Fernando Mendoza was crowned the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, reinvigorating the idea that quarterbacks dominate the most prestigious award in college football. He’s most likely headed to the NFL Draft so there probably won’t be a repeat Heisman winner. That means it’s time to look at what the 2026 Heisman race could hold.
One thing I won’t do is fall down the trap many college football analysts did ahead of the 2025 season and glorify Arch Manning. He could be in the race at some point in the season, but as a favorite, he’s not quite there yet for me.
Names like Julian Sayin, Ty Simpson and Marcel Reed should all be in consideration just off the strength that they were in the race deep into this season, but are there other names to watch out for? Could a non-quarterback make enough of an impact to lift the Heisman Trophy next year?
On top of that, we’ll look into some of the names you either haven’t heard of or forgotten about that could very well crash the party in 2026 with a big season.
Heisman Trophy: Way-too-early 2026 favorites for college football’s top award
Julian Sayin, Ohio State Buckeyes
The Big Ten championship game became a de facto Heisman Trophy decider with the winner of the game getting the edge. That’s what happened as Sayin didn’t even finish runner-up in this year’s race. Expect him to be one of the first names this offseason as a favorite. He threw for over 3,000 yards with more than 30 touchdown passes in his first season as the starter. With his top target in Jeremiah Smith returning, this offense should be just as explosive as it was this past season.
Marcel Reed, Texas A&M Aggies
Marcel Reed was a late addition to the Heisman race, but a dud against Texas ended his campaign short of being a finalist this year. He’ll be a name to watch coming into the season. He was dynamic as a passer and runner and you have to think there will be a lot of hype around him and the Aggies when the season starts. He finished 2025 with more than 2,900 passing yards and rushed for 466.
Ahmad Hardy, Missouri Tigers
Ahmad Hardy was the victim of playing on a team that just didn’t win enough this year. He was one of the best running backs in college football and though it’s hard for non-quarterbacks to get the recognition, it’s fair to think Hardy is good enough to enter the conversation next season. He finished with 1,560 yards and 16 touchdowns for his second-straight season with over 1,300 rushing yards.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State Buckeyes
The hype around Jeremiah Smith has died down since his breakout freshman season. That said, he’s still a player to watch that could be the next wide receiver to win the Heisman. He had more of a lowkey season this year, despite being one of the top receivers. He finished with 1,086 receiving yards and 11 touchdown catches. He could make the argument to win the award with a good season.
Ty Simpson, Alabama Crimson Tide
Ty Simpson kind of fell off toward the end of the season, but he did stay in the Heisman race for much of the season. If he decides to go back to Alabama and forego the NFL Draft, he should be one of the early names to watch. He’ll have to play more consistently to be a serious contender, but I’d like to think he’d be a name to watch ahead of the season.
5 dark horse Heisman candidates that could shake up the Heisman race
Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss Rebels
Had the Heisman race not already been littered with so many quarterbacks you have to think Kewan Lacy would have been in the thick of the race. He rushed for 1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns this past season, leading the Rebels to the College Football Playoff. I don’t think he’ll be one of the early favorites, but I could see him crashing the party with a strong start to 2026.
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal Bears
To be a quarterback in the Heisman Trophy race, you don’t just have to have the numbers, you have to win. I don’t know if Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is going to separate himself, California is going to have to win. The Bears turned Mendoza into a Heisman winner, though he had to leave for the Big Ten to get the award. You have to think Sagapolutele can do it too after his freshman season. He threw for 3,117 yards with 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He’s not much of a dual threat guy so he’ll have to improve as a passer and most importantly win. It’s not irrational, though, to think he could enter the conversation.
Jadan Baugh, Florida Gators
Jadan Baugh was the only bright spot on last year’s team. In a year where things spiraled out of control, the head coach got fired mid-year and the team played well below their expectations, Baugh was one player that showed the potential of Florida’s offense. Baugh finished his sophomore season with 1,170 yards and eight rushing touchdowns. He’ll be a name to watch if he has another strong season.
Malik Washington, Maryland Terrapins
Malik Washington was one of the most exciting true freshmen this season. He started strong, though the Terrapins ended up falling apart. Washington is a player that could rise as a name to watch in 2026. Maryland could be a surprise team next year and if they are good, it will be because of Washington.
Darian Mensah, Duke Blue Devils
Darian Mensah was a player that garnered a lot of attention after transferring from Tulane to Duke last offseason. He led the Blue Devils to an ACC title, but came up short of a College Football Playoff appearance. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Blue Devils became one of the top teams in the ACC again, this time with a legitimate chance to get to the CFP. After all, Mensah threw for 3,646 yards, 30 touchdowns and just five interceptions. If he plays like that AND Duke wins next year, there’s no doubt he could crash the Heisman Trophy race.