Our 8 Heisman Trophy favorites for 2024, from Alabama's Jalen Milroe to Ole Miss' Jaxson Dart
Joe Burrow and Billy Cannon, you have company. Jayden Daniels became the third player in LSU history to win the Heisman Trophy. The senior quarterback claimed college football's top honor Saturday by a comfortable margin.
Daniels received the most voting points in four of the Heisman's six voting regions and finished second in voting points behind Michael Penix Jr. in the other two regions. Penix, the Washington quarterback, finished as runner-up.
Ask us, and we say voters got this right. As the nation's best player, Daniels was a deserving winner.
Now, we turn the page to 2024.
On this edition of "SEC Football Unfiltered," a podcast from the USA TODAY Network, hosts Blake Toppmeyer and John Adams offer eight players to watch for the 2024 Heisman. Of course, quarterbacks dominate the list, including a few from the SEC.
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Here's their list of favorites:
Jalen Milroe (Alabama)
Milroe already is on voters' radar. He finished sixth in the Heisman vote this year. His big-play ability allows for Heisman moments. Also, Alabama's daunting schedule sets the stage for persuasive victories.
Dillion Gabriel (Oregon)
Heisman voters like a dual-threat quarterback. If the Ducks fare well in their first season in the Big Ten, that could be a powerful narrative to attract Heisman voters to Gabriel.
Quinn Ewers (Texas)
Ewers is playing his best ball to finish this season. Like Milroe, his spot in the College Football Playoff allows him to generate more hype before the offseason. If the Longhorns transition well to the SEC, Ewers would become an especially appealing candidate.
Carson Beck (Georgia)
Georgia hasn't had a Heisman winner since Herschel Walker. Beck played well in his first season as a starter, but he struggled to surface on the Heisman radar. He'll be more of a known commodity next year, and a Georgia redemption tour would make for a useful Heisman narrative.
Cam Ward (In transfer portal)
A transfer from Washington State, Ward probably is headed for a starting job at a blueblood program. He flourished at Wazzu, but attracting Heisman hype there is an uphill battle. He'll have a better chance of becoming a more legit candidate at wherever he winds up.
Noah Fifita (Arizona)
Fifita completed 73.6% of his passes as a redshirt freshman. Now, he's ready to shift more into Heisman focus, especially if Arizona debuts well in the Big 12.
Ollie Gordon (Oklahoma State)
Derrick Henry remains the last running back to win this award, in 2015. The last running back from a school other than Alabama to win the Heisman was Reggie Bush in 2005. Gordon's candidacy is a longshot, but he led the nation in rushing as a sophomore and finished seventh in this year's voting.
Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss)
Dart oozes moxie, and he improved in his second season as the trigger man for Lane Kiffin's offense, but he must perform better in the big games to become something more than a longshot candidate.
Where to listen to SEC Football Unfiltered
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's SEC Columnist. John Adams is the senior columnist for the Knoxville News Sentinel. You can subscribe to their podcast, SEC Football Unfiltered, or check out the SEC Unfiltered newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Heisman Trophy 2024 favorites: Jalen Milroe, Quinn Ewers, Dillion Gabriel
