The Top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates in 2024: Carson Beck, Quinn Ewers and Dillon Gabriel headline the preseason favorites
After a one-year hiatus, college football’s most prestigious award returned to the SEC last season, as LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was crowned the Heisman Trophy winner after his record-setting season.
The SEC has taken home the Heisman Trophy in four of the last five seasons, with a former Oklahoma quarterback (Caleb Williams, Kyler Murray and Baker Mayfield) the other players to win the award since Lamar Jackson in 2016.
Over the last week, I outlined the (most logical and viable) Top 5 candidates from each power conference (and Notre Dame) for the nation’s most prestigious award.
The Big Ten’s Top 5 candidates
The ACC/Notre Dame’s Top 5 candidates
There were plenty of potential candidates who are the longest of long-shots, but they deserved mention. But what about the most realistic Top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders?
Which players, and just as important these days — which quarterbacks on potential College Football Playoff teams — are best positioned to earn an invite to New York City in December.
With few exceptions, this has become a QB award going to the guy on one of the country’s best teams. That’s unlikely to change this fall, even for a race that could be as wide open as ever.
There is no returning winner (unlike the last two seasons) and no obvious frontrunner, either.
Here’s my Top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates in 2024:
1. QB Carson Beck, Georgia
Although there is no undisputed frontrunner in 2024, Beck does enter the season widely considered the top quarterback in the country — which gives the Bulldogs’ signal-caller a head-start in the competition.
In his first season as a starter, Beck threw for nearly 4,000 yards with 28 touchdowns, six picks and an adjusted completion percentage of 80.1.
He’ll be surrounded by even more talent in this fall (both OL and playmakers) and is the QB1 for the No. 1 team in the country, which will give Beck the type of resume to seriously contend for a spot in NYC.
2. QB Quinn Ewers, Texas
Ewers has yet to truly live up to his No. 1 overall prospect billing but perhaps that comes to fruition this fall. The Longhorns’ third-year starter has been at his best in big games (see: Alabama, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State last season) and Ewers will have plenty of chances to play in the spotlight against a schedule that includes Michigan, Georgia, Oklahoma and Texas A&M.
He threw for 3,500 yards last season, and although he’s working with a whole new cast of wideouts, Texas has another loaded receiver room this fall.
If Ewers plays with more consistency and continues to lead a Texas team back into a national title contender, then he’ll be a Top 5 candidate — not just in the SEC but for the whole field.
3. QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
Gabriel was briefly a Heisman Trophy contender last season before Oklahoma fell to rival Oklahoma State in the final Bedlam for the foreseeable future.
The ex-Sooners’ southpaw led the Big 12 in passing, touchdowns and completion percentage in 2023, and he could repeat those numbers in the Big Ten operating Will Stein’s offense.
The sixth-year senior should flourish as a top candidate playing on a stacked offense on a Top 5 team with championship expectations.
4. QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama
Despite getting mysteriously benched early last season, Milroe rebounded to finish sixth in Heisman voting after uncorking the miracle touchdown against Auburn and then leading Alabama to the upset over Georgia in the SEC Championship.
The dual-threat talent had 35 total touchdowns in 2023 and could be even more prolific (especially as a truly unleashed runner) in Kalen DeBoer’s offense.
Considering some have already started to throw cold water on Alabama’s upside in a post-Nick Saban world, if Milroe has a big season and leads the Tide back to Atlanta then he’ll have a super strong case.
5. QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss
In a potential wide-open race, Dart is among the best “darkhorse” options as the starting quarterback for a Top 10 team looking to have its best season in school history — a year removed from its best season in school history.
Dart led the Rebels to their first 11-win year in 2023, accounting for 31 total touchdowns to just five picks. He’ll have even more weapons to work with this season, as Ole Miss has gone all-in on marquee portal additions like former All-SEC wideout Juice Wells, FAU receiver Devin Price and Va. Tech tight end Dae’Quan Wright.
If Dart can lead the Rebels to the College Football Playoff, then he should easily have the stats operating Lane Kiffin’s offense to merit serious consideration for the award.
6. QB Cam Ward, Miami
The Hurricanes’ quarterback is among the most valuable transfers this past cycle and is far and away the ACC’s top candidate to win the Heisman Trophy this fall.
Ward is a touchdown-maker (61 total in two seasons at Wazzu) and a big-time trash-talker who now plays for a program desperate to become nationally relevant again. If he proves to be the missing piece for Mario Cristobal’s team, and helps lead the ‘Canes to perhaps their first ACC Championship or a berth in the College Football Playoff, Ward may have the best narrative arc of any contender in 2024.
7. QB Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
Leonard could be a sneaky darkhorse candidate in 2024, as the former Duke transfer will now be in the spotlight playing quarterback for one of the most popular brands in the sport.
He definitely must see a huge uptick in production after totaling just seven touchdowns in an injury-riddled 2023 season, but Leonard will be surrounded by much better talent (especially at offensive line and receiver). Leonard did have 33 total touchdowns in 2022 when he led the Blue Devils to one of their best seasons in school history. If he leads the Irish back to the CFP, then he’ll be on the shortlist of candidates with a spot in New York City.
8. QB Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
Iamaleava has started just a single game in his career, yet the Vols’ phenom has Top-10 Heisman Trophy odds because of his unique talent, situation and sky-high expectations.
The former 5-star recruit will operate one of the most QB-friendly schemes, and in Josh Heupel’s system, Iamaleava should put up monster numbers — as both a passer and runner.
Tennessee is considered a fringe CFP contender this fall, but if Iamaleava shines in showcase games against Oklahoma, Alabama or Georgia, then he could be the exact type of candidate (name cache + stats + raw upside) who wins the award on a 9-3 or 10-2 team (think Tim Tebow or Jayden Daniels).
9. QB Will Howard, Ohio State
Howard’s odds are super-inflated (+1300 — fourth-best nationally) considering the Kansas State transfer still hasn’t even been named the Buckeyes’ official starter yet. But that’s the potential for being QB1 for Ohio State — especially this Ohio State team.
The Buckeyes have better players than Will Howard — on both offense and defense — but the quarterback is going to get the most shine, and if Howard can do what CJ Stroud and Kyle McCord could not — beat Michigan and win the Big Ten title — then he’s going to get an invite to New York City.
10. QB Noah Fifita, Arizona
The Wildcats’ star had the best freshman season of any quarterback in 2023, throwing for 25 touchdown passes and completing 73% of his passes despite starting just nine games. He and his best friend/top target Tetairoa McMillan then chose to stay at Arizona, opting not follow head coach Jedd Fisch to Washington.
After leading the Wildcats to a 10-win season in 2023, Fifita is looking to pilot the program to a Big 12 title in their first year in the conference. If he manages to pull that off (which would mean needing to beat teams like Kansas, Oklahoma State and Utah), Fifita could become the first Arizona player to ever be invited to NYC for the Heisman Trophy ceremony.
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While it is unlikely that LSU would produce back-to-back winners, quarterback Garrett Nussmeier at least bears mentioning based on his upside. The Tigers must replace 1st-round receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., but they have maybe the best OL in the country and have restocked the receiver room. Nussmeier has put up gaudy numbers in spot duty, and now it’s his show.
Drew Allar had a touchdown-to-INT ratio of 25-2 last season, but the rest of his statistics were nowhere near up to snuff to contend for a spot in NYC (just 6.7 yards per attempt, 59.9% completion). But what if his 5-star traits are unlocked by new Penn State offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki? What if Allar becomes an even more dynamic version of Jalon Daniels — only on a Top 12-ish team with a chance to make the College Football Playoff?
If the junior can help the Nittany Lions smash their glass ceiling as a program and beat Ohio State to get to the Big Ten Championship then he could become the first PSU quarterback invited to New York since Kerry Collins 30 years ago.
Lastly, a quarterback is winning the Heisman Trophy barring a truly outlier performance by either a running back or receiver. Alabama’s DeVonta Smith and Derrick Henry are the lone non-quarterbacks to win the award in the last 15 years. No defensive player has won the Heisman Trophy since Charles Woodson in 1997.
But if there’s one candidate in college football this fall who could break through it might be Colorado’s two-way star Travis Hunter.
He’s the most versatile player in the sport (Paul Hornung Award winner in 2023) and the former 5-star recruit has the story (spurning Florida State to play for HBCU Jackson State) and career-arc (following Deion Sanders to Colorado and playing the most snaps of any player in the country in 2023) that will draw the attention of plenty of award voters.
If Hunter, who is the cover-art athlete for the return of the EA Sports College Football 25 video game, produces a superstar season as both a receiver (where he had 57 catches and five touchdowns last season) and corner (three picks and five pass breakups) + Colorado manages to exceed expectations, then he could be the exact type of outlier candidate (see: Charles Woodson, only more explosive offensively) who emerges as the popular darkhorse choice.