The Heisman Trophy has long been, basically, a quarterback award. Wide receiver DeVonta Smith won it in 2020, and defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was at least invited to New York last year for the ceremony, but they may as well change the trophy from a stiff-arming football player to one completing a throwing motion. Again this season, there does seem to be a clear front-runner who emerged late in November to steal the award—because Heisman candidacies are about platform in addition to on-field exploits.
That is why the finalists may not have other clearly great players, like Michigan’s Blake Corum or Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr. Also as far as invites go, the Heisman Trust will not invite players who aren’t within striking distance of winning via the vote tabulation. They can invite as many as five players, but sometimes choose not to for that reason. And so we arrive at this year’s Heisman finalists.
