An early look at some Heisman favorites

Alright all you Kinneybroz fans. As you can see we are doing a little changing around on our blog and we are working on a new name. We are still going to post and keep all our information up to date and keep adding our thoughts to the great sport of college football. 

That being said here are our early favorites for the Heisman, with a couple dark horse picks. As always let us know what you think and if you do not like what we say let us know we always love the conversation. Drop a comment on the blog or tweet at us @307CollegeFB on twitter. 

Thanks for reading and check back soon as we unveil our preseason top five and our season conference predictions. Enjoy!

Alabama Quarterback A.J. McCarron, Sr.

McCarron has the chance to be the best player on the best team, but his problem is he will be contending with a teammate in tailback T.J. Yeldon. Last season he led the nation in passing efficiency and has won two national titles. Good thing for him his team is the best in the country and he has some serious weapons to help him put up big numbers. If Alabama makes a serious run, which I am sure it will, at the national championship McCarron should be at least invited to New York for the Heisman Presentation. I think McCarron is a top three candidate to start the season.

Ohio State Quarterback Braxton Miller, Jr.

Miller is a great player and great rusher, but for him to have a serious chance at the Heisman he is going to have to learn how to throw the ball. Ohio State will probably still go 12-0, but his numbers and furthermore his chances at winning the trophy are going to be totally dependent on how well he can throw the ball. I am sure he will pile up the yards on the ground, but for a quarterback to win this award they need at least 2,500 yards passing and 25-plus touchdowns. As with McCarron he could be the best player on the best team and is not competing with a teammate, but I would call him an outside favorite at this point in time.

Texas A&M Quarterback Johnny Manziel, So.

I know that everyone and their dog and even their cat is calling a repeat for Manziel, but I just do not see it this season. No doubt he has the talent an ability to rack up 3,700 yards passing and 1,400 yards rushing with 47 total touchdowns, but those SEC defensive coordinators have had an entire offseason to study and game plan for him (they didn’t have that last season). Manziel will put up some serious numbers again but I just don’t see the video game type numbers again. People are forgetting what loss of left tackle Luke Joeckel will mean for Manziel. Because he is the reigning winner I call Manziel a top three candidate so far.

South Carolina Defensive End Jadeveon Clowney, Jr.

It is tough to even make this list as a defensive player but when you have a season like Clowney did last season it is pretty hard to leave him off the list. He had 13 sacks and 23.5 tackles for loss last season. No doubt he is the best defensive player in the country and if he puts up those numbers again he could be walking away from New York with some hardware. What could really help his stock is if, the Gamecocks could get on a roll and have a chance at the SEC and national title. If they get that fare he has had a major impact on it.

Georgia Quarterback Aaron Murray, Sr.

Murray has had one hell of a career at Georgia, he is going to be on top of a lot of SEC passing records when he leaves after 2013. So far he has more than 10,000 yards passing and 95 touchdowns. Good thing for him also his Bulldogs are loaded this season. Here is another player that could really benefit from his team having a big season. If the Dawgs are on a roll that means Murray has been on a roll. Same as with Clowney if the Dawgs are challenging for an SEC or national title he could be very close in the mix for this trophy at the end of the season. Right now I call him top five.

Louisville Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, Jr.

One thing Bridgewater will benefit from in his run at the Heisman this season is a pathetically soft schedule. He had a breakout season last year with 3,700 yards passing and 27 touchdowns to go along with a 68 percent completion percentage. He is one of the best quarterbacks in the country and if he plays like it this season leading his team to an undefeated regular season he should at least make it to New York as a finalist. I think Bridgewater is on the outside of the top five looking in right now and could be called one of the dark horse candidates for the Heisman.

Clemson Quarterback Tajh Boyd, Sr.

Boyd put up huge numbers last season and has a chance to put up even bigger numbers this season. He tossed for 3,800 yards last season and more than 30 touchdowns while leading his team to an 11-win season and a huge victory over LSU in The Chick-fil-A bowl. If Boyd can replicate those huge, huge numbers from last season his team will be looking at another double-digit win total and he will be a finalist for the Heisman. I like to call Boyd a top five candidate to start the season.

Notre Dame Defensive End Stephon Tuitt, Jr.

Tuitt is the true dark horse out of this group, but if the Irish make another run at the national championship he will have a lot to do with it. Tuitt is as important to the Notre Dame defense as Clowney is for the South Carolina defense. Tuitt had 12 sacks and 13 tackles for loss last season. He has a chance to do that again this year and have an even bigger year. Tuitt is a stud and one of the best defensive ends in the country. It would be really hard for him to surpass Clowney to win this award, but you never know how each players team could play. He is a real dark horse and it would be tough for him to make it to New York for the presentation, but stranger things have happened.

Arizona Running Back Ka’Deem Carey, Jr.

Carey is a stud and returns as an All-American and the nation’s leading rusher after nearly racking up 2,000 yards last season and scoring 23 touchdowns. Carey rushed for 148 yards per game last year in Rich Rod’s high-flying offense. Problem for Carey is his team is not really going to be that good and most of the time you will see the Heisman go to the best player on the best team in the country. Other problem is he is not the best player in the conference behind Mariota. If he can replicate last season and even get to 2,000 yards he could very well be in the conversation for the Heisman.  I think to start the season Carey has an outside chance at the Heisman and could be just out of the top five.

Oregon Quarterback Marcus Mariota, So.

Mariota threw for 2,677 yards last season and tossed 32 touchdowns all while completing 68.5 percent of his passes. He can also do it on the ground with 752 yards last season and five touchdowns. No doubt he has a chance to do that again if not better. First-year offensive coordinator Scott Frost said he would like the Ducks offense to run even faster than it has in previous years (if that is even possible). Mariota no doubt has the weapons and the line to make a run at the Heisman. Look out if this kid and the Ducks get on a roll. Mariota is like Carey, outside chance at the Heisman to start the season.