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From Tebow to Cam to Lamar: Ranking every Heisman winner this century

By Cody Williams

TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 29, 2008: Tim Tebow, #15 quarterback of the University of Florida Gators football team celebrates after a big play during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on November 29, 2008. The Gators won 45-15. (Photo by Jim Burgess/University of Florida/Collegiate Images/Getty Images)
TALLAHASSEE, FL - NOVEMBER 29, 2008: Tim Tebow, #15 quarterback of the University of Florida Gators football team celebrates after a big play during the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, Florida on November 29, 2008. The Gators won 45-15. (Photo by Jim Burgess/University of Florida/Collegiate Images/Getty Images) /
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USC’s Reggie Bush breaks a run during the second quarter as No. 2 Texas beat No. 1 USC 41-38, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
USC’s Reggie Bush breaks a run during the second quarter as No. 2 Texas beat No. 1 USC 41-38, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) /

11. Reggie Bush, USC (2005)

Reggie Bush’s Heisman Trophy is not vacated for the purpose of these rankings. We all remember his exploits, him accepting the award and all the fanfare came with it. No matter what the NCAA says, it happened.

While that may be true, Bush’s 2005 season was fantastic but not as eye-popping as you might remember. He rushed for 1,740 yards and 16 touchdowns, owned 478 receiving yards and two receiving scores, amassed 493 kickoff return yards and had 179 punt return yards with another score. All of that is impressive and makes him a great all-purpose player that was a joy to watch. But when you put it up against other winners, it’s simply middle-of-the-road.

10. Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (2012)

Fun fact: Johnny Manziel actually threw for 400 more yards and 11 more touchdowns as a redshirt sophomore in 2013 when he finished fifth in Heisman voting than he did in 2012 when he won the award. The difference, however, was Johnny Football using his wheels more in his first season as the Aggies’ starter.

Make no mistake, Manziel still slung the rock as a redshirt freshman, throwing for 3,706 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. What set him apart from the pack, though, was his 1,410 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns on the ground that season. It was a remarkable season for one of the most polarizing players college football has ever seen.

9. Jameis Winston, Florida State (2013)

Considering that Jameis Winston was given the keys to the Florida State offense as a redshirt freshman, we should’ve expected the youngster to have the goods — and, man, did he ever. Winston hit the ground running in his first season, throwing for 4,057 yards, 40 touchdowns and (shockingly for Jameis) only 10 interceptions. He added four rushing scores as well.

While Winston regressed in his sophomore season and has failed to ever find his footing truly in the NFL, that doesn’t diminish just how great his 2013 season was, even in comparison to many other Heisman-winning campaigns.

8. Robert Griffin III, Baylor (2011)

In his freshman season at Baylor, Robert Griffin III flashed potential but that was put on hold when a knee injury brought his initial sophomore season to a halt. However, he came back strong as a redshirt sophomore, setting the stage for a groundbreaking redshirt junior season that put him atop the college football world.

RG3 threw for 4,293 yards while completing 72.4 percent of his passes, tossing 37 touchdowns and only throwing six picks on the year. Furthermore, the track star showed off his wheels with 699 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Especially coming from the Bears, it was unlike many things we’d seen with the enthralling manner that Griffin dominated in his campaign to win the award.

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