The top preseason contenders for the 2024 Heisman Trophy

The 2024 college football season is almost here. Every player dreams of lifting the Heisman trophy at season's end, so let's take a preseason look at the top contenders for college football's most prestigious award.

The number of candidates for the Heisman in 2024 should be as wide open as ever thanks to the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams. More teams means more high-stakes regular-season games and thus, more "Heisman moments". 

While I think this year's Heisman winner will come from one of the 12 playoff teams, keep in mind the 2022 and 2023 Heisman winners, Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, were the first two Heisman winners since 2016 (Lamar Jackson) not to make the playoffs. Anything can happen.

Here are the top Heisman contenders ahead of the 2024 college football season.

Defensive players

No defensive player has won the Heisman trophy since Charles Woodson and blah, blah, blah. We hear the same line every year about the candidacy of any defensive college football player and the Heisman. That doesn't mean there won't be any worthy candidates in 2024.

Yet, when considering defensive players their impact has to be DOMINANT among their peers. That means players expected to be on elite defenses like Mason Graham and Will Johnson at Michigan, Jack Sawyer, J.T. Tuimoloau and Caleb Downs at Ohio State, Mykel Williams and Malaki Starks at Georgia and Benjamin Morrison at Notre Dame won't make this list. Johnson, Downs, Starks and Morrison already faced the uphill battle of playing in the secondary, meaning they'd need gaudy numbers that they might not get to end up in the Heisman race.

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That said, let's look at the defensive candidates entering the season.

• Edge Abdul Carter | Penn State
• CB/WR Travis Hunter | Colorado
• DB Malachi Moore | Alabama
• DT Walter Nolen | Ole Miss
• Edge James Pearce Jr. | Tennessee
• LB Harold Perkins Jr. | LSU

We'll start with the edge rushers. James Pearce Jr. enters the year as arguably the nation's top edge rusher after finishing last year third in the SEC for sacks and fifth in tackles for loss. If he can have a teammate up front step up, allowing him to face fewer double teams, Pearce could end up in New York, regardless of how good Tennessee is this year.

I also like Abdul Carter as a sleeper edge rusher in Happy Valley. To some, he was more dynamic than his teammate and Miami Dolphins first-round pick Chop Robinson last year. Carter should lead an outstanding Penn State defense that could carry the team into the College Football Playoff hunt this year.

Then there's the interesting case of Harold Perkins Jr. Perkins had 13 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks off the edge as a freshman in 2022 before his numbers diminished in a more stand-up linebacker role in 2023. Perkins has shown the talent to be a legitimate Heisman candidate in 2024, but it all depends on how he's used on the field.

There hasn't been a true interior defensive lineman Heisman candidate since Ndamukong Suh in 2009, but Ole Miss' Walter Nolen could change that this year. Nolen is a transfer from Texas A&M, where he had 8.5 tackles for loss and four sacks last season after being one of the highest-rated recruits all-time. Now at Ole Miss, Nolen could benefit from having Princely Umanmielen on the edge, freeing him up to wreak havoc on the interior.

In the secondary, Malachi Moore is one of the most versatile defenders in all of college football. If new head coach Kalen DeBoer can take advantage of his versatility, Moore could stuff the stat sheet with sacks, pass breakups and interceptions that could make him a Heisman candidate.

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Dawg

Coach Deion Sanders doesn't give out captain patches at Colorado, instead designating players as "L" for leader or "D" for Dawg. Travis Hunter has the D patch as a Dawg — and fittingly so. Hunter is the most versatile player in college football as a No. 1 wide receiver and No. 1 cornerback. That versatility makes him a Heisman candidate, and a season where he grabs 60 catches for 800 yards and 10 TDs while having 5 interceptions wouldn't be out of the realm. Those numbers may have him in the top five of Heisman voting, especially if Colorado's team success takes off.

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Wide Receivers

Speaking of Travis Hunter, let's transition to the wide receiver Heisman candidates. DeVonta Smith is the most recent wideout to take home the award, so a candidate would have to perform at, near or past his level to lift the trophy.

Like the defenders, who's also on a player's team factors into Heisman consideration, keeping players like Emeka Egbuka of Ohio State and Tez Johnson of Oregon off the list. The target share figures to be too small for either wideout to have Heisman numbers. Colorado State's Tory Johnson also misses the list because outside of a September matchup with Colorado, he likely won't have as many "Heisman moments" to impress voters.

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Here are the top wide receiver Heisman candidates entering 2024.

• Luther Burden III | Missouri
• Zachariah Branch | Southern California
• Travis Hunter | Colorado
• Tetarioa McMillan | Arizona

Luther Burden III might be the best player in all of college football. He was that good last year, catching 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in the SEC. Tetarioa McMillan had even better numbers in the old Pac-12 last year, catching 90 passes for 1,402 yards and 10 touchdowns. Both wideouts are ELITE and could follow in DeVonta Smith's footsteps.

Elsewhere, Zachariah Branch is one of the fastest players in college football, even joining USC's track team last year. Branch brings explosiveness to the Trojan offense and kick return game that could give him the big plays that grab Heisman attention.

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 Running backs

It'll take a lot for a running back to be a Heisman candidate, as offenses turn to the pass more than ever. Yet, there are still some running backs that are the main source of their offenses in 2024 and it could lead to a Heisman.

I don't think Jadyn Ott and Cal will have a good enough record for him to be in the Heisman conversation, plus split time between Quinshon Judkins and Tre'veyon Henderson will hurt both candidates.

Nonetheless, here's a look at the top running back Heisman candidates.

• Donovan Edwards | Michigan
• Ollie Gordon II | Oklahoma State
• Omarion Hampton | North Carolina
• Ashton Jeanty | Boise State
• Nick Singleton | Penn State

Donovan Edwards will take over the lead back role for the defending national champion Michigan Wolverines, and with a new quarterback at the helm in Alex Orji, the Wolverine offense will heavily rely on Edwards' success in 2024. If Edwards can keep Michigan in the Big Ten title hunt, he'll have a shot at the nation's most prestigious award.

Ollie Gordon is the reigning Doak Walker Award winner as the nation's best running back. Gordon is unquestionably the top running back in college football entering the year and that alone has him as a Heisman candidate. 

Omarion Hampton will have greater expectations in the North Carolina offense after Drake Maye was the No. 3 pick in the NFL draft, which could lead to big-time numbers. Ashton Jeanty — the reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year — is the offense for Boise State and an early Heisman moment against a potential top-5 Oregon squad could make waves throughout the season.

Nick Singleton is a big-play threat in Penn State's backfield, and if he can carry the Nittany Lions instead of the oft-criticized Drew Allar on offense, he could be a Heisman candidate on a playoff team.

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Quarterbacks

A quarterback has won 21 of the 25 Heisman trophies in the 21st century (84 percent). That's why the list of potential quarterback winners in 2024 below is so extensive. We'll sort the list into categories to make things simpler.

Bouncebacks

• Drew Allar | Penn State
• Cade Klubnik | Clemson

We'll start with the bounceback Heisman candidates. Drew Allar and Cade Klubnik entered last year as highly touted players but didn't live up to the hype. However, if either of the two reach their potential this fall, they could have their teams in the playoff hunt and individually they should be in the Heisman conversation.

Fifth conference champion

• Bryrum Brown | South Florida
• Seth Henigan | Memphis
• Jordan McCloud | Texas State
• Kaidon Salter | Liberty

The fifth conference champion category of quarterbacks refers to the quarterbacks leading teams from outside of the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC that could lead their team to the newly expanded College Football Playoff. Of course, a player will need the numbers to back up the team's success, but getting your team to the playoffs is impressive on a Heisman resume.

Kaidon Salter would've had Liberty in the CFP if it was 12 teams last year, and Seth Henigan and Memphis might be ranked entering the preseason. Byrum Brown is an intriguing candidate as he and reigning Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels were the only players with at least 3,000 passing yards and 800 rushing yards. Jordan McCloud is a new transfer from James Madison — and he'll join Texas State, whose head coach GJ Kinne coached a quarterback to win the FCS Heisman-like Walter Payton Award in 2022.

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First-year starters

• Jackson Arnold | Oklahoma
• Nico Iamaleava | Tennessee
• Avery Johnson | Kansas State
• Miller Moss | Southern California
• Garrett Nussmeier | LSU
• Dylan Raiola | Nebraska

These six quarterbacks have all shown flashes of greatness and have their teams confident in the future this fall. Johnny Manziel and Jameis Winston both won the Heisman as redshirt freshman in their first years as starters, and more recently, Bryce Young won the Heisman in his first year starting as a sophomore. 

Back from injury

• Jalon Daniels | Kansas
• Cam Rising | Utah
• Conner Weigman | Texas A&M

Jalon Daniels, Conner Weigman and Cam Rising all missed significant time last year because of injury. But all three could be in the Heisman race this fall. Daniels is one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, Weigman was on a tear with 909 yards and 8 touchdowns in three games before his injury and Rising led Utah to the Pac-12 title when he was last healthy. 

Transfers

• Will Howard | Ohio State
• KJ Jefferson | UCF
• Riley Leonard | Notre Dame
• Grayson McCall | NC State
• D.J. Uiagalelei | Florida State
• Cameron Ward | Miami (Fla.)

Talent comes and talent goes in the modern era of college football, and these quarterbacks have new homes in 2024. All of the above quarterbacks had stellar moments at their former schools, and if they can do more good than bad at their new locations — with some serving as program saviors — they could have a Heisman-worthy storyline to push them to the top. The last two Heisman-winning quarterbacks won the award in their first year after transferring — and three quarterbacks from 2017-19 were all transfers. In total, five of the last seven Heisman winners were transfers at one point in their career.

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Sleepers

• Brady Cook | Missouri
• Noah Fifita | Arizona
• Kyron Drones | Virginia Tech
• Haynes King | Georgia Tech

These quarterbacks are some sleeper Heisman candidates. Haynes King threw for more than 2,800 passing yards and 27 touchdowns and ran for more than 700 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. The only other quarterback to put up those numbers last year? Heisman trophy winner Jayden Daniels.

Kyrone Drones leads a talented Virginia Tech team that could be a threat to win the ACC with 20 starters returning. He's been working out in the offseason with Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders after throwing 17 touchdowns to three interceptions last year.

Brady Cook and Noah Fifita are throwing to two Heisman candidate wide receivers that could help them put up the numbers to stay in the race for the trophy down the stretch.

Favorites

• Carson Beck | Georgia
• Jaxson Dart | Ole Miss
• Quinn Ewers | Texas
• Dillon Gabriel | Oregon
• Jalen Milroe | Alabama
• Shedeur Sanders | Colorado

Now it's time for the Heisman favorites to enter the year. Yes, they are all quarterbacks. On the west coast, Oklahoma transfer turned Oregon Duck Dillon Gabriel hopes to follow in the path of Bo Nix — last year's third-place finisher. In the Rockies, Shedeur Sanders is college football's most notable athlete, and if he can have the numbers and wins to match his status, he could be in New York.

In the SEC there are four Heisman trophy candidates in this category. Carson Beck leads a Georgia team with the longest regular season win streak. Quinn Ewers and Jalen Milroe led their teams to the College Football Playoff last year. Jaxson Dart leads an Ole Miss team that brought in the top transfer class in college football and is poised to make noise in the SEC under the tutelage of Lane Kiffin's creative offense. The quarterback from this group that can win the SEC championship will be a Heisman contender.