Top 10 Heisman Trophy contenders per USA TODAY

All four of last year’s Heisman Trophy finalists have moved on to the NFL, leaving the field for this year’s race absolutely wide open. Fear not, though, there are plenty of legitimate contenders remaining.

In fact, USA TODAY broke down the top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates going into the season, and it’s an excellent place to start this year’s discussion.

Quarterbacks are heavy on the list, as always, but there are also some options from off the beaten path who could garner interest this year. Let’s dive into the full list from USA TODAY below.

QB Quinn Ewers, Texas

After guiding Texas to the College Football Playoffs for the first time in 2023, Ewers is back with another year of experience under his belt. He’s among the most experienced quarterbacks in the country and he certainly has the name recognition at this point — he’s one of three cover athletes for EA Sports College Football 25.

Ewers was productive a year ago but didn’t have Heisman Trophy type numbers, checking in with 3,161 passing yards and 21 touchdowns, against just six interceptions. He also ran for five scores. He’ll have to up his touchdown production if he hopes to win the big award this fall.

QB Carson Beck, Georgia

Few quarterbacks in the country demonstrated the kind of growth from Game 1 to Game 12 as Beck did, and he was absolutely on fire by the time the postseason rolled around. He’ll also have the motivation now, having been beaten in the SEC Championship Game by Alabama, a loss that prevented Georgia from reaching the College Football Playoff.

The big question about Beck isn’t necessarily his ability but his surrounding cast. He lost some absolute superstars at the skill positions, though the Bulldogs hit the transfer portal hard hoping to restock the ranks. Will that be enough for him to pick up right where he left off?

QB Dillon Gabriel, Oregon

Transferring from Oklahoma to Oregon, Gabriel walks into a situation where he has considerably large shoes to fill. Bo Nix is gone after becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist a year ago. While the two have some similarities in their game, Gabriel also offers his own twist on things.

Gabriel will also have an elite set of receivers to work with in Tez Johnson and Evan Stewart, who are both garnering recognition as some of the best wideouts in the country this year. Gabriel is coming off his best year passing, having thrown for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns, against just six interceptions. He also scored 12 times on the ground.

QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama

Perhaps one of the only players on this list who can rival Beck for best start-to-finish improvement, Milroe recaptured the starting job after losing it just two games into the 2023 campaign. He’s been electric ever since, slowly showing improvement and increased understanding of how he can beat defenses.

Milroe is a monster with his legs, so seeing how much he can develop as a passer to further stress defenses will be key. He’ll also be working in a new offense, so seeing how he fits into Kalen DeBoer‘s system will be fascinating.

RB Ollie Gordon II, Oklahoma State

The only running back on the list for USA TODAY — and only one of two non-quarterbacks — Gordon heads into the 2024 season with plenty to build on. He’ll be the anchor around which the Cowboys build offensively in 2024.

After rushing for just 263 yards in 2022, Gordon exploded to run for 1,614 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2023, showing remarkable improvement. He also caught 37 passes for 326 yards and a touchdown, so he’s one of the best all-around weapons in the nation.

QB Will Howard, Ohio State

After transferring from Kansas State to Ohio State this offseason, Howard won the starting quarterback job for the Buckeyes midway through fall camp. Coaches have raved about his improvement level, especially in terms of recall of the playbook, from spring ball until now.

Howard will also have some of the best weapons in the country around him, from Ole Miss running back transfer Quinshon Judkins to receivers Emeka Egbuka and Jeremiah Smith. Howard threw for only 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns a year ago, but don’t be surprised if both of those numbers soar in 2024.

QB Cam Ward, Miami

Yet another transfer quarterback on this list, Ward is getting Heisman Trophy talk because of his elite ability. He’s been praised this fall for being able to pick things up incredibly quickly, to the point that he’s already been teaching his teammates despite being such a newcomer.

And if you want to talk about capable, Ward threw for 6,963 yards and 48 touchdowns at Washington State, while also rushing for 13 touchdowns. It’ll be interesting to see how he fits into the Hurricanes offense this fall.

QB Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee

The Tennessee quarterback takes over after a slightly disappointing step back for the team and the offense under former quarterback Joe Milton. Iamaleava can make that all a distant memory very quickly if he lives up to his billing and plays to his capability, which he showed in the team’s bowl game last year.

In that game against Iowa, Iamaleava went 12-of-19 passing for 151 yards and a touchdown, but he also ran for three touchdowns. Generally speaking, he operated the offense calmly and collectedly, helping push Tennessee to a convincing 35-0 win. Tennessee fans will want to see more of that this fall.

QB Sheduer Sanders, Colorado

The Colorado quarterback is perhaps one of the most difficult prospects to get a handle on, if only because the talent he was surrounded by last season was so subpar. USA TODAY has few doubts, though, putting Sanders right on the Heisman Trophy watch list.

Sanders just needs to be kept on his feet. When he has a chance to set and throw he is quite good, flashing that by throwing for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns despite playing behind one of the nation’s most porous lines. If he gets a little more help, watch out.

CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado

The two-way Colorado star has been one of the nation’s most intriguing players, in part because of how seamlessly he stepped up to a new level of competition and still thrived last year. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a two-way player with as much top-end ability as Hunter.

Whether he can continue to sustain that — and stay healthy — going forward will be worth watching. But at his best Hunter is a dangerous threat in the passing game and a potential game-changer on defense.

There you have it, USA TODAY Sports’ list of the top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates heading into the 2024 season. As usual, it’s a bit quarterback heavy, but that’s how the award typically plays out. In any case, it’s a great group of stars, ones that’ll be worth watching regardless of whether they really contend for college football’s top award.