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Even though this was my third year as part of the Heisman Trophy electorate, I was just as excited to make my vote this season as I was a couple of years ago. It is one of the most prestigious awards in sports and I take the privilege of voting for it very seriously.
This was a college football season unlike any we have ever seen thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There was a moment this summer when I feared the season wouldn’t happen, which - considering this is my livelihood - scared me to death.
The fact that we made it to the end of the season should be celebrated and I was thrilled to be able to submit my ballot for the Heisman Trophy, as the thought that went into it provided a sense of normalcy.
So without further ado, here is my third Heisman Trophy ballot…
1. Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith
A wide receiver hasn’t won the Heisman Trophy since 1991, when Michigan’s Desmond Howard took home the award. Since then, it’s gone to 20 quarterbacks, seven running backs and one cornerback/punt returner (Michigan’s Charles Woodson in 1997).
It takes a truly special season for a non-quarterback/running back to garner Heisman consideration and I’d say what Smith did in 2020 certainly qualifies as such. He leads the FBS in all three major receiving categories, catching 105 passes for 1,641 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Those numbers are awesome without context, but become even more incredible when you consider Smith compiled them against a schedule that featured only Power Five programs - 10 regular-season SEC games, the SEC Championship Game vs. Florida and the Rose Bowl vs. Notre Dame.
Throw in a rushing touchdown and an impressive 24.3-yard average on nine punt returns - including an 84-yard touchdown against Arkansas - and Smith is the most dynamic player on arguably the most explosive offense in college football history.
I had zero hesitations giving a wide receiver my first-place vote.
2. Florida quarterback Kyle Trask
Heading into the final week of the regular season, I had pretty much settled on Trask as my first-place vote. I wasn’t sold on him as a preseason All-SEC pick, but he quickly showed me I was wrong about that.
Trask threw at least three touchdown passes in each of the first nine games of the season, including six-touchdown performances against Ole Miss and Arkansas. He eclipsed 400 yards three times during that span and threw just three interceptions while completing 71.4 percent of his passes.
All I needed to see from him was a good performance against LSU and at least a solid showing against Alabama in the SEC Championship Game. That didn’t happen. Trask threw a couple of interceptions and lost a fumble in a disastrous first half against a bad LSU team and had another couple of fumbles against the Crimson Tide.
That opened the door for Smith to take the top spot on my ballot, but I didn’t want to punish Trask too severely for a poor finish to an otherwise fantastic season. After all, he still led the country with 4,283 passing yards and 43 touchdowns with only eight interceptions (three of which came in the Cotton Bowl, after my ballot was due).
3. Alabama running back Najee Harris
Similar to last season, I considered several different players with my third-place vote.
Alabama quarterback Mac Jones earned most of the first-team All-SEC accolades ahead of Trask and was one of the four Heisman finalists, but I honestly wasn’t too impressed with him when I saw him play in Fayetteville. He just had a ton of weapons to work with while playing behind an amazing offensive line.
Before the season, Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence was at the top of my list of players to keep an eye on. That seems obvious, considering the success he had the last two years and the fact he’s the top NFL prospect, but I was particularly impressed with how he used his platform to try to save the season. If it was a career award, Lawrence might have been my first-place vote.
Another non-SEC player I considered was Justin Fields, but three interceptions against Indiana and two against Northwestern in the Big Ten Championship Game knocked him firmly off my ballot. Had I seen his Herculean effort in the Sugar Bowl before voting, that might have changed.
Florida tight end Kyle Pitts and BYU quarterback Zach Wilson also got a look from me, but I ultimately settled on Harris. One of those weapons at Jones’ disposal, he has been a stud for Alabama this season. Playing an all-SEC schedule, he has rushed for 1,387 yards and 24 touchdowns while averaging 6.1 yards per carry, plus added 346 receiving yards and three more scores.
What most impresses me about Harris is how physical of a runner he is. It seemed like every time I watched Alabama play, he would always fight through the initial contact and gain an extra few yards.
