7 yards per carry and three touchdowns towards the Geese in Week 2.

Jeanty is every thing you need in a operating again. He is actually an NFL operating again via and thru. Not solely is he the betting favourite to win the Heisman, however Jeanty can also be on tempo to interrupt Barry Sanders’ legendary file for many speeding yards in a season. Sanders ran for two,628 yards at Oklahoma State in solely 11 video games. Jeanty’s on tempo to hurry for two,681 yards. Granted, that accounts for 13 video games.

So, what does Jeanty must do in an effort to win the Heisman? Properly, I feel he has to at the very least do one thing traditionally particular, corresponding to breaking Sanders’ file, for lots of voters to recover from the truth that he is doing this towards a Group of 5 schedule.

Actually, if that may be a sentiment held by voters, it is a honest one. Former Wisconsin operating again Melvin Gordon rushed for two,336 yards in 2014 and did not win the Heisman, with the award going to then-Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. That is the bar I am at the moment setting for Jeanty.Â

I would have a troublesome time giving Jeanty my Heisman vote except he outrushed Gordon and perhaps even Sanders to ensure that me to recover from the truth that he is doing this towards a Group of 5 schedule. I do know he had the Oregon sport there, however he is not going up towards Oregon each week.

I am not making an attempt to decrease Jeanty’s accomplishments so far. He is a wonderful operating again who’s one in every of my favourite gamers to observe within the nation. His velocity, stability and imaginative and prescient are all so good.Â

So, let’s get to my present Heisman listing and see if Jeanty is at No. 1.Â

Smith’s stats: 23 receptions, 453 receiving yards, 19.7 yards per reception, six receiving touchdowns (tied for fifth within the nation)

Just like Jeanty, if you have not watched Smith but, go watch him. He is an absolute present and I really like this man.

Of all of the vast receivers which have come via Ohio State in current reminiscence, Smith’s on tempo to be the most effective of all of them. You may’t cowl him with one participant – and he is a real freshman.

No matter his class standing, he is undefendable. You can’t defend him. He makes a one-handed seize seemingly each week. He is already received seven touchdowns in 5 video games.

Smith is not the one true freshman who’s been balling out this season. Alabama’s Ryan Williams has been spectacular. However with all due respect to Williams, Smith is the extra imposing participant of the 2, giving him an edge right here.

Milroe’s stats: 73.4 completion share (eighth within the nation), 1,274 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 283 speeding yards, 9 speeding touchdowns (tied for seventh within the nation)

I do know Milroe simply fell to Vanderbilt, however like a few of these Oklahoma quarterbacks underneath Lincoln Riley, he’ll have unimaginable numbers because the season goes on. That loss additionally reveals the stress that Milroe is underneath to provide on a week-to-week foundation as a result of Alabama’s protection is not so spectacular. Whether or not it is via the air or on the bottom, Milroe goes to be relied upon to a stage that perhaps others aren’t at that place, at the very least for the actually good groups.

Milroe is averaging 311 complete yards per sport. His 20 complete touchdowns are the second-most within the FBS, trailing one other one in every of my Heisman contenders. He will should maintain successful shootouts, so the chance is there for Milroe to get to New York.Â

Ward’s stats: 69.2 completion share, 2,219 passing yards (most within the nation), 20 passing touchdowns (most within the nation), 5 interceptions, 161 speeding yards, three speeding touchdowns

Ward has been rock strong up to now. He is the one purpose why the Hurricanes have gained their final two video games, squeezing out wins in each. He was unimaginable towards Cal, throwing for 437 yards and scoring three complete touchdowns.

Ward’s numbers for the season are among the many finest, if not the most effective, in school soccer. He leads the nation in passing (2,219 yards), passing touchdowns (20) and complete touchdowns (23). He clearly has two nice comeback wins underneath his belt, cementing his Heisman candidacy even additional.Â

Miami would have already got two losses if it wasn’t for Ward, conserving its playoff hopes alive early within the season. I feel he is a transparent No. 3. If you watch him, his play pops off the tape. Not solely do you assume, “Ward’s the most effective quarterback within the ACC,” however you additionally marvel if he is the most effective quarterback within the nation, too.

Jeanty’s stats: 1,031 speeding yards (most within the nation), 10.9 yards per carry (most within the nation amongst eligible gamers), 16 speeding touchdowns (most within the nation)

Jeanty is an exceptional participant. As I acknowledged earlier, I really like watching him play.

There is a burning query behind my thoughts on whether or not there are every other gamers within the nation that may very well be doing what Jeanty is doing, or near it, with that schedule. You would possibly say, “No,” however there’s some pause.Â

Hunter’s stats: 46 receptions (third most within the nation), 561 receiving yards (eighth most within the nation), 12.2 yards per reception, six receiving touchdowns (tied for fifth within the nation), 15 complete tackles, two interceptions, one pressured fumble, averaging 132 snaps per sport

There is not that very same pause with Hunter, although. Hunter’s doing issues that we have by no means seen within the historical past of the game. The distinctive nature of what he is doing places him at No. 1 on my poll.

Of the normal contenders, Jeanty could be at No. 1. However Hunter is a unicorn and an unimaginable athlete who’s the most effective participant on each side of the ball, which is a staggering thought.

At vast receiver, Hunter is third within the nation in receptions (46). At cornerback, he is received two interceptions whereas enjoying 132 snaps per sport.

There is definitely the likelihood that Hunter’s manufacturing will go down because the season goes alongside. He might get fatigued within the second half of the 12 months, probably inflicting him to both put up lesser numbers at vast receiver or his risk as a nook goes down. It is attainable that groups might decide to cease throwing in Hunter’s course, which might clearly harm his possibilities to create turnovers.

Nonetheless, Hunter’s affect on the sport is so distinctive. It isn’t conventional in any respect. If we had been doing a conventional listing, Jeanty could be No. 1. This is not a conventional season, although. We have now a unicorn doing one thing we have by no means seen within the historical past of the game.

Hunter’s placement at No. 1 is not simply because he performs each side of the ball. If his manufacturing goes down on each side of the ball, he’ll slip on my Heisman contender listing. Proper now, the manufacturing is there and he is arguably within the operating to win the Biletnikoff Award (finest receiver within the nation) and the Thorpe Award (finest defensive again within the nation).

So, I am leaving myself with just a little little bit of room to make some adjustments on the prime. My prime two at the moment consist of 1 participant that would break information in a conventional sense and one other participant that is doing one thing we have by no means seen within the sport earlier than.Â

That is actually an unimaginable 12 months for the Heisman Trophy.Â

Joel Klatt is FOX Sports activities’ lead school soccer sport analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Present.” Comply with him at@joelklatt andsubscribe to the “Joel Klatt Present” on YouTube.

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