ESPN names Way Too Early Heisman Trophy contenders for 2024

The Heisman Trophy was awarded Saturday night to LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels, marking the second time in the last five years a Tigers quarterback has won the award. Daniels came relatively out of the blue to claim it, too.

That has everyone wondering… who might the next Heisman Trophy winner be?

ESPN has put together its list of way too early candidates to watch for in 2024, tabbing 15 players who will have a legitimate shot to win the award based on their previous production and their potential. Let’s take a closer look at the list below.

QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Few players had as big a rollercoaster ride in 2023 as Milroe did, benched after two games and then emerging as a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate by year’s end. Milroe has all the tools to be a superstar, though he remains a little raw as a passer. Another year of development and maybe a few mechanical tweaks and he could easily be in line for college football’s biggest award next fall.

RB Ollie Gordon, Oklahoma State

After a relatively benign start to the 2023 season, Gordon turned deadly in a hurry right around the middle of the season. He went on a monster tear and turned into one of the nation’s elite rushers, piling up two games with over 270 yards and three games with at least three touchdowns. In total, he finished with 1,614 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns, to go with 326 yards receiving and a score. Those numbers have him firmly on the radar. Now the challenge is replicating them.

QB Quinn Ewers, Texas

The Texas quarterback answered any lingering doubts about whether he was the guy for the Longhorns in 2023, helping lead Texas to the College Football Playoff with a fantastic season. That the Longhorns are a contender alone should help his case, but Ewers had the production to match it this season. He finished with 3,161 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, against six interceptions. Those numbers won’t be good enough to win a Heisman Trophy next year, most likely, but with a little scoring improvement he’s right in the mix.

QB Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

The Colorado gunslinger was lights out in the first half of the 2023 campaign, even earning considerable Heisman Trophy mention. Then his offensive line wore down and Sanders was beat to a pulp, limping into the end of the season. If Sanders is going to have a legitimate shot at college football’s top award next fall he’ll need his offensive line to do a significantly better job.

QB Carson Beck, Georgia

Georgia’s quarterback was outstanding in replacing the departed Stetson Bennett IV this fall, to the point that Bennett’s reign atop college football actually feels like it was a little while ago. Beck was terrific from start to finish this season, and if he puts up similar numbers with more touchdowns next year he’ll definitely be in contention. He finished 2023 with 3,738 yards passing and 22 touchdowns, against six interceptions.

QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss

Ole Miss won 10 games in large part thanks to Dart’s smooth operation of a well-balanced offense, one that allowed him to pick his spots and be dangerous. Dart nearly hit the 3,000-yard mark and threw for 20 touchdowns. Plus he’s one of the more impressive dual-threat prospects, having run for 377 yards and seven touchdowns. Bump both numbers up a touch and he’s in the vicinity of what some recent Heisman Trophy finalists have done.

RB Omarion Hampton, North Carolina

Hampton had a 200-yard game in 2023, then had a string of six straight games with at least 100 yards on the ground. He wasn’t far behind Gordon in either rushing yardage or rushing touchdowns, finishing with 1,442 and 15, respectively. With the potential departure of Drake Maye, he might be even more important in the Tar Heels backfield next fall.

CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado

A lacerated liver pretty much ended any chances of Hunter earning enough playing time to really contend this year, though he was mentioned very early on in the season as a potential candidate to watch for college football’s top honor. He’s going to have to log a full season being exceptional on one side of the ball or very good on both to get there, but there’s no doubting the raw talent and sheer ability. To play both ways at the college level at a high level is already a bit insane.

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

The former Oklahoma quarterback is headed out west via the transfer portal, and he’ll walk right into an offense that just turned Bo Nix into a Heisman Trophy finalist. That’s a pretty good place to start a campaign. Not only is Gabriel one of the best dual threat quarterbacks in the country — he had 12 rushing touchdowns this season — he’s also one of the most experienced players at any position at this point. So his transition should be quick and seamless.

QB Cam Ward, TBD

In the first month of the 2023 season Ward was getting some love for the prestigious award, then he hit a stretch where he didn’t have multiple touchdown passes for five straight games. So going into next season consistency will be the key for the talented dual-threat player. Of course, where he ends up out of the transfer portal will also have a lot to do with his chances, too.

WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

Burden was absolutely on fire early in the season, tallying five straight games with more than 100 yards receiving. Then he hit a four-game lull without topping 100 yards. Like Ward, consistency will be key. Even then, Burden’s 1,197 receiving yards and eight touchdowns weren’t too far behind the likes of Marvin Harrison Jr., who finished as a finalist this year. Burden’s got the natural ability to work his way into the conversation next fall.

QB Riley Leonard, TBD

Leonard was not having his best season through the first half of the campaign, then things went from bad to worse when he suffered a season-ending injury. Still, when he’s fully healthy — and more importantly working with a talented cast around him — he can be downright lethal. Leonard is a terrific dual-threat quarterback who is likely to land on a major Power Five team looking to contend. He shouldn’t be hurting for the spotlight next fall, he just has to produce.

QB JJ McCarthy, Michigan

McCarthy managed the Michigan offense perfectly to an undefeated season and another appearance in the College Football Playoff, the program’s third straight. He didn’t try to do too much and didn’t force the football, and it resulted in 2,630 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and only four interceptions. With Michigan being a likely CFP contender again next year, McCarthy has the stage and probably only needs a marginal uptick in production to begin getting real Heisman Trophy looks.

QB Noah Fifita, Arizona

Fifita wasn’t the starter out of the gates for the Wildcats but when he got his opportunity he seized it. The talented quarterback posted two games with five touchdown passes and three more with three touchdown passes. Despite not playing as much as many other quarterbacks, he finished with 2,515 yards, 23 touchdowns and just five interceptions. That’s in the ballpark of a McCarthy, for example. With a full year he could easily be in Heisman Trophy contention.

QB Jalon Daniels, Kansas

For the second straight year, Daniels suffered a debilitating injury that cut his season short. But he’ll be back for another year in 2024, and he’s one of the elite dual-threat quarterbacks out there. Daniels should also be on a Kansas team that continues to push the envelope as far as expectations. If he takes the Jayhawks to new heights while putting up big numbers, he’ll have a definite shot at the award.