Heisman Trophy 2016: Power ranking the candidates

Here’s how the 2016 Heisman Trophy candidates stack up following the announcement of the five finalists on Monday.

Following the excitement of conference championship weekend, the attention of the college football world will now turn to the race for the 2016 Heisman Trophy.

The Heisman field was trimmed to five finalists on Monday night ahead of the trophy ceremony next Saturday night. Quarterbacks Lamar Jackson, Deshuan Watson and Baker Mayfield will all make the trek to New York next weekend, with wide receiver Dede Westbrook and safety Jabrill Peppers joining the fray.

This season’s Heisman race didn’t provide a ton of drama, as Jackson has been the clear-cut favorite from the start. While it would be a shock if Jackson didn’t win, the finishing order of the rest of the candidates will be interesting to watch.

A number of players will feel snubbed for not at least getting an invite to New York. Washington quarterback Jake Browning has a terrific overall stat line despite a tough end to the season, while Texas running back D’Onta Foreman put up huge numbers for a losing team. San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey also has a case, as he’s on the verge of breaking Ron Dayne’s all-time NCAA rushing record.

Still, it’s hard to argue against replacing one of the five selected finalists. Here’s how the 2016 Heisman Trophy candidates stack up ahead of Saturday’s ceremony.

5. Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma

It takes a truly special effort for a wide receiver to actually win the Heisman Trophy, but Westbrook deserves recognition as a finalist for his outstanding 2016 season.

Westbrook became one of the most sought-after JUCO recruits in the nation two years ago after earning NJCAA All-American honors with Blinn Community College in 2014. While not yet a focal point of the Sooners offense as a junior in 2015, Westbrook established himself as a big-play threat with 46 catches for 743 yards and four touchdowns.

With Sterling Shepard gone to the NFL, Oklahoma figured to count on Westbrook much more in 2016. Westbrook responded with 1,465 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns, both of which ranked in the top five in the nation.

Almost all of that damage came in Big 12 play, as Westbrook had just over 150 yards and no touchdowns through three games. At a staggering 19.8 yards per reception with some of the best open-field moves since Reggie Bush, Westbrook was one of the most entertaining players in the nation to watch, even if much of his production was against shaky defenses.

While the Heisman Trophy is probably out of Westbrook’s reach, he should take home the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver.