We are just under 4 months away from the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City, where the most prestigious award in college football will be bestowed upon the nation’s top quarterback.
… at least that’s what it’s felt like recently, right?
Any star at any position is eligible to win the award for the top player in college football, but these days it’s essentially a quarterback’s trophy to lose. Only 2 of the last 10 Heisman winners were not quarterbacks: Alabama WR DeVonta Smith in 2020 and Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter in 2024. These two at least prove that a non-QB winning the Heisman is improbable, not impossible.
That begs the question: Which non-QBs are legitimate contenders to win the Heisman Trophy in 2026? Here are my 5 favorite options ranked from lowest to highest confidence, including my preseason Heisman pick at No. 1.
5. Mark Fletcher Jr.
+15000 on BetMGMI went back and forth on Mark Fletcher Jr. or Dylan Stewart but decided on Fletcher for 2 reasons.
No. 1: Stewart is most likely going to miss the start of the season, as reported Wednesday night. No. 2: … Did you see the run Fletcher was on at the end of last season?The Miami running back averaged 126.5 yards per game during the Hurricanes’ CFP run, also scoring 2 touchdowns in the championship game. He did that after the Heisman was presented, but that’s beside the point. Fletcher could very well be the best running back in the country this season, and that’s not considering potential growth entering his fourth year at Miami.
There’s definitely some value with Fletcher at +15000.
4. Ahmad Hardy
+10000 on BetMGMSpeaking of elite running backs…
Ahmad Hardy has a lot going against him. The Mizzou running back has been medically cleared to play after being shot in the leg at a concert in May, but it remains to be seen how long his return-to-football progression will take.
A world exists where Hardy starts in Week 3. His absence could just as easily bleed into October or even November. It’s all just speculation at this point, which isn’t exactly great news for Hardy’s Heisman outlook.
If he were 100% or had a concrete and favorable return timetable for the 2026 season, Hardy would be the No. 2 player on this list. But he’s not and we don’t, so he isn’t — he’ll have to live with No. 4 for now.
Folks, I’m far from the first to tell you Ahmad Hardy is a special talent.
He’s a bowling ball with unreal contact balance and legit second-level speed — all the makings of a running back who could beat the odds and win a Heisman trophy. If he’s ready to go by SEC play — and that’s certainly a big “if” — I’m confident Hardy will be in contention for the Heisman entering the month of November.
3. Cam Coleman
+10000 on DraftKingsAlright. Now we’re really getting somewhere.
Cam Coleman totaled 700 yards receiving with a Hugh Freeze-led Auburn squad. I’d say that alone makes him worthy of an invite to New York, right?
Texas‘s new top receiver is a freak of nature with an otherworldly catch radius and an impressive ability to win one-on-one opportunities. I’m not sure there’s a cornerback in college football who will be able to routinely contain Coleman in man-to-man coverage, and he’ll be receiving a significant upgrade at quarterback with Arch Manning throwing him the rock.
There is so much talent on that roster, so my question is this — does a world exist where Coleman receives the trophy over Arch if both are performing at a high level? And if Manning isn’t performing at a high level, is there a world Coleman wins the Heisman?
Prediction Markets Who are the favorites to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy? Learn more about Prediction Markets Kalshi CJ Carr 13% Arch Manning 10% Darian Mensah 8% Julian Sayin 7% Trinidad Chambliss 7% Dante Moore 6% Jeremiah Smith 5% Gunner Stockton 4% Jayden Maiava 4% Predict2. Malachi Toney
+3800 on DraftKingsMalachi Toney is probably the most fun player in college football and the second of 3 receivers particularly poised to light the sport on fire in 2026. That’s what it takes to win the Heisman as a non-quarterback, after all.
Toney already lit a spark last season as a true freshman. The Liberty City, Florida, native led the country in receptions with 109, shattering Miami’s single-season receptions record previously set at 85. In addition, he put up 1,211 receiving yards with 10 touchdowns and posted a 122-yard performance in the national championship game against Indiana.
Toney will still be appointment television in 2026, but there are some things to consider heading into his second season.
Carson Beck is gone and Darian Mensah is in. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — I think Mensah is a great quarterback — but Toney will lose the connection he had with Beck and starts over with Mensah, who will also be throwing to fellow Duke transfer Cooper Barkate following his own 1,000-yard season.
Just something to think about.
1. Jeremiah Smith
+1400 on DraftKingsJeremiah Smith placed 6th in Heisman voting last season. I firmly believe he should have finished higher, but it doesn’t really matter because the trophy was Fernando Mendoza’s to lose the moment he led that wild comeback victory over Penn State in early November.
You know, the one that turned Gus Johnson into a cartoon character?
INDIANA BROKE GUS JOHNSON pic.twitter.com/HV17VAZDyZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 8, 2025Last I checked, Mendoza now plays in the NFL. That means Jeremiah Smith is back to being the best player in college football as far as I’m concerned.
Smith needs just 341 receiving yards to surpass Michael Jenkins as the Buckeyes’ career receiving yards record (2,898). Because he’s Jeremiah Smith, I expect him to have that record put away before Ohio State’s Big Ten road opener at Iowa.
Smith is one of the most complete receiver prospects college football has ever seen. He has impressive size at 6-foot-3, 225 pounds, but he’s also capable of making circus catches with obscene concentration. In other words, Smith makes it easy to be a good quarterback.
I picked Smith to win the Heisman last preseason, and I’ll be doing it again this year, too.
Undecided on your pick to win the Heisman Trophy? Check out our latest Heisman Odds for a closer look at some of our top candidates!
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