2025 Heisman Trophy favorites: Early top contenders for next year’s award
Each of the four Heisman Trophy finalists, including Colorado’s Travis Hunter Jr., who won the award, will either exhaust their eligibility or head to the NFL after the 2024 college football season. So, there should be a whole new batch of top contenders for the Heisman in 2025.
There are a number of talented players either coming into larger roles or transfers headed to bigger schools next season. There are also many talented freshmen who showed flashes in 2024 and are hoping to build on their first college football season.
Plenty of Heisman candidates also appear out of nowhere from season-to-season, especially with the transfer portal era allowing for players to thrive in new situations. Here’s a list of players to watch for the 2025 Heisman Trophy:
Heisman Trophy contenders 2025
Here are the way-too-early Heisman Trophy contenders for the 2025 season:
QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier proved he can absolutely sling the football in 2024, although the Tigers struggled near the end of the season. He announced his return for the 2025 season – his fifth year of college football and second as LSU’s starter.
The 6-foot-2 quarterback was on the NFL radar after passing for 3,739 yards with 26 touchdowns to 11 interceptions this season and is hoping for a big final season.
QB Arch Manning, Texas
Manning is expected to be Texas’ starter next season after sitting behind Quinn Ewers for each of the past two years.
The former 5-star recruit and top-ranked player of the 2023 recruiting class was solid in his two starts this season, completing 26 of 31 passes for 325 yards with two touchdowns, along with six rushes for 33 yards and another score in a 35-13 win over Mississippi State. Manning also scored five touchdowns in the second half of the Longhorns’ game against UTSA, receiving extended action after an injury to Ewers.
The nephew of Super Bowl-winning quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning will finally have his shot to be the latest Manning in Heisman contention.
WR Ryan Williams, Alabama
Williams, the former 5-star recruit who played the entirety of the 2024 season at 17 years old, was one of the best receivers in the country in his first season at Alabama.
Williams caught 45 passes for 857 yards with eight touchdowns in 2024 and should build upon his performance for what should be his actual freshman season, as he graduated high school early to play for the Crimson Tide.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Another former 5-star recruit, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, like Williams, was one of the best receivers in college football in 2024 as a freshman.
The Buckeyes’ leading receiver caught 57 passes for 934 yards with 10 touchdowns this season, also rushing four times for 47 yards with another score. Smith, who’s expected to catch passes from former 5-star quarterback Julian Sayin, could form one of the best young quarterback-receiver duos in college football next season in Columbus.
QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers struggled early on but got it going late in the season in his first year as the Gamecocks’ starter.
Sellers completed 172 of 265 passes for 2,274 yards with 17 touchdowns to seven interceptions this season, as South Carolina finished 9-3 and narrowly missed out on a College Football Playoff berth. The 6-foot-3, 242-pound signal caller also rushed for 655 yards and seven touchdowns in 2024.
If Sellers plays like he did late in this year for the full 2025 slate, watch out for South Carolina.
QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik took a huge step in 2024, passing for 3,305 yards with 33 touchdowns to five interceptions, while rushing for 458 yards and seven scores.
The Tigers signal caller has one more season of eligibility, although he’d certainly garner plenty of NFL draft interest this offseason. However, he might rather return to Clemson and try and earn a top quarterback spot in the 2026 NFL draft.
Klubnik’s stock could skyrocket with solid performances in the CFP, should he put together a strong performance against No. 5 Texas in the first round.
QB DJ Lagway, Florida
Florida quarterback DJ Lagway showed flashes of brilliance for the Gators in 2024, eventually earning the full-time job after starter Graham Mertz suffered a season-ending injury.
The vibes in Gainesville were bad early in the season, but Lagway turned the Gators around late in the year, leading them to ranked wins over LSU and Ole Miss in back-to-back weeks.
A true freshman in 2024, Lagway was a 5-star recruit in the 2024 class. He finished his first regular season completing 93 of 157 passes for 1,610 yards with 11 touchdowns to seven interceptions and will hope to build on a season of flashes as a sophomore.
QB Drew Allar, Penn State
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar brought the Nittanly Lions to the brink of a Big Ten championship game win over No. 1 Oregon after passing for 226 yards and three touchdowns, while adding another rushing touchdown. He did threw two interceptions, however.
Allar will be entering his third season as the Nittany Lions’ starter, and Penn State should be among the top teams in the country again. The 6-foot-5 passer has been efficient in two years as a starter but has yet to take over games during his career.
Can Allar take the next step in his final season of college eligibility?
RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love averaged a whopping 7.1 yards per carry in 2024, rushing for 949 yards and 15 touchdowns on only 134 carries this season.
An uptick in volume in his junior season could make him one of the most productive running backs in college football in 2025.
Love also caught 22 receptions for 206 yards and two touchdowns in his sophomore season, and the Fighting Irish will surely lean on the running back in the College Football Playoff.
QB Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee
Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava, one of the most talented and physically imposing quarterbacks in college football, was solid in his first season as the Vols’ starter.
Iamaleava completed 199 of 303 passes for 2,512 yards with 19 touchdowns to five interceptions this season, while rushing for 311 yards with another score. The redshirt freshman wasn’t dominant in 2024 but was certainly advanced for his age and limited experience.
The former 5-star recruit will be looking to take on a bigger role in 2025 and potentially be a Heisman candidate.
QB John Mateer, Washington State
John Mateer, a first-year starter at Washington State, has generated a lot of buzz after the regular season as a potential transfer portal candidate. Seven of the top 10 finishers for the 2024 Heisman Trophy were transfers.
Mateer completed 224 of 347 passes for 3,139 yards with 29 touchdowns to seven interceptions this season, while rushing for 826 yards with 15 touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore led the nation in touchdowns.
Mateer, who’s still mulling whether he’ll return to the Cougars, would garner plenty of interest from Power Four schools, similar to that of the quarterback he formerly was the backup to – Miami’s Cam Ward, who finished fourth in Heisman voting this season.
Mateer’s former offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle recently took the same job at Oklahoma and would be an obvious potential landing spot if he decides to enter the transfer portal, although he may very well be a Heisman contender regardless of what school he plays for next year.