On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 1

It’s never too early to begin tracking the potential Heisman Trophy winners to see where everyone stands in the race for college football’s top award. There are plenty of contenders already after Week 1.

On3 stops to poll its top national analysts for their take. Voting in this poll are Andy Staples, Ari Wasserman, Chris Low, Brett McMurphy, Pete Nakos, JD PicKell, and Charles Power.

Each of the national experts submitted a ballot with his top 10 players on it, and we’ve compiled the results to create a complete ranking using points — 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc. Let’s get into how the rankings unfolded below.

1. QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU – 56 points

WEEKEND STATS: 28-of-38 for 230 yards, 1 TD
LSU had lost five straight season openers heading into a top-10 showdown with Clemson. And the Tigers were determined not to run up the count any more. That was always going to require a strong outing from Nussmeier in a hostile road environment.

Nussmeier had an excellent showing, keeping the LSU offense in rhythm throughout the evening. He showed the typical grit under pressure we’ve come to expect from him, a definite Heisman Trophy type quality.

2. QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina – 55

WEEKEND STATS: 12-of-19 for 209 yards, 1 TD | 13 carries for 25 yards, 1 TD
While he was mostly kept in check on the ground early, Sellers had some key conversions late in the game against Virginia Tech. Those plays kept the team from needing to rely on the defense one more time down the stretch.

Sellers is clearly still shaking off the rust, but he’s unquestionably the heart and soul of the South Carolina offense. His ceiling remains remarkably high, and the Gamecocks’ playoff hopes will be tied to how quickly he can elevate his game.

3. QB Thomas Castellanos, Florida State – 49

WEEKEND STATS: 9-of-14 for 152 yards | 16 carries for 78 yards, 1 TD
Castellanos wasn’t overly involved as a passer against No. 8 Alabama, but that didn’t stop Florida State from racking up the biggest upset of the week. He did everything he was asked to do, clearly bringing some moxie and swagger to the quarterback position.

Castellanos will have to prove he can do it on a week in, week out basis, but it’s hard to envision a better start for the Boston College transfer. He’s got the potential to lead a major turnaround in Tallahassee.

T-4. QB John Mateer, Oklahoma – 39

WEEKEND STATS: 30-of-37 for 392 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT | 7 carries for 24 yards, 1 TD
The new Oklahoma quarterback, fresh off a transfer from Washington State, certainly looked the part in the team’s 35-3 win over Illinois State. Mateer personally accounted for four of the team’s five touchdowns.

Mateer’s ability to work as a dual-threat prospect will be huge in giving the Oklahoma offense an added dimension. As long as Oklahoma is winning games, expect Mateer to remain in the Heisman Trophy race.

T-4. QB Devon Dampier, Utah – 39

WEEKEND STATS: 21-of-25 for 206 yards, 2 TD | 16 carries for 87 yards, 1 TD
Utah might have had the most dominant opening-weekend performance of any team in the country. Dampier was a huge reason why. He was virtually unstoppable, giving the Utes some real electricity on offense.

Dampier’s wheels are as good as anyone in the country, which is saying something, because there are a lot of great dual-threat quarterbacks this year. Dampier looks poised to push Utah toward a Big 12 title berth and potentially the College Football Playoff. That puts him firmly on the Heisman Trophy radar.

6. QB Carson Beck, Miami – 37

WEEKEND STATS: 20-of-31 for 205 yards, 2 TD
It must have felt like the start of something fresh for Beck, who had receivers making some ridiculous catches for him from start to finish. That was a luxury he didn’t enjoy last year at Georgia, where the Bulldogs were among the nation’s leaders in dropped passes.

Beck looked comfortable making the move over to Miami. He was relatively crisp as a passer, mostly avoiding potential turnover throws. That he executed at the highest level with the game on the line, putting Miami in position to make a winning field goal, portended the start of what could be a very fruitful year with the ‘Canes.

7. S Caleb Downs, Ohio State – 27

WEEKEND STATS: 5 tackles
Downs might not put up huge numbers this year because his sheer presence in the secondary is going to cause most teams to avoid him whenever possible. That was the case in the season opener against a ranked Texas squad.

Still, Downs proved he’s one of the best in the game. His recognition of plays developing near the line is excellent, and he’s constantly getting himself and his teammates into the right spots.

8. QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State – 23

WEEKEND STATS: 25-of-39 for 257 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT | 7 carries for 73 yards, 2 TD
Like one or two of the other Heisman Trophy hopefuls on this list, Leavitt accounted for four touchdowns this weekend and did it by being multiple. He ran for more than 10 yards per carry en route to two scores. He also threw for two more.

Arizona State looks poised to defend its position as a College Football Playoff team even with some offseason attrition. Leavitt being back has a lot to do with that; he’s capable of leading a deep postseason run.

9. DL Rueben Bain, Miami – 10

WEEKEND STATS: 6 tackles, 0.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks, 1 INT, 1 PBU
Bain was all over the field for Miami, as evidenced by his interception on a ball thrown out to the flats. It was a ricochet, but Bain was in perfect position to capitalize and he did.

His ability to wreck games up front single-handedly elevates the Miami defense. And if Bain can continue to have the kind of impact he had in the Notre Dame game, he’s a definite Heisman Trophy candidate.

10. QB Haynes King, Georgia Tech – 9

WEEKEND STATS: 13-of-20 for 143 yards, 1 INT | 19 carries for 156 yards, 3 TDs
King gets a lot of credit on lists like these for his presence, which clearly spreads to the rest of the team. He’s a lot like Vanderbilt‘s Diego Pavia in that sense.

While his first outing wasn’t perfect — King was picked off once and didn’t throw a touchdown pass — it was illustrative of what he brings to the table. He’s always a threat with his legs, and as teams try to take that option away more will open up in the passing game.

Others Receiving Heisman Trophy Votes

11. EDGE Dylan Stewart, South Carolina – 8
12. QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, California – 7
13. RB Jonah Coleman, Washington – 6
T-14. QB Drew Allar, Penn State – 4
T-14. WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State – 4
16. WR Jordan Dwyer, TCU – 3
T-17. QB Joey Aguilar, Tennessee – 2
T-17. QB Taylen Green, Arkansas – 2
T-17. QB Jayden Maiava, USC – 2
T-20. QB Rocco Becht, Iowa State – 1
T-20. QB Dante Moore, Oregon – 1
T-20. RB Justice Haynes, Michigan – 1