Heisman Power Rankings: Darnold, Barkley enter season on top
The start of a new season means it's anybody's game when it comes to the Heisman Trophy. The list is sure to change over the course of what promises to be a topsy-turvy campaign, but heading in, these five stars are the top candidates to capture the 2017 award:
5. Derwin James, S - Florida State
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No defensive player has won the Heisman since Michigan's Charles Woodson in 1997, but James may change that. As a freshman in 2015, James made plays all over the field, establishing himself as one of the nation's best defenders. A knee injury limited him to two appearances last year, but a fully healthy James gives Florida State a difference-maker at the back of its secondary and a legitimate Heisman threat.
4. Lamar Jackson, QB - Louisville
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Four straight relatively modest performances to finish his sophomore campaign wasn't enough to stop Jackson from winning the Heisman in 2016, but it did cause his star to fade somewhat over the winter. He's still the most dynamic quarterback in the country, but with raised expectations for both the player and Louisville, it'll take a near-Herculean effort for Jackson to repeat the feat, something that hasn't been done since Archie Griffin in 1974-75.
3. Baker Mayfield, QB - Oklahoma
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Mayfield finished among the top four in Heisman voting each of the last two seasons, making him a prime contender to prove third times really are the charm. The Oklahoma star threw for 3,965 yards with 40 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2016, and the defensively deficient Big 12 means Mayfield should put up more eye-popping stats in 2017.
2. Saquon Barkley, RB - Penn State
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The consensus top running back in the nation, Barkley promises to be a workhorse out of Penn State's backfield once again. The junior came four yards shy of rushing for 1,500 last season, and had 18 touchdowns on the ground. For all the acclaim he gets as a runner, Barkley is equally worthy of praise in the passing game, where he contributes as a receiver and holds up well in protection, earning comparisons to former Ohio State phenom and current Dallas Cowboys star Ezekiel Elliott.
1. Sam Darnold, QB - USC
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Darnold has just 10 career starts under his belt, but he did enough in that sample to make him the sexy preseason pick to take this season's Heisman. A year of experience should only benefit him, and if he and USC can carry the momentum of last year's finish into this campaign, he'll be tough to knock off as the favorite to both win the Heisman, and become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.