The 2024 Heisman winner will be announced in just a few hours. Here are my last thoughts on each of the four finalists as college players before we start talking about them strictly as NFL prospects going forward:
Travis Hunter (WR/CB) Colorado
He has to win. What he has done this year is unprecedented in modern football and the fact that he’s actually been doing it at a high level for 2 years now and only managed to get injured on a late hit, freak accident liver problem is pretty amazing in retrospect. If he were JUST a receiver, he’d probably finish 3rd or 4th. If he were JUST a defensive back, we’d be talking about him for several other awards, but not the Heisman. But the fact that he has done both at such a high level is outstanding and he is entirely deserving of the Heisman for it.
Ashton Jeanty (RB) Boise State
Strictly speaking, Jeanty was the best offensive player of the year. He averaged almost 200 yards rushing per game and was averaging over 2 touchdowns per game at the end of the regular season. It was a historic season, and he will very likely break the record for single season rushing yards next weekend in the first round of the CFP. If Travis Hunter didn’t exist, Jeanty would be my favorite to win but was just unlucky enough to break out in the same season and should be the runner-up.
Dillon Gabriel (QB) Oregon
I’m not surprised Dillon Gabriel went on to have a great end to his college career, I’m just surprised that it took this long to end. 6 seasons is a long time, even if one landed him a medical redshirt. I’m almost sick of watching him at this point, but I’m partially biased because I wanted him to stay at UCF. Gabriel’s stats aren’t amazing but he was consistently good against the best competition in the country and led his team to an undefeated season as the #1 ranked team in the NCAA and got his teammates a first round bye. Every other player on this list had an easier time putting up the stats they did and for that, I think Dillon Gabriel deserves at least 3rd place in the Heisman for what he has accomplished this year.
Cam Ward (QB) Miami
For all the hype around Cam Ward, I cannot ignore the fact the he played against some mediocre defenses this year. Statistically, I will concede he was the best passer of the season. But given the strength of schedule he was working with, I’d expect much better numbers. It doesn’t impress me that he threw for 5 touchdowns against Ball State, who finished the year at 3-9. I’m not blown away by the fact that his most accurate game as a passer (a 20 for 26 performance with 3 TDs and 304 yards) came against Florida A&M, a fake school where the two most popular majors are Swamp Ecology and Alligator Medicine. I understand why he is a finalist, but I think if there is any justice in the Heisman voting process, he will finish 4th out of 4.
Ultimately, I predict that Gabriel will finish 4th and Ward will finish 3rd because the voters are too stupid to recognize an advanced concept like strength of opposing defenses. But that’s life.
