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Heisman Trophy winners can go atop the NFL draft. There's certainly no rule that the top players in college football will necessarily be the top players in pro football. Tom Brady barely played at Michigan, while Jerry Rice got snaps at Mississippi Valley State. But not infrequently, the top college stars become the top NFL draft picks. This is particularly true with quarterbacks.
If either Caleb Williams (2022 Heisman winner) or Jayden Daniels (2023 winner) is picked first, he'll join an elite club. A Heisman-winning QB selected No. 1 in the draft is something of a rarity. But here are five of the best to pull off that difficult double feat.
Top 5 Heisman QBs who went No. 1 in NFL draft
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#5, Cam Newton, Auburn/Panthers
Newton was a one-and-done Heisman winner at Auburn in 2010. He had spent two years as a backup at Florida and then a season in junior college. But at Auburn, Newton passed for 2,854 yards and 30 touchdowns in 2010. He also rushed for 1,473 yards and 20 more scores on the ground. Newton took Auburn to a BCS national title.
Then chosen first by the Carolina Panthers, Newton had an 11-year NFL career. He passed for 32,382 yards and 194 touchdowns. He was voted NFL MVP in 2015 and was an All-Pro pick that season. Newton probably didn't have a Hall of Fame career but was a solid starter who led Carolina to a Super Bowl in 2015.
#4, Vinny Testaverde, Miami/Buccaneers
Testaverde came to fame as the trigger man for a high-powered Miami Hurricanes offense in the mid-1980s. He passed for 6,058 yards and 48 touchdowns at Miami, including 2,557 yards and 26 scores in 1986. For leading the Hurricanes to a national title game, he won the Heisman Trophy that year.
Testaverde had an uneven record in the NFL. He stumbled badly with the Buccaneers, throwing 35 interceptions in 1988. But he stayed around the NFL through 2007 and ended up passing for 46,233 yards and 275 touchdowns. He led the NFL in passing (4,177 yards) and touchdowns (33) with Baltimore in 1996. His 21 seasons in the league speaks for itself.
#3, Carson Palmer, USC/Bengals
Palmer led Pete Carroll's opening two years of his USC dynasty, throwing for 11,818 yards and 72 touchdowns for the Trojans in his five seasons. He won the Heisman after his senior year (2002) when he passed for 3,942 yards and 33 touchdowns.
Palmer's 6-foot-5 size and cannon arm led the Cincinnati Bengals to draft him first in 2003. Palmer's NFL career was frequently hampered by injuries, but he threw for 46,247 yards and 294 touchdowns. He led the league in touchdowns (32) with the Bengals in 2005. Later, he led the league in passing (4,671 yards) and touchdowns (35) with Arizona in 2015. Palmer made three Pro Bowls.
2. Joe Burrow, LSU/Cincinnati
After three years sitting at Ohio State, Burrow went to LSU and dominated. His 2019 season, in which he threw for 5,671 yards and 60 touchdowns, demolished the Southeastern Conference record book. Burrow also led LSU to the national title and won the Heisman Trophy that year.
Since then, it's unclear whether he's becoming Carson Palmer 2.0 by getting beaten to death as the QB of the Cincinnati Bengals. Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in his second season, throwing for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns. In four pro seasons, he has 14,083 yards and 97 touchdowns. If he can stay healthy, he's a long-time star.
#1, Jim Plunkett, Stanford/Patriots
Plunkett was a late '60s foreshadower of college football to come. A three-year passing maverick at Stanford, he threw for 7,544 yards and 52 touchdowns. In his senior year, Plunkett passed for 2,715 yards and 18 touchdowns. That performance won him the 1970 Heisman Trophy.
Chosen first by the Patriots, he struggled in New England. Injuries harmed his career, but in a nice second act, he won two Super Bowls with the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders. Plunkett passed for 25,882 yards and 164 touchdowns. His big game performance fuels arguments that he should make the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Who do you think was the best Heisman/No. 1 winner? Let us hear from you in our comments section below!
