What is Ashton Jeanty’s path to winning the Heisman? Joel Klatt top 5 candidates

Joel Klatt

Lead College Football Analyst

What if I told you before the season that a Group of 5 player was going to win the Heisman Trophy? It sounds wild, but it’s totally possible.

In the most recent episode of my podcast, “The Joel Klatt Show,” I broke down a handful of wild scenarios that could possibly play out between now and the end of the regular season. One of those wild, but totally possible scenarios is a Group of 5 player winning the Heisman Trophy.

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty is now the betting favorite to win the Heisman. He’s averaging 206 rushing yards per game. He has 16 rushing touchdowns through five games, which is just a staggering number. Oh, he’s also rushing for nearly 11 yards per carry!

If you haven’t watched Jeanty yet, please do so. It’s an absolute joy. He runs with power. He’s ferocious. He’s fast. He’s got great balance. 

Now, some might point to Jeanty’s level of competition. But he went off against Oregon, rushing for 192 yards on 7.7 yards per carry and three touchdowns against the Ducks in Week 2.

Jeanty is everything you want in a running back. He’s really an NFL running back through and through. Not only is he the betting favorite to win the Heisman, but Jeanty is also on pace to break Barry Sanders’ legendary record for most rushing yards in a season. Sanders ran for 2,628 yards at Oklahoma State in only 11 games. Jeanty’s on pace to rush for 2,681 yards. Granted, that accounts for 13 games.

So, what does Jeanty need to do in order to win the Heisman? Well, I think he has to at least do something historically special, such as breaking Sanders’ record, for a lot of voters to get over the fact that he’s doing this against a Group of 5 schedule.

Honestly, if that is a sentiment held by voters, it’s a fair one. Former Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon rushed for 2,336 yards in 2014 and didn’t win the Heisman, with the award going to then-Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota. That’s the bar I’m currently setting for Jeanty. 

I’d have a tough time giving Jeanty my Heisman vote unless he outrushed Gordon and maybe even Sanders in order for me to get over the fact that he’s doing this against a Group of 5 schedule. I know he had the Oregon game there, but he’s not going up against Oregon every week.

I’m not trying to diminish Jeanty’s accomplishments to this point. He’s a fabulous running back who is one of my favorite players to watch in the country. His speed, balance and vision are all so good. 

Ashton Jeanty GOES OFF for 186 rushing yards and THREE TDs in Boise State’s victory over Utah State

So, let’s get to my current Heisman list and see if Jeanty is at No. 1. 

Smith’s stats: 23 receptions, 453 receiving yards, 19.7 yards per reception, six receiving touchdowns (tied for fifth in the nation)

Similar to Jeanty, if you haven’t watched Smith yet, go watch him. He’s an absolute show and I love this guy.

Of all the wide receivers that have come through Ohio State in recent memory, Smith’s on pace to be the best of them all. You can’t cover him with one player – and he’s a true freshman.

Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith makes an UNREAL one-handed touchdown catch vs. Michigan State

Regardless of his class status, he’s undefendable. You cannot defend him. He makes a one-handed grab seemingly every week. He’s already got seven touchdowns in five games.

Smith isn’t the only true freshman who’s been balling out this season. Alabama’s Ryan Williams has been spectacular. But with all due respect to Williams, Smith is the more imposing player of the two, giving him an edge here.

Ohio State freshman WR Jeremiah Smith made another highlight one-handed grab in its win over Iowa. 

Milroe’s stats: 73.4 completion percentage (eighth in the nation), 1,274 passing yards, 11 passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 283 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns (tied for seventh in the nation)

I know Milroe just fell to Vanderbilt, but like some of those Oklahoma quarterbacks under Lincoln Riley, he’ll have incredible numbers as the season goes on. That loss also shows the pressure that Milroe is under to produce on a week-to-week basis because Alabama’s defense isn’t so spectacular. Whether it’s through the air or on the ground, Milroe is going to be relied upon to a level that maybe others aren’t at that position, at least for the really good teams.

Milroe is averaging 311 total yards per game. His 20 total touchdowns are the second-most in the FBS, trailing another one of my Heisman contenders. He’s going to have to keep winning shootouts, so the opportunity is there for Milroe to get to New York. 

Alabama’s Jalen Milroe has rushed for nine touchdowns this season, establishing himself as one of the game’s best dual-threat quarterbacks. 

Ward’s stats: 69.2 completion percentage, 2,219 passing yards (most in the nation), 20 passing touchdowns (most in the nation), five interceptions, 161 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns

Ward has been rock solid so far. He’s the only reason why the Hurricanes have won their last two games, squeezing out wins in both. He was incredible against Cal, throwing for 437 yards and scoring three total touchdowns.

Ashton Jeanty & Jalen Milroe in Klatt’s updated Heisman top 5 candidates

Ward’s numbers for the season are among the best, if not the best, in college football. He leads the country in passing (2,219 yards), passing touchdowns (20) and total touchdowns (23). He obviously has two great comeback wins under his belt, cementing his Heisman candidacy even further. 

Miami would already have two losses if it wasn’t for Ward, keeping its playoff hopes alive early in the season. I think he’s a clear No. 3. When you watch him, his play pops off the tape. Not only do you think, “Ward’s the best quarterback in the ACC,” but you also wonder if he’s the best quarterback in the country, too.

Miami (Fla.) QB Cam Ward leads the nation in passing yards (2,219) and passing touchdowns (20). 

Jeanty’s stats: 1,031 rushing yards (most in the nation), 10.9 yards per carry (most in the nation among eligible players), 16 rushing touchdowns (most in the nation)

Jeanty is a phenomenal player. As I stated earlier, I love watching him play.

There’s a burning question in the back of my mind on whether there are any other players in the country that could be doing what Jeanty is doing, or close to it, with that schedule. You might say, “No,” but there is some pause. 

Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty rushed for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the Broncos’ win over Utah State on Saturday.

Hunter’s stats: 46 receptions (third most in the nation), 561 receiving yards (eighth most in the nation), 12.2 yards per reception, six receiving touchdowns (tied for fifth in the nation), 15 total tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble, averaging 132 snaps per game

There isn’t that same pause with Hunter, though. Hunter’s doing things that we’ve never seen in the history of the sport. The unique nature of what he’s doing puts him at No. 1 on my ballot.

Of the traditional contenders, Jeanty would be at No. 1. But Hunter is a unicorn and an incredible athlete who’s the best player on both sides of the ball, which is a staggering thought.

At wide receiver, Hunter is third in the nation in receptions (46). At cornerback, he’s got two interceptions while playing 132 snaps per game.

Colorado’s Travis Hunter hauls in an UNREAL interception, strikes Heisman pose

There’s certainly the possibility that Hunter’s production will go down as the season goes along. He could get fatigued in the second half of the year, potentially causing him to either put up lesser numbers at wide receiver or his threat as a corner goes down. It’s possible that teams could opt to stop throwing in Hunter’s direction, which would obviously hurt his chances to create turnovers.

However, Hunter’s impact on the game is so unique. It’s not traditional at all. If we were doing a traditional list, Jeanty would be No. 1. This isn’t a traditional season, though. We have a unicorn doing something we’ve never seen in the history of the sport.

Hunter’s placement at No. 1 isn’t just because he plays both sides of the ball. If his production goes down on both sides of the ball, he’ll slip on my Heisman contender list. Right now, the production is there and he’s arguably in the running to win the Biletnikoff Award (best receiver in the nation) and the Thorpe Award (best defensive back in the nation).

So, I’m leaving myself with a little bit of room to make some changes at the top. My top two currently consist of one player that could break records in a traditional sense and another player that’s doing something we’ve never seen in the sport before. 

This is really an incredible year for the Heisman Trophy. 

Colorado’s Travis Hunter had a touchdown and an interception in its most recent game, a win over UCF.

Joel Klatt is FOX Sports’ lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Follow him at @joelklatt and subscribe to the “Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.

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