Fansided

Heisman watch 2018: 10 dark horse Heisman Trophy candidates

By Brad Berreman

ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: McKenzie Milton #10 of the UCF Knights looks to pass in the first half against the Auburn Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JANUARY 01: McKenzie Milton #10 of the UCF Knights looks to pass in the first half against the Auburn Tigers during the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 1, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 10
Next
Mandatory Credit: Todd Kirkland-Getty Images
Mandatory Credit: Todd Kirkland-Getty Images /

9. Drew Lock, QB, Missouri

After leading the country in touchdown passes (44) last year, and leading the SEC in passing yards (3,964), Lock surfaced as an NFL prospect. But he decided to stay for his senior season, rather than join a deep quarterback class for this year’s draft, as former Tennessee head coach and Dallas Cowboys’ wide receivers coach Derek Dooley has replaced Josh Heupel as Missouri’s offensive coordinator.

The Tigers won six straight games to end the 2017 regular season, to finish 7-5 and earn a trip to the Texas Bowl (a 33-16 loss to Texas). During that six-game winning streak Lock had 26 touchdown passes and five interceptions, with over 375 yards through the air three times (over 400 twice) in that span. Going back one more game, Lock threw four touchdowns in a loss to Georgia.

Missouri’s success as a team will drive any potential Heisman candidacy for Lock, and a repeat of last year’s seven wins probably won’t do the trick. Alabama re-appears on the 2018 schedule, and a road trip to take on Florida should be tougher under a new head coach. Add in the typical game within the SEC East against Georgia, albeit at home this year, and a faster start than last year will be a prerequisite for the Tigers.

Then again Lock may put up such great numbers, independent of his team’s win-loss record, that he’ll be impossible to ignore as a Heisman Trophy candidate. As long as the Tigers are trending toward bowl eligibility, Lock’s name stands to be an under-the-radar one in the Heisman conversation for longer than you’d think.