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First look at the top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates for 2019

By Cody Williams

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 07: Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa poses with the Heisman Trophy at the New York Stock Exchange on December 7, 2018 at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 07: Alabama Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa poses with the Heisman Trophy at the New York Stock Exchange on December 7, 2018 at the New York Stock Exchange in New York, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TUSCALOOSA, AL – NOVEMBER 10: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide rushes against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, AL – NOVEMBER 10: Tua Tagovailoa #13 of the Alabama Crimson Tide rushes against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB, Alabama

Few players at the highest levels of the sport have made it look as easy as Alabama Crimson Tide sophomore quarterback Tua Tagovailoa did in his first full season as the starting quarterback under Nick Saban. The Ewa Beach, HI native earned the starting job with his work early in the season and pushed the Alabama offense to heights that they had not truly seen before he was named the starter.

For the season, Tua was just lights out and picked up right where he left off in the National Championship Game where he replaced Jalen Hurts and led the Tide to a comeback win. Tagovailoa threw for 3,353 yards, 37 touchdowns and just four interceptions throughout the year, adding 190 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns to his ledger for the 2018 season as well.

What made Tagovailoa’s season as impressive as it was, though, was how simple he made dominance look. Tua took only a handful of snaps in the fourth quarter all season because he was helping the Crimson Tide dominate their competition so heavily. He buried them so quickly that he didn’t even need to play in the final 15 minutes of games, even if the SEC Championship Game was less than stellar from him.

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With Murray heading to the Oakland A’s and Haskins likely going to the NFL, Tagovailoa will be the only returning finalist from the 2018 season. That obviously makes him the front-runner to win in the 2019 season. He will surely be pushed for the top award in college football once again, but he will also surely be heavily in the mix again as well.

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