USA TODAY Sports preseason glance at the Heisman favorites is loaded with quarterbacks.
Texas QB Arch Manning finally becomes the Longhorns’ unquestioned starter.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith is the strongest non-QB contender for the Heisman Trophy entering the 2025 season.
One year after Travis Hunter became the most unconventional Heisman Trophy winner in the award’s history by virtue of his both-ways brilliance for Colorado, look for the 2025 race to drift back toward tradition by focusing on a class of very specific and traditional contenders: high-profile and productive quarterbacks playing for the nation’s best teams.
With the regular season just weeks away, the closest thing to an alternative option is Ohio State sophomore Jeremiah Smith, who after one year with the Buckeyes is beginning to build a case for being counted among the best wide receivers in recent Bowl Subdivision history.
Otherwise, USA TODAY Sports preseason glance at the Heisman favorites is loaded with quarterbacks such as Arch Manning, Cade Klubnik and Drew Allar.
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Manning has the name recognition to cruise to the Heisman – something his famous grandfather and uncles didn’t achieve – but will spend his debut year as the starter at Texas under a blindingly bright spotlight.
His obvious ability and the Longhorns’ surrounding talent makes Manning the early favorite, with Klubnik, Allar and others just behind. Here are the eight players to watch heading into regular season:
QB Arch Manning, Texas
Manning was very good in limited duty as a redshirt freshman, completing 61 of 90 attempts for 939 yards with 13 combined scores, four on the ground. But he also did the overwhelming majority of that work early in the year, against opponents such as Texas-San Antonio, Louisiana-Monroe and Mississippi State. From October on, Manning made 12 pass attempts for 38 yards while running for 26 yards and a touchdown. Basically, there is much to prove but plenty to like about how well he’ll play as the Longhorns’ unquestioned starter.
QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson
Klubnik started coming into his own in 2024 to help deliver Clemson’s eighth ACC championship in the past decade. He also hit a few speedbumps, as in the opener against Georgia and later losses to Louisville and South Carolina. Consistency will be key for the senior to deliver the first Heisman in program history. As with Manning, though, Klubnik will be surrounded by a terrific supporting cast and could have his team at or near the top of the polls heading into the postseason.
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Smith is a transcendent talent capable of changing the complexion of every game Ohio State plays. Virtually unguardable as a freshman, when he delivered 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 scores, Smith’s reliability will be even more vital given the Buckeyes’ offseason changes at quarterback and offensive coordinator. He’ll have plenty of opportunities to deliver a Heisman moment, beginning with a non-conference home against the top-ranked Longhorns to open the year.
QB Drew Allar, Penn State
Allar could check all the boxes for the Heisman. He’ll play alongside an elite backfield, throw to a deeper receiver corps than in 2024 and take snaps in front of the strongest offensive line of the James Franklin era. Importantly, the senior could lead the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten championship and one of the top seeds in the College Football Playoff. Throw in a nice framing device – the attempt to bounce back from the interception he tossed to end last year’s loss to Notre Dame in the national semifinals – and Allar has all the ingredients for a run at the award.
QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU
The only returning 4,000-yard passer from last season, Nussmeier will put up Heisman-level numbers in one of the nation’s two strongest conferences. Whether the senior can rise to Heisman frontrunner status depends on where LSU falls in the SEC and playoff chase: Will Nussmeier’s numbers have an empty-calories feel amid another disappointing season for the Tigers? Or is this team ready to take the leap and make Nussmeier the program’s third Heisman-winning quarterback in six years? Regardless, he could land at or near the top of next year’s NFL draft by improving his touch and ball placement while trimming his turnover-worthy plays.
QB John Mateer, Oklahoma
How Mateer’s game translates from Washington State to Oklahoma will determine whether Oklahoma can rebound from last season’s disastrous SEC debut and solidify coach Brent Venables’ weakened job security. If the SEC doesn’t prove too much for Mateer and former WSU offensive coordinator Ben Arbuckle, the Sooners could add three or four wins to become the surprise team in the Power Four. Mateer had 44 combined touchdowns and ranked eighth nationally in efficiency rating last season.
QB LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina
Sellers is a burgeoning star for the Gamecocks who might be one year away from being a top-end Heisman contender. But the sophomore could be a legitimate option this fall should he match his run over the second half of 2024 and push South Carolina into the playoff after coming up just short last season. Sellers accounted for 17 touchdowns and ran for 166 yards on 10.4 yards per carry against rival Clemson as USC won six in a row to end the regular season.
QB Sam Leavitt, Arizona State
Leavitt will need to take on an even larger role as the Sun Devils rework things offensively to offset the loss of star running back Cam Skattebo. The sophomore should be up to the challenge after throwing for 2,885 yards and 24 touchdowns against six interceptions in 2024.