ESPN College GameDay crew reveals Heisman Trophy picks ahead of Week 0

A new season is upon us, and the race for the Heisman Trophy is on. Odds shift every week, but ESPN’s College GameDay crew took a stab at who they believe could walk away with college football’s top individual prize at the end of the season.

Desmond Howard: Brock Bowers

Bowers hauled in 942 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 2022, and the AP Preseason First Team All-American has only proved to be more versatile the older he gets. Howard says Bowers has the ability to play multiple positions at an elite level. With turnover at the quarterback position for Georgia this offseason, he’ll be leaned on heavily to begin the season.

Pat McAfee: Marvin Harrison Jr.

The question asked all offseason for Ohio State has been who will be under center when Week 1 rolls around. According to McAfee, it won’t matter because Marvin Harrison Jr. is that good. 14 touchdowns and 1,263 receiving yards accounted for in 2022 is enough to put him at the top of every big board, whether that be for the Heisman Trophy or the 2024 NFL Draft.

Kirk Herbstreit: Jayden Daniels

The LSU quarterback began his Heisman campaign back in January following the Tigers’ immensely successful 2022 season. Being one of the nation’s premier dual-threat playmakers under center, he led all SEC quarterbacks with 11 rushing touchdowns last season. He’s just as lethal through the air, completing 68.6 percent of his passes last season, good for second in the SEC.

Despite the College GameDay predictions, the favorite, of course, will be Caleb Williams. But to earn a repeat selection won’t be as cut-and-dry as it was in 2022.

“When you win a Heisman, and the reason it’s so hard to win that second one, is because the bar is raised so high. It’s almost unrealistic expectations,” Kirk Herbstreit said on ESPN’s College Gameday. “They could win 28-3 today and he could not throw 400 yards passing and people would say, ‘Well, he only threw for 250.’ It’s that kind of year that he’s just going to have to block out.

“If his goal is to win that national championship and they have the talent to make that run, he’s going to have to not listen to social media and just go play his game. He’s a human highlight every time he gets the ball in his hands.”

Howard said the difference between Williams winning the trophy this season compared to last will be based on team success instead of individual. Williams won the trophy but finished the season losing in the Pac-12 Championship game and Cotton Bowl to end the season. A College Football Playoff berth will likely be necessary for a repeat trophy.