15 off-the-radar Heisman Trophy candidates for 2016
By Brad Rowland
No. 1 – Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State
Christian Hackenberg received the great majority of attention at Penn State for the entirety of his college career. In 2015, though, the highly examined quarterback was not even the best player on his own offense. That honor went to true freshman running back Saquon Barkley.
Despite missing three full games and receiving only one carry in the season opener against Temple, Barkley rushed for 1,076 yards and seven touchdowns during his first campaign in Happy Valley. For good measure, the 5-foot-11, 215-pound ball-carrier did so on nearly 6 yards per tote, and Barkley absolutely exploded for 195 yards (on just 26 carries) in a loss to Ohio State on Oct. 17.
Heading into 2016, there is no question about who the starting running back is for the Nittany Lions, and while the quarterback play may take a dip, the offensive line should be improved from previous years. That should aid in providing a pathway to stardom for Barkley, and his considerable talent will push to the forefront as a result.
The trouble, as with many players on this list, for Barkley’s candidacy could come in the form of a “down” year for Penn State record-wise, and that is fair to say. At the same time, he just might run for 1,500-plus yards as a true sophomore, and the ability to produce at that level should garner some notoriety at the very least.
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