The Heisman Trophy is college football’s most prestigious individual award. Many winners have become superstar players in the NFL following the conclusion of their collegiate career. With the college football season well underway, the Scout Sports staff has made our picks for who we think will win the Heisman at the end of the year.
LaNorris Sellers
By Ethan Diamond
South Carolina’s redshirt sophomore quarterback entered the season as many people’s darkhorse pick for the Heisman trophy, and a potential first overall pick candidate in next year’s NFL draft. Sellers passed for 2,534 yards on 65 percent completion, with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions in his first year as a starter in 2024, leading the Gamecocks to a 9-4 record.
Shane Beamer has built a respectable program in Columbia, and if Sellers can put together a great season and get South Carolina into the playoffs, it would give him a solid shot at winning the top individual trophy in college football.
Garrett Nussmeier
By Jaylen Harris
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier is primed to be this season’s breakout star, and that’s why he’s my pick to win the Heisman. Nussmeier has the stage to showcase his electric arm talent and confidence in big moments. He’s already proven he can step up under pressure, with flashes of brilliance in past appearances that hinted at his potential.
Surrounded by elite playmakers and backed by LSU’s always-potent offense, Nussmeier has the tools and ability to put up eye-popping numbers. His gunslinger mentality, mixed with improved decision-making, makes him the kind of quarterback who can light up highlight reels and box scores weekly. If he delivers wins on the biggest stages in the SEC, voters won’t be able to ignore him. This year, Nussmeier has all the makings of a Heisman winner.
Ryan Williams
By Ian Manley
Ryan Williams made a hell of an impression his freshman year. He made waves putting up highlight plays against top-tier opponents at 17. He’s heading into his sophomore year with high expectations on an Alabama team reeling from a disappointing 2024-2025 season. One may think winning the Heisman trophy under these circumstances is too tall a task. However, if you’ve seen him play, you know this isn’t your typical college athlete.
His speed and agility are nearly unmatched by any other receiver. His mastery of route running is almost unheard of for someone his age. On top of that, new OC Ryan Grubb had great success with his offensive scheme under HC Kalen DeBoer in Washington and is now reunited with him in Alabama. Along with junior quarterback Ty Simpson emerging as a true bona fide star, Williams has all the talent and support he needs to explode this season. A Heisman isn’t just his future, it’s his destiny.
Rocco Becht
By Paul Swartz
The junior Iowa State quarterback is a long shot for the award, but he’s been as impressive as any player through three games. Leading his team to a 3-0 record with close wins over rivals Iowa and Kansas State, Becht has the Cyclones poised to compete for a Big 12 Championship for the second consecutive year. Becht posted 3,000 passing yards in each of the last two seasons. Last year, he enjoyed the company of Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel, both selected in the first three rounds of the NFL draft. He’ll have to carry more of the burden this year to keep the offense ticking.
It’s unlikely Becht will have the flashiest numbers in the country. Iowa State uses the run game just as much as they pass. What separates Becht is his ability to finish games. This year, he’s already led the Cyclones to close wins over their two biggest rivals, Kansas State and Iowa. The sequence that led to Kyle Konrardy’s game-winning 54-yard field goal against the Hawkeyes was the sixth game-winning drive of Becht’s career. If he can get Iowa State to eleven wins, it’ll be tough to deny he deserves real consideration for college football’s most prestigious award.
John Mateer
By Latif Love
Through two games, Mateer has seven touchdowns, 760 yards, and has completed 71 percent of his passes. The junior has been electric and should lead the Heisman race after Oklahoma’s win versus Michigan. The quarterback is on pace for 4,500 yards and 42 touchdowns. He’ll likely slow down as the Sooners play the tougher teams in the SEC, but will finish the season with gaudy numbers.
Oklahoma has talented receivers, good running backs and an uncharacteristically good defense, which provides a strong ecosystem for Mateer to succeed. If he can lead the Sooners to the playoffs for the first time since 2020, he’ll have his name called in New York early next year.
Carson Beck
By Mark Wagner
A two-time national champion, Miami (FL) quarterback Carson Beck is no stranger to the big stage. Spending five years at Georgia before shockingly transferring, the Hurricanes are 2-0 with Beck at the helm, defeating No. 6 Notre Dame and Bethune-Cookman. The redshirt senior has already thrown for 472 yards and four touchdowns, putting him on track for 2,832 yards and 24 touchdowns by the end of the season.
While other quarterbacks in the Heisman race have closer to 700 yards, Miami (FL)’s strength of schedule is much easier than that of other top programs. The Hurricanes face No. 18 South Florida on Saturday, and after that, they will not play another ranked team in their final nine games of the year. This will give Beck many more chances to bump his statistics up, and having a wide receiver duo of Malachi Toney and CJ Daniels doesn’t hurt either. If all of this adds up perfectly, we may see Carson Beck holding college football’s most prestigious individual award at the end of the season.
