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Every year in college football, one athlete earns the right to be named the Heisman Trophy winner.
The Heisman Trophy is given annually to the most outstanding college football player in the United States, a list that's whittled down by a poll of sportswriters. There has only been one player in the history of college football that has won the award twice.
Ohio State University running back Archie Griffin won the Heisman Trophy in back-to-back seasons in 1974 and 1975. Currently, three teams are tied with seven Heisman Trophy winners each.
Ohio State, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma sit at the top of the list. Oklahoma brought the Heisman Trophy home in back-to-back seasons with Baker Mayfield in 2017 and Kyler Murray in 2018.
Quarterbacks have generally owned the Heisman Trophy stakes, winning it in four of the last six years. Alabama had the two non-quarterbacks who previously brought the Heisman home - Derrick Henry in 2015 and DeVonta Smith in 2020.
Sportskeeda's Heisman Trophy watchlist
The NCAA has not seen a non-quarterback win the trophy in back-to-back seasons since Rickey Williams in 1998 and Ron Dayne in 1999. Could the 2021-2022 college season break the streak?
Here's a look at five college football players likely to win the stakes, earning themselves a spot on Sportskeeda's way too early Heisman watchlist.
#1 Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State
Chris Olave is coming off a 2020-2021 season where he registered a Pro Football Focus, receiving a grade of 84.8. Olave caught 50 passes for 727 receiving yards and seven touchdowns last season. In addition, he averaged 14.5 yards per reception in 2020.
The Ohio State Buckeyes will look to Chris Olave to be a leader on offense in 2021. There's still a question mark on the quarterback position heading into the 2021 season, which means Chris Olave will have to repeat his performance from 2020 to help the young quarterbacks excel.
The senior wideout posted five games where he went over 100 receiving yards and had three games with multiple touchdowns. Olave will enter the 2021-2022 season as the top wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft class.
Olave would also be the first Ohio State player to win the Heisman since 2006 when Troy Smith brought home the prestigious award.
#2 Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma
Spencer Rattler is coming off a phenomenal sophomore season with the Oklahoma Sooners. Rattler posted a PFF offensive and passing grade of 92.5 in 2020. Heading into his junior season, Spencer Rattler is the number one dual-threat quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft class.
Rattler threw for 3,031 passing yards in 2020 and completed 67.5% of his passes in 2020. The junior quarterback also threw for 28 touchdown passes and had just seven interceptions.
If Rattler wants to bring home the Heisman Trophy, he will need to improve his play against the bottom half of the Big 12. His performances against Kansas and Baylor were the worst of his sophomore season. In both games, Spencer registered a PFF offensive grade in the 60s.
#3 Sam Howell, QB, North Carolina
Sam Howell entered his junior season with North Carolina as a potential number one pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Howell is coming off a 2020-2021 season where he registered a PFF offensive grade of 92.3 and a PFF passing grade of 91.5. Howell also posted a PFF rushing grade of 71.8 in 2020.
The North Carolina offense in 2020 was led by their two-headed monster threat, Javonte Williams and Michael Carter.
Howell saw his dropbacks fall from 485 during his freshman year to 419 in his sophomore season. However, the junior quarterback increased his completion percentage by completing 61% of his passes during his freshman year, and completing 68% of his passes in his second year.
Sam Howell will need a mixture of his freshman and sophomore seasons to bring home the Heisman trophy. Howell has registered 7,193 passing yards and 68 touchdowns in two seasons for the Tar Heels.
#4 Breece Hall, RB, Iowa State
Breece Hall is the only player on this list who received first-place votes for the 2020 Heisman Trophy. Hall finished sixth in the voting with 64 total votes after an impressive sophomore season. The junior running back rushed for 1,572 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on 279 attempts in 2020.
Breece Hall rushed for over 100 yards in seven straight games for the Cyclones in 2020. Hall also registered eight games with multiple touchdowns. During his sophomore season, Breece Hall received a PFF offensive grade of 84 and a rushing grade of 85.7.
Iowa State is returning both of its top offensive players in 2021 in Brock Purdy and Breece Hall. The duo will determine how far the Cyclones go during the 2021-2022 season.
#5 D.J. Uiagalelei, QB, Clemson
D.J. Uiagalelei gave college football fans a glimpse of what he can do on the Clemson offense in 2020. Uiagalelei threw for 781 yards and four touchdowns in the two games he started for the Tigers in 2020, completing 67.8% of his passes.
Clemson's second-year quarterback received a PFF offensive grade of 71.1 during his freshman season. He also posted a PFF passing grade of 77.6 in 2020.
D.J. Uiagalelei will get his opportunity to step out of Trevor Lawrence's shadow and pull the strings in 2021. He has the potential to be a boom-or-bust prospect this year and has massive shoes to fill, but Uiagalelei should do more than hold his own.
