These days, quarterbacks usually lead the way when it comes to the Heisman Trophy race and winning college football’s most coveted individual award as the sport’s most outstanding player. But that wasn’t always the case.
For a while, running backs dominated the Heisman conversation and winners, but as the sport changed, quarterbacks, especially the super mobile ones, ultimately took over. So non-quarterback finalists are rare, and non-quarterback winners even more so. But when they’re in the Heisman conversation, it’s often so much more interesting.
So while quarterbacks tend to control the Heisman conversation, here’s a look at all 50 Heisman winners who were not quarterbacks (in chronological order).
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1930s
Jay Berwanger, Chicago RB, 1935
Larry Kelley, Yale TE, 1936
Clinton Frank, Yale HB, 1937
Nile Kinnick, Iowa RB, 1939
1940s
Tom Harmon, Michigan RB, 1940
Bruce Smith, Minnesota RB, 1941
Frank Sinkwich, Georgia RB, 1942
Les Horvath, Ohio State HB, 1944
Felix “Doc” Blanchard, Army FB, 1945
Glenn Davis, Army RB, 1946
Soak Walker, SMU RB, 1948
Leon Hart, Notre Dame TE, 1949
1950s
Vic Janowicz, Ohio State RB, 1950
Dick Kazmaier, Princeton RB, 1951
Billy Vessels, Oklahoma RB, 1952
John Lattner, Notre Dame RB, 1953
Alan Ameche, Wisconsin FB, 1954
Howard Cassady, Ohio State RB, 1955
John David Crow, Texas A&M RB, 1957
Pete Dawkins, Army RB, 1958
Billy Cannon, LSU RB, 1959
1960s
Joe Bellino, Navy RB, 1960
Ernie Davis, Syracuse RB, 1961
Mike Garrett, USC RB, 1965
O.J. Simpson, USC RB, 1968
Steve Owens, Oklahoma RB, 1969
1970s
Johnny Rodgers, Nebraska WR, 1972
John Cappelletti, Penn State RB, 1973
Archie Griffin, Ohio State RB, 1974
Archie Griffin, Ohio State RB, 1975
Tony Dorsett, Pitt RB, 1976
Earl Campbell, Texas RB, 1977
Billy Sims, Oklahoma RB, 1978
Charles White, USC RB, 1979
1980s
George Rogers, South Carolina RB, 1980
Marcus Allen, USC RB, 1981
Herschel Walker, Georgia RB, 1982
Mike Rozier, Nebraska RB, 1983
Bo Jackson, Auburn RB, 1985
Tim Brown, Notre Dame WR, 1987
Barry Sanders, Oklahoma State RB, 1988
1990s
Desmond Howard, Michigan WR, 1991
Rashaan Salaam, Colorado RB, 1994
Eddie George, Ohio State RB, 1995
Charles Woodson, Michigan CB, 1997
Ricky Williams, Texas RB, 1998
Ron Dayne, Wisconsin RB, 1999
2000s
Mark Ingram, Alabama RB, 2009
2010s
Derrick Henry, Alabama RB, 2015
2020s
DeVonta Smith, Alabama WR, 2020
