Last season, the Big 12 Conference took home its first Heisman Trophy since 2018, as Colorado's Travis Hunter won the award. Hunter was the first Big 12 Heisman winner to represent a school other than Oklahoma since Baylor's Robert Griffin III won in 2011.
Now, the conference is looking to produce back-to-back Heisman winners, with only one player (Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt) among the preseason betting favorites.
After helping lead the Sun Devils to the College Football Playoff last season, Leavitt feels like the Big 12's best hope. But here are some other Big 12 players who could be sleepers in the 2025-26 Heisman Trophy Race.
Arizona
QB Noah Fifita
Fifita is Arizona's most well-known player nationally and for good reason. He plays the game in an electrifying and exciting way and has been productive doing so -- throwing for nearly 6,000 yards and 43 touchdowns over the past two seasons. He led the Wildcats to a 10-win season in his first year as a starter after years of being one of the worst teams in the country.
However, the interceptions piled up last year, and Arizona stumbled to a 4-8 record. If Arizona contends in the Big 12 this season, it will likely be because Fifita has taken steps forward and become one of the country's truly elite players.
Arizona State
WR Jordyn Tyson
Tyson is the leading returning wide receiver in the Big 12, amassing 1,101 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first season in Tempe. He was also the conference's Offensive Newcomer of the Year and clearly missed during the College Football Playoff and the Big 12 Championship after suffering a season-ending injury. If he can stay healthy this season and Arizona State builds on its success, Jordyn Tyson should be one of the best receivers in the nation and have a shot to enter the Heisman race.
Baylor
QB Sawyer Robertson
Baylor's starting quarterback returns after taking over for DeQuan Finn three games into last season and leading the Bears to an 8-5 record. Individually, his season was one of the best Baylor has had from a quarterback -- throwing for over 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns to set high expectations entering his final year in Waco.
BYU
RB LJ Martin
BYU's running game will have to take center stage if quarterback Jake Retzlaff's legal troubles keep him out of the lineup. That would mean a heavy dose of Martin, who has proven to be a more than capable starting running back.
Martin led the Cougars with 718 rushing yards last season and scored a team-high seven touchdowns. His season earned him honorable mention All-Big 12 honors, and he was the Offensive MVP of the Valero Alamo Bowl after running for 88 yards and scoring twice. He's taken a step forward each season, which could result in some hardware this season.
UCF
RB Jaden Nixon
UCF doesn't have a ton of options for potential Heisman contenders, so we'll go with Nixon. The Western Michigan transfer began his college career at Oklahoma State as a three-star recruit, and ran for 921 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. Now, he'll get a chance to show what he can do in the Big 12 and become an impactful player for Scott Frost's return to Orlando. Another season like 2024 would have him among the top backs in the conference.
Cincinnati
RB Tawee Walker
Walker was a bright spot for the Wisconsin offense last season, adding signs of a competent running game with 864 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Running back Corey Kiner was the Bearcats' best weapon last year, and Walker's 1,439 yards and 17 career touchdowns should make Cincinnati's running game strong again.
Colorado
QB Kaidon Salter
Colorado has a new quarterback, but he's another experienced and accomplished player. Salter was a four-year starter at Liberty, leading the Flames to 37 wins and a New Year's Six bowl after transferring from Tennessee. During that time, he amassed nearly 8,000 total yards and 77 touchdowns while becoming one of the top Group of 5 players.
He's one of the most explosive quarterbacks in the country, and now he gets a chance to return to a power conference, There will be plenty of pressure on him as the successor to Shedeur Sanders., but Kaidon Salter can be one of the top players in the country if it all works out.
Houston
QB Conner Weigman
Weigman showed flashes of potential at Texas A&M but was never quite able to get going. Because of that, he and his coaches constantly had to answer questions about his future and job security. He also had some injuries derail parts of previous seasons.
At Houston, he can run the offense without having to look over his shoulder when fully healthy.previous coaching staffs have commended his talent and ability, and he can be an elite quarterback if Willi Fritz and his staff can finally unlock it.
Iowa State
QB Rocco Becht
Becht finished 11th nationally in passing yards and 20th in touchdown passes last season while leading the Cyclones to an 11-win season. He's also thrown a touchdown pass in 18 straight games. He's quickly climbing the program quarterback record boards and is one of the top returning signal-callers in the conference for a team that should be a Big 12 contender.
Kansas
QB Jalon Daniels
Daniels has been a Heisman sleeper for a few years now, but he has yet to keep his candidacy for a full season. When healthy, he's a clear difference-maker on the field, and Kansas becomes a different team when it can rely on his services, but he's missed 14 games since 2022.
He now has a total of 6,751 passing yards and 1,047 rushing yards with 64 total touchdowns in his career. He'll have to cut back on the interceptions after throwing 12 last season, and Kansas' success (or lack of) on the field will affect his chances.
Kansas State
QB Avery Johnson
Johnson is a true dual-threat with over 900 yards and 4 touchdowns on the ground to go with more than 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns through the air. The junior is already among the program's all-time leaders in passing efficiency, passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, and touchdowns responsible for.
Plus he can brealk into the top 10 among quarterback ruhsing yard leaders this season. Kansas State runs an offense that will allow him to get there. and he can become a household name if Kansas State contends in the Big 12.
Oklahoma State
RB Trent Howland
Oklahoma State's most successful teams have an elite running back, and Howland may be next. The Cowboys have some things to figure out if it wants to compete this year, but Howland could be a focal point for the offense. He sat behind Gordon last season and made the most of his carries. That experience should help him shoulder the load this season.
TCU
QB Josh Hoover
The junior quarterback had a historic year in his first full season as TCU's starter, breaking Trevone Boykin's single-season passing yards record with 3,949 yards. He also finished among the program's top single-season performers in touchdown passes and completion percentage and had the most completions of 20 yards or more of any returning starting quarterback in the country.
He also has three receivers with over 1,000 career receiving yards to help drive a potent passing attack.
Texas Tech
QB Behren Morton
Like many on this list, a successful season for Texas Tech likely means a big season for Morton. The Red Raiders have had high hopes for the former four-star recruit, who took over as the team's starter part-way through his sophomore season in 2023.
He is among the top-10 in Texas Tech history in completions, touchdown passes, passing yards, passing attempts, and total offense. Morton also has a chance to become the fourth quarterback in program history to surpass 10,000 passing yards, joining Graham Harrell, Kliff Kingsbury, and Patrick Mahomes. The other three were all finalists for the Heisman, so don't be surprised if Morton makes a push.
Utah
QB Devon Dampier
Dampier accomplished plenty in 21 games at New Mexico. He's another dual-threat quarterback who tortured the Mountain West Conference with his arms and his legs, leading the conference in yards per carry while finishing third in rushing yards and second in passing yards. Utah often contends in the Big 12, but with Cam Rising's abrupt retirement, the Utes need a quarterback to step up. Dampier's experience makes him a viable candidate.
West Virginia
QB Nicco Marchiol
The former US Army All-American and top-300 high school recruit gets his chance to win the starting job after making two starts last year. He doesn't have much experience entering the season, but he's the favorite to win the quarterback competition, and whoever that is has the best chance to put the Mountaineers into the Heisman race.