5 writers’ opinions on the top 5 Heisman candidates for 2022

OK, the first week of the season finally is upon us. Yes, it’s Week Zero, but, hey, it’s still real football. With real football, of course, comes incessant talk about the College Football Playoff and the Heisman Trophy.

We asked five Heisman voters at On3 for their five preseason favorites. Each listed at least one player listed by no one else. But three players were listed by all five and four voters listed four of the same guys.

In other words, going into the season, there looks to be a short, short list of potential winners. Let the games begin!

Matt Connolly

QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State: The Buckeyes are loaded on offense and Stroud has a ton of weapons with which to work. He should put up incredible numbers.

QB Bryce Young, Alabama: Like Stroud, Young has a loaded offense with a ton of playmakers around him. Alabama OLB Will Anderson may split votes with Young, which plays into my decision to have Stroud No. 1.

OLB Will Anderson, Alabama: Speaking of Anderson, he made a strong case for being a finalist last season but came up just short. The best defender in college football should make it to New York in 2022.

QB Caleb Williams, USC: USC likely is still a year or two away from being a true contender, but you can’t ignore the numbers quarterbacks have put up in Lincoln Riley’s system.

QB Quinn Ewers, Texas: If Ewers does indeed start all year for Texas, he certainly will have a shot at being in New York if the Longhorns have a strong season.

Mike Huguenin

C.J. Stroud: Teammate TreVeyon Henderson figures to have a good season and could siphon some votes, but not as many as Will Anderson figures to take from Bryce Young. Ohio State lost two wide receivers to the first round of the NFL draft, but the offense won’t miss a beat. Stroud threw 44 TD passes last season, and 50 is a possibility this season.

Bryce Young: He has history and a teammate working against him as he attempts to become just the second player to win two Heismans. (Two teammates, actually. There’s Anderson and RB Jahmyr Gibbs, who also figures to have a big season.)

Caleb Williams: A star quarterback in the shadow of the Hollywood sign? If you thought Williams was hyped last season at Oklahoma, buckle up. He is a great fit for Lincoln Riley’s offense, has what might be the best receiving corps in the nation with which to work and will line up in front of a stud running back (Travis Dye), too.

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oklahoma: Gabriel figures to put up huge numbers in coordinator Jeff Lebby’s offense. Heck, he already did, in 2019 as a true freshman at UCF, when Lebby was the OC.

Will Anderson: Let’s get two things out of the way. First, he is the best player in college football. Second, he is not going to win the Heisman – no matter what kind of sack and tackle for loss numbers he puts up – if a quarterback on a top-five team throws for 4,000 yards and 40 touchdown passes. And there could be two of those this season – including his teammate.

Ivan Maisel

Bryce Young: The returning Heisman winner not only has to outshine every other player, he also has to outplay the performance that won him the trophy. It’s not fair, but that’s what he must overcome to join Ohio State RB Archie Griffin (1974-75) with a Heisman for each hand.

C.J. Stroud: He showed his talent last season, throwing for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns. He also showed his inexperience in front of 107,000 in the Big House. The Buckeyes talk as if they are on a mission. If they complete it, Stroud will become the school’s seventh Heisman winner.

Will Anderson: He’s the best player in college football if measured by his ability to control and alter a game. It’s hard to get the statistics to convey that quality. Offenses will key on him, so his numbers may suffer. But offenses keyed on him last season, when he had 33.5 tackles for loss, including 17.5 sacks. I’m guessing his numbers will be fine.

QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, UCLA: The fifth-year Bruin has started 35 games and steadily improved every season. DTR has a dual threat lining up alongside in RB Zach Charbonnet, good experience on the o-line and a schedule that tees up UCLA to be 5-0 when Utah visits October 8. The stage will be set for him to make his Heisman declaration.

RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota: My dark horse led the Big Ten in rushing (1,076 yards) in the truncated 2020 season and opened last year with 163 yards and a season-ending knee injury against Ohio State. Ibrahim is a senior and completely healthy. The Gophers’ offensive line is not as experienced as last year, but it’s still big and beefy.

Greg Pickel

C.J. Stroud: Stroud is a deserving favorite in the betting markets after throwing for 4,435 yards and 44 touchdowns a year ago. Ohio State has plenty to replace at receiver. But Stroud’s talent can bring that group along, and the Buckeyes have a fine path to the College Football Playoff.

Bryce Young: It’s tempting to move Young down this list a bit, considering how rare it has been to see a repeat winner. But he has all the tools and again will be surrounded by plenty of talent. He has to be here, even if history suggests he might not win the trophy in back-to-back years.

Will Anderson: The sport’s best player has to be on this list, even if he finished fifth a year ago in the voting and could again because he is a defender. Anderson is a stellar talent, and should be on every ballot this fall.

Caleb Williams: Are you all aboard the USC train, which will be conducted by Williams and Lincoln Riley? The betting markets certainly are, but the Trojans and their new passer and coach will need to bring the program forward in a big way if it hopes to have a shot at the CFP. Williams can do it all, but we’d like to see him do it in his new uniform before moving him any further up this list.

QB Cameron Rising, Utah: To me, this spot will be between Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson, Clemson QB D.J. Uiagalelei, Oklahoma QB Dillion Gabriel and Rising. Rising is a quarterback at a preseason top-10 program with fine stats so far. If he’s better this season, and the Utes reach new heights, Rising might, too; either way, he’ll definitely be in the Heisman conversation.

Matt Zenitz

Bryce Young: The reigning Heisman winner is one of three players from Alabama talented enough to receive some Heisman love throughout the season, along with OLB Will Anderson and RB Jahmyr Gibbs. 

C.J. Stroud: Like Young, Stroud is viewed as an early first-round NFL talent. And like Young, he once again should put up big numbers and be in contention for a trip to New York as – at the very least – a Heisman finalist. 

Caleb Williams: It wouldn’t come as a big surprise if USC makes a real push for the Pac-12 title in Year 1 under Lincoln Riley. Williams is an elite talent, as he showed last season at Oklahoma, and USC surrounded him with some other offensive transfers with big-time ability such as last year’s Biletnikoff Award winner, Jordan Addison, and RB Travis Dye, a 1,271-yard rusher last season at Oregon.

Will Anderson: If you ask NFL scouts, two players consistently mentioned as the top overall talents among draft-eligible players are Anderson and Georgia DL Jalen Carter.

QB Tyler Van Dyke, Miami: Don’t be shocked if Miami ends up being a real factor in the ACC. Van Dyke will be a big reason. He threw for more than 315 yards with at least three touchdown passes in each of his final six starts last season.