The Heisman Trophy is faculty soccer’s high award going to the game’s most excellent participant for that season. For most of the Heisman’s winners, the award will not be the height of their athletic success. Many Heisman Trophy winners take the subsequent step of their careers, advancing to the NFL.
Listed below are all the lively NFL gamers who’ve received the Heisman Trophy as of Dec. 9, 2024.
HEISMAN HISTORY: Prime three finishers all-time | Closest voting finishes | Groups with most winners
QB Jameis Winston | 2013 | Florida State | Cleveland Browns
Florida State QB Jameis Winston turned the youngest participant to ever win the Heisman Trophy in 2013 after an outstanding season. As a redshirt freshman, he set FBS freshman information for passing yards and touchdowns and led Florida State to the BCS Nationwide Championship recreation. Winston added his identify to the uncommon record of gamers to win a nationwide championship and the Heisman Trophy in the identical season.
After yet one more yr at Florida State following his Heisman season, Winston can be chosen first general within the 2015 NFL draft to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Winston received the 2015 Rookie of the Yr Award and made it to the Professional Bowl in his first season. In 2019, Winston led the NFL in passing yards, but in addition led the league in interceptions. Winston would finally depart the Buccaneers for a backup position with the New Orleans Saints in 2020. After a yr holding the clipboard, the previous Heisman Trophy winner was named the Saints beginning quarterback to open the 2021 season.
LOOKING BACK: Florida State QB Winston wins Heisman
QB Marcus Mariota | 2014 | Oregon | Washington Commanders
Marcus Mariota may have declared for the NFL draft in 2014, however he selected to run it again at Oregon for one final hurrah. Mariota’s determination to return was the precise one because the Hawaiian-born quarterback took the Geese offense to new heights in 2014. Mariota threw for 4,454 yards and 42 touchdowns and ran for 770 yards and 15 touchdowns. Oregon superior to the first-ever School Soccer Playoff championship recreation, ending as runners-up. Mariota turned the primary Oregon Duck and Hawaiian-born participant to ever win the Heisman Trophy.
Within the NFL, Mariota has had a rocky profession since being chosen second general within the 2015 NFL draft. Mariota started his profession with the Tennessee Titans and led them to a playoff win in 2017. Nonetheless, accidents and inconsistency signaled Mariota’s exit from Tennessee after 5 years. Mariota has since performed for the Las Vegas Raiders, Atlanta Falcons, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders.
LOOKING BACK: Marcus Mariota’s 2015 Heisman marketing campaign
RB Derrick Henry | 2015 | Alabama | Baltimore Ravens
When Derrick Henry was named the full-time beginning operating again at Alabama in 2015, he had huge sneakers to fill in T.J. Yeldon. Filling these sneakers was a straightforward feat for the large 6’3 240 pound Henry as he broke by in 2015 in dominant trend. Henry led the nation in speeding yards and speeding touchdowns whereas breaking faculty soccer legend Herschel Walker’s 34-year previous SEC speeding yardage file. Henry’s success culminated with a nationwide championship and Heisman Trophy, breaking an extended streak of quarterbacks successful the award.
Henry’s collegiate dominance transitioned to the NFL, the place he has as soon as once more proved to be a bodily presence within the backfield. After being drafted by the Tennessee Titans, Derrick Henry has led the league in speeding yards and touchdowns in a number of seasons and was named NFL Offensive Participant of the Yr in 2020.
LOOKING BACK: Derrick Henry wins Heisman Trophy
QB Lamar Jackson | 2016 | Louisville | Baltimore Ravens
Lamar Jackson burst onto the scene in 2016 to win the Heisman Trophy. In his first season as a full-time starter, Jackson accounted for 51 touchdowns and have become the primary participant in FBS historical past with 3,300 passing yards and 1,500 speeding yards in a single season. Jackson redefined what it meant to be a dual-threat quarterback in 2016, being named faculty soccer’s most excellent participant as a sophomore.
Jackson returned to Louisville the next season and would end third in Heisman voting. He then entered the 2018 NFL draft, the place he was a first-round choose to the Baltimore Ravens. Jackson’s collegiate success has transferred to the NFL; he received the 2019 NFL MVP in his second season as a professional and have become the tenth quarterback all-time with two NFL MVPS in 2023.
LOOKING BACK: Lamar Jackson wins the 82nd Heisman Memorial Trophy
QB Baker Mayfield | 2017 | Oklahoma | Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The third time was the attraction for Baker Mayfield’s Heisman hopes in 2017. After ending as a finalist in 2016 and fourth in 2015, Mayfield lastly took dwelling faculty soccer’s most prestigious award. After starting his profession as a walk-on at Texas Tech, Mayfield’s collegiate journey was like none different. Whereas he by no means received a nationwide championship, he led his 2017 Oklahoma staff to a Large-12 Championship and a School Soccer Playoff berth.
MORE: 15 of the perfect walk-ons in faculty soccer historical past
Mayfield went on to be the primary general choose within the 2018 NFL draft to the Cleveland Browns. He is since performed for the Carolina Panthers, Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
LOOKING BACK: Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield wins Heisman Trophy
QB Kyler Murray | 2018 | Oklahoma | Arizona Cardinals
Kyler Murray was such a dynamic athlete in faculty that he was a top-10 draft choose within the MLB and NFL. Nonetheless, it was Murray’s success on the gridiron that was his declare to fame. Standing at simply 5’10” 190 kilos, Kyler Murray threw for 4,053 yards with 40 touchdowns whereas speeding for 892 yards and 11 touchdowns. Murray bought Oklahoma to the School Soccer Playoff and have become the primary participant from the identical college to interchange the Heisman winner from the yr prior.
Murray went on to develop into the primary general choose within the 2019 NFL draft to the Arizona Cardinals. In his quick time on the skilled stage, Murray has proven flashes of greatness. As he enters yr six, he is trying to get the Cardinals into the playoffs for the primary time since 2015.
LOOKING BACK: Heisman Trophy 2018: Oklahoma’s Kyler Murray wins over Tua Tagovailoa, Dwayne Haskins
QB Joe Burrow | 2019 | LSU | Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow’s rise to stardom was like none different. After coming into the 2019 season projected as a late-round draft choose, he shocked the nation by breaking the passing touchdowns file en path to successful the Heisman Trophy. Burrow capped off his marvelous season with a School Soccer Playoff championship.
Following the season, Burrow was the primary general choose within the 2020 NFL draft. After an ACL tear in his rookie yr, he led the Bengals to the Tremendous Bowl in his second yr as a professional.
LOOKING BACK: Heisman Trophy 2019: LSU quarterback Joe Burrow wins by a landslide
WR Devonta Smith | 2020 | Alabama | Philadelphia Eagles
Devonta Smith turned the primary vast receiver to win the Heisman Trophy since 1991, after a spectacular yr through which he caught 98 passes for 1,511 yards and 17 touchdowns. Smith is just the fourth vast receiver to win the Heisman Trophy within the historical past of the famend award. After successful the Heisman, Smith was drafted tenth general by the Philadelphia Eagles. In his second yr as a professional, Smith caught seven passes for 100 yards within the Tremendous Bowl.
LOOKING BACK: Alabama’s DeVonta Smith wins the 2020 Heisman Trophy
QB Bryce Younger | 2021| Alabama | Carolina Panthers
Bryce Younger turned the fourth Alabama participant to win the Heisman Trophy, after main the Tide to an SEC Championship and throwing for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in his first full season beneath middle. Younger turned the twenty fourth Heisman Trophy winner to be chosen first general within the NFL draft when he was chosen by the Carolina Panthers in 2023.
LOOKING BACK: Alabama’s Bryce Younger wins the 2021 Heisman Trophy
QB Caleb Williams | 2022| Southern California | Chicago Bears
USC quarterback Caleb Williams received the 2022 Heisman Trophy, turning into the eighth participant in USC historical past to win the award — essentially the most for any college in faculty soccer historical past. Via the 13 video games earlier than successful the Heisman, Williams threw for 47 touchdowns to only 4 interceptions, whereas finishing 296 of 448 passes (.661) for 4,075 yards. He additionally rushed for 372 yards with 10 scores because the Trojans went 11-2 with a Pac-12 title recreation look. Williams was solely a sophomore when he received the Heisman, however in his last yr of eligibility he completed outdoors of the top-10 in voting. Nonetheless, Williams would go on to develop into the No. 1 draft choose by the Chicago Bears within the 2024 NFL draft.
LOOKING BACK: Southern Cal QB Caleb Williams wins 2022 Heisman Trophy
QB Jayden Daniels | 2023| LSU | Washington Commanders
Jayden Daniels received the 2023 Heisman Trophy after finishing 72.2 % of his passes for 3,812 yards, 40 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. Though Daniels’ LSU staff completed with three losses, he overcame the percentages to develop into the twelfth participant to win the award whereas taking part in on a three-loss staff. After the season, Daniels went No. 2 within the 2024 NFL draft behind Caleb Williams (one other Heisman winner) to the Washington Commanders.
LOOKING BACK: How Jayden Daniels received the 2023 Heisman Trophy
*2007 Heisman winner QB Tim Tebow and 2010 Heisman winner QB Cam Newton haven’t formally retired however haven’t performed within the NFL since 2021.