• Georgia's Carson Beck: of georgia The signal caller was the fourth-most valuable quarterback last year, behind the 2023 Heisman Trophy finalists. bo nicks (1.44), Michael Penis Jr. (1.35) and Jayden Daniels (1.28) — but it wasn't talked about enough. Bulldogs Missed the playoffs.
• Quinn Ewers of Texas: Ewers earned an impressive 85.6 passing rating last season, so there's no doubting his talent. He also seems to play best when the lights are the brightest. His two highest rated games are: Alabama (90.3) and Washington (81.8), he totaled six big-time passes and zero turnover-worthy plays.
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Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
The era of a 12-team College Football Playoff is upon us.
With just a few months left until the start of the 2024 college football season, let's take a look at some of the top Heisman Trophy candidates heading into the season.
Like last year, this summer will be filled with talk about quarterbacks who could win the award. So here are his five players who I think are most likely to take home the hardware in December.
Carson Beck, Georgia
FanDuel betting odds: +750
| metric | number | Rank |
| PFF Grade | 91.5 | No.5 |
| Wow | 1.19 | 4th |
| Adjusted Comp % | 80.6% | 3rd place |
| Yards per attempt | 9.4 | The 8th |
| Great success rate % | 3.8% | T-107 |
| Percentage of plays that were turnover-worthy | 2.3% | T-23rd |
Beck is widely considered the top quarterback in college football heading into the 2024 season. georgia The signal caller was the fourth-most valuable quarterback last year, behind the 2023 Heisman Trophy finalists. bo nicks (1.44), Michael Penis Jr. (1.35) and Jayden Daniels (1.28) But it was not discussed enough. bulldogs Missed the playoffs.
His play last year was QB1 in next year's draftAsh He earned a passing grade of 90.8, which is second among returning quarterbacks.
Beck started out slow, but once he got going he never looked back.His 3,949 passing yards and 80.1% adjusted completion percentage both ranked third among quarterbacks last year, and his 91.5 overall grade ranked fifth.
PFF grades, advanced statistics, and more: Available with PFF Premium Stats
Quinn Ewers, Texas
FanDuel betting odds: +900
| metric | number | Rank |
| PFF grade | 86.8 | 19th |
| Wow | 0.82 | The 10th |
| Adjusted Comp % | 76.3% | 24th |
| Yards per attempt | 8.8 | 19th place tie |
| Great success rate % | 3.9% | T-101st |
| Percentage of plays that were turnover-worthy | 1.7% | 6th place |
After a tough season in 2022, Quinn Ewers bounced back in 2023 and showed everyone why he is a champion. Hiring top domestic talent in 2021. Now it's time for him to put it all together and show more consistent performances over the season.
Ewers' talent is unquestionable, as he had an impressive passing rating of 85.6 last season, and he also seems to play best when the lights are brightest. His two highest-rated games came in: Alabama (90.3) and Washington (81.8), he totaled six big-time passes and zero turnover-worthy plays.
This kind of thing is important for quarterbacks. It's important to find that kind of gamer under center who welcomes big moments and doesn't falter under pressure.
Conversely, Ewers Wyoming (53.6) and Rice (66.1). If he can correct his inconsistent play and decision-making, especially against lower-ranked opponents, he will definitely be in the running for the 2024 Heisman ceremony.
PFF grades, advanced statistics, and more: Available on PFF Premium Stats
Dillon Gabriel, Oregon
fanduel betting odds: +1000
| metric | number | rank |
| PFF grade | 91.9 | T3rd place |
| Wow | 1.01 | No.5 |
| Adjusted composition ratio | 78.8 | 9th place |
| Yards per attempt | 9.5 | T6th place |
| Great success rate % | 5.2 | T-46th place |
| Turnover Worth Plays % | 2.6 | T-35th place |
Gabriel has benefited from a QB-friendly system over the past few seasons.That doesn't mean he badHe played in a very good situation behind a good play caller.
Gabriel isn't a big gun by any means, but he is one of the most accurate college quarterbacks out there, ranking 10th among quarterbacks in the nation in accuracy-plus percentage over the past two years.
Gabriel has made the most of it, perfecting the system wherever he's gone, and perhaps he'll do the same in his next match. Oregon Dan Lanning's offense ranked second in the nation in expected points added per play (EPA) last year.
In his sixth and final season of college football, the Ducks' new quarterback is expected to have another great year.
PFF grades, advanced stats and more: Available on PFF Premium Stats
Jalen Milroe, Alabama
fanduel betting odds: +1500
| metric | number | Rank |
| PFF grade | 88.7 | 14th |
| Wow | 0.66 | 14th |
| Adjusted Comp % | 73.0 | T-56th |
| Yards per attempt | 10.0 | 4th |
| Great success rate % | 9.1 | The second |
| Percentage of plays that were turnover-worthy | 2.8 | T-44th place |
There may never be a more polarizing quarterback in college football, and Milroe might have the most to gain of the top names in terms of NFL projections.
A year ago, few would have believed in Milro's passing ability. Now, lamar jackson That seems a little more plausible considering their similar arm strength and athleticism.
The quarterback from the University of Alabama finished the 2023 season with a passing grade of 78.1 and a rushing grade of 85.3. There may not be a better dual-threat QB in college football than Milroe, but if Milroe wants to truly succeed at the next level, he will need to become more comfortable in the pocket.
Milroe showed dramatic growth last season, increasing his passing score from 30.3 in 2022 to 78.1 in 2023. However, he struggled in his final two games. georgia and michigan, There he scored in the 50s and fumbled five times.
Despite Nick Saban's recent retirement, there is a glimmer of hope for Milroe. He now has quarterback offensive genius Karen DeBoer as his coach.
PFF grades, advanced statistics, and more: Available on PFF Premium Stats
Riley Leonard, Notre Dame
FanDuel Betting Odds: +2000
| metric | number | Rank |
| PFF Grade | 77.5 | 59th |
| Wow | 0.03 | 86th place |
| Adjusted composition ratio | 70.2 | T-90th place |
| Yards per attempt | 6.6 | T-119th place |
| Big Time Slow % | 2.2 | 152nd |
| Plays worth turnover % | 2.8 | T-44th place |
The biggest dark horse candidate on this list is Riley Leonard, who will transfer from Duke University to the Fighting Irish.
Scouts may not rate him as highly after a disappointing 2023 season interrupted by injuries, but he still has a lot of potential as a big, strong QB with good movement skills.
Now is the perfect time for Leonard to rebuild his draft stock, and he'll also be in a great position to do so by playing with a better offensive line and better receivers on the outside. Jordan Faison and tight end mitchell evans, Both were rated 83.0 or higher receiving grades in 2023.
We all know how Leonard impacts the game on the ground: He averaged 7.3 yards per carry last fall, and his 86.5 rushing grade is second only to last year's Heisman Trophy winner. Jayden Daniels.
But if he truly wants to play quarterback at the next level and bring glory back to the Irish, his biggest impact will have to come as a passer. Leonard threw the ball just 167 of his 201 dropbacks last season. If he wants to win the Heisman Trophy, we'll need to see him throw the ball more.
PFF grades, advanced stats and more: Available on PFF Premium Stats
