Heisman 2016: 5 reasons Deshaun Watson should win
By John Buhler
1. Watson is the best player on the best team in the ACC
There is no debate. Clemson is the best team in the ACC and Watson is the Tigers’ best player. What Heisman voters have to figure out is who they think is the better starting quarterback in the ACC: Jackson or Watson?
Watson is more of a passer than a scrambler. He does have a pair of wheels he can use to extend plays and get into the end zone. His dual-threat playmaking ability made him a Heisman finalist last year, but his accuracy and pocket presence will make him a top-five pick in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Jackson has elite arm strength, but lacks touch with his sub-60 completion percentage on the year. He’ll have to improve that crucial benchmark to have his game successfully translate to the NFL. As a runner, Jackson humiliates defenses with his legs. His ability to create highlights with his arm and legs makes him a legitimate Heisman favorite on splash plays alone.
Interceptions and a stringent commitment to being a pocket passer in his junior season might be what sinks Watson’s chances at being a Heisman winner. However, his improved play in November combined with Jackson’s so-so 11th month makes this a more interesting race than it was even a month ago.
Clemson is in the College Football Playoff. The Tigers beat all four of their major rivals this season: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Louisville, and South Carolina. Clemson’s only loss was a weird one at home to the Pittsburgh Panthers, who also beat Big Ten Champion Penn State this year.
Louisville fell apart late in the year with losses to Clemson, Group of 5 Houston, and in-state rival Kentucky. In those three games, Jackson played his worst. Watson’s best games of the season include Boston College, Wake Forest, South Carolina, Virginia Tech, and to some degree Louisville.
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Watson is the best player on the best team in the ACC. To some Heisman voters, that will matter. Don’t be shocked if Watson is the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner over Jackson. The race is closer than we think.