posted July 8, 2009 at 16:21 EST in NCAA F Props
Heisman Candidates You Should Know About
by Charles Jay
HEISMAN CANDIDATES YOU'LL SEE ON THE BOARD....SOONER OR LATER
This year, more than many in past season, there are some "usual suspects" who have done well in Heisman voting in the past. In fact, there are two former winners - Tim Tebow and Sam Bradford - so naturally the odds are against "unknowns" creeping into the discussion.
Here is the complete list, as posted in the BetUS Sportsbook Heisman Trophy betting odds:
Arrelious Benn +7500
CJ Spiller +2000
Colt McCoy +275
Daryll Clark +1800
Evan Royster +1200
Jacquizz Rodgers +3000
Jahvid Best +1000
Jevan Snead +1500
Joe McKnight +3000
Jonathan Dwyer +1200
Juice Williams +7500
Julio Jones +5000
Kendall Hunter +2000
LeGarrette Blount +3500
Noel Devine +4000
Riley Skinner +10000
Robert Griffen +3000
Russell Wilson +6500
Sam Bradford +275
Terrelle Pryor +800
Tim Tebow +200
Toby Gerhart +7500
Todd Reesing +2000
Of course, there will be changes and adjustments made to this list as the season approaches as well as during the season. But because all we can do is speculate for the next while, the following five players are certainly among those I think are going to force their way onto the list:
GOLDEN TATE, WR, Notre Dame -- There are a considerable number of people who are expecting Notre Dame to be a much improved team, and those people pointed toward the performance of the Irish in the Hawaii Bowl, where they spanked the home team. If the Irish again become a Top 25 team, it is natural that you'll hear plaudits for QB Jimmy Clausen, but there are a lot of quarterbacks who would be ahead of him in the discussion. Tate does not have that many equals in college ball, and is on several pre-season All-America lists. He gained 1080 yards receiving last season, averaging almost 19 yards a catch, and scoring ten TD's. He also has the capacity to be dangerous as a kickoff and punt return man. This sounds like a couple of Notre Dame receivers from the past, doesn't it? That right - Rocket Ismail was second in the Heisman voting in 1990, and Tim Brown won it in 1987. Keep in mind that Tate will be playing all his games on national television, so none of the voters are going to miss him.
DEZ BRYANT, WR, Oklahoma State -- Speaking of wide receivers, this guy has a chance. An All-America, he is the guy who helps make Oklahoma State's passing game go, and gained 1480 yards receiving in 2008. He has the ability to put up monster numbers, and he also has the advantage of being a great return man. Bryant broke two punt returns for touchdowns last season, and we know how much that helped people like Charles Woodson, Desmond Howard and the aforementioned Tim Brown in the past. Bryant can score every time he touches the football. The guy is a human highlight reel.
MATT GROTHE, QB, South Florida -- Grothe's candidacy will be tied to his team's success, to a degree, because he is not a quarterback who is going to overwhelm anyone with his passing stats. What he does is lead his team down the field, doing whatever he has to. Grothe is not a speedster, but he can run with the ball, gaining 591 yards last season. If South Florida can pull an upset over Florida State, or if they do very well in the Big East, he is going to get a lot of support from those media members who like to talk about "leadership" and "how stats don't tell the whole story."
CHARLES SCOTT, RB, LSU -- The Tigers are going to do just fine this season, and they're going to get more than their share of exposure. What they may not have is a quarterback who can really stretch the field. That will place a lot of the offensive burden squarely in the hands of Scott, a senior who made first team All-SEC last year after gaining 1174 yards (5.4 ypc). There's no "committee" to speak of here, either. This guy is going to have every opportunity to pile up some big numbers.
DAN LeFEVOUR, QB, Central Michigan -- He's my token "small conference" guy in the mix. LeFevour has a great arm, experience and mobility. He completed 67% of his passes last year and was intercepted only six times, and also ran for 763 yards (he lost 171 to sacks, which counts against rushing totals). He'll move into the top ten on the NCAA's all-time list for total offense this season, and the pro scouts love him too, so you'll hear talk about him from that angle. Honorable mention here must go to Nevada quarterback Colin Kaepernick, an ideal fit for Chris Ault's "Pistol" offense, because he can run (1130 net yards in '08) and has a rocket arm, tossing 22 TD's with just 7 INT's. He needs to improve accuracy (54% last year) and mature physically. He could sneak in, but he'll certainly be a very viable candidate next year.
