Five of the last nine Heisman Trophy winners have come out of the SEC. Last season, Alabama’s Derrick Henry broke a two-year drought for the conference when he won the prestigious trophy. Despite stiffer competition, the SEC has managed to hang onto it’s mantle as the best conference in the land and because of that you can expect it’s players to be in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race again this season.
Let’s take a look at the eleven SEC players most likely to hoist the trophy at the end of the 2016 season…..
No. 11 John Franklin III (QB, Auburn)
The last Auburn QB to win the Heisman Trophy was Cam Newton. Newton, like Franklin, was a JUCO transfer. Newton, like Franklin, came to Auburn after a not-so-great year for the Tigers. John Franklin is not Cam Newton, but Franklin does have the type of skill set that puts up numbers and gets people watching. Auburn shouldn’t be good enough for Franklin to even sniff the Heisman race but if they are, it will be because of Franklin.
No. 10 Joshua Dobbs (QB, Tennessee)
Dobbs had a good season in 2015 for the Vols. He threw 15 TD against 5 INT and passed for over 2,000 yards. He also led the Vols to a nine-win season. For Dobbs to in the running, he has to be able to push the ball down the field, and he has to take more chances. The Vols will also have to win the SEC East by a wide margin.
No. 9 Calvin Ridley (WR, Alabama)
The last wide receiver to win the trophy was Desmond Howard in 1991. This is a huge long shot, but Ridley has the ability to put himself in the mix if he can establish himself as the best offensive player on the Tide. He also needs for Alabama to repeat SEC champions again this season.
No. 8 Sony Michel (RB, Georgia)
Michel is not likely to win the Heisman because he shares a backfield with Nick Chubb. Michel also set himself back when he injured himself before spring practice. However, he is a very versatile back and can hurt the defense in the run and passing game. Michel finished last season with over 1,000 yards rushing and he added 26 receptions. He likely has a year before he’s truly making a splash on Heisman lists, but Michel has the ability if he’s thrust into the limelight.
No. 7 Luke Del Rio (QB, Florida)
Can a QB who couldn’t win the starting job at Oregon State really go on to win the Heisman? This is a longshot (as are all candidates except the top three) but what if Florida goes undefeated and Del Rio is the major reason? Crazier things have happened.
No. 6 Alvin Kamara (RB, Tennessee)
Most of you were probably expecting Jalen Hurd to be on this list. If you read my Tennessee preview, then you understand why I have Kamara in his place. Kamara has that “it” factor and if given the ball enough, he can produce both the stats and the highlight film to win the trophy.
No. 5 Trevor Knight (QB, Texas A&M)
Knight showed a lot of promise at Oklahoma before plateauing and eventually transferring. Knight is now in a new home, and it’s a home where offense thrives. He has the ability to put up major numbers in Kevin Sumlin’s system. The biggest question might be if A&M can win enough games for Knight to launch himself into consideration.
No. 4 Damien Harris (RB, Alabama)
Some of you may have never heard of Damien Harris. When you play behind Derrick Henry and Kenyan Drake, you don’t get a lot of publicity. Simply put, if you are the starting running back for Alabama then you have a chance to win the Heisman.
No. 3 Nick Chubb (RB, Georgia)
After an injury-shortened season, Chubb is back and he’s looking to make his mark in what is likely his final year. In 19 games, Chubb has rushed for 2,294 yards and 21 TD. If he’s healthy and he gets a full season of toting the rock, he will have a fantastic comeback story to go along with his big time numbers.
No. 2 Chad Kelly (QB, Ole Miss)
Kelly really took Hugh Freeze’s Ole Miss offense to new heights last season. This year, he has to do it without Laquan Treadwell. That means if he has more success, he will get even more of the credit. If Ole Miss can unseat Bama, expect to see Kelly getting a lot of Heisman hype.
No. 1 Leonard Fournette (RB, LSU)
Last year, I flat out said Fournette would not win the Heisman because LSU would not be good enough. Fournette finished with almost 2,000 yards but his undoing was his performance against Alabama, which was then followed up by a sub-100 yard game (and loss) to Arkansas. This year, LSU will be better as a team and Fournette will be even better because of that. Fournette is the clear number one Heisman candidate in the SEC. Despite a very stacked field of competitors, I expect Leonard Fournette to win the 2016 Heisman Trophy.
