The Heisman Trophy is emblematic of the best player in college football in a given season. However, that does not guarantee success in the NFL. Since 2000, more Heisman winners have failed than succeeded on Sundays. Ranking the players who earned the famed award. Kyler Murray won’t make this exercise since he has yet to show his stuff on the pro level.
18. Johnny Manziel (2012)
Few players in NFL history have blown as much of a chance as Johnny Manziel. He winds up here because of totally butchering the opportunity to be a starter — star? — in Cleveland through off-field antics. It has been the CFL, AAF and now having to hope for a look for the former Texas A&M star. A sorry story.
17. Matt Leinart (2004)
There was a time when people thought Matt Leinart might win back-to-back Heismans. When he went to the pros, Leinart fizzled. He made a total of 18 starts, winning 10. He threw 23 picks against 15 TD passes.
16. Eric Crouch (2001)
Eric Crouch bounced around multiple leagues after winning the Heisman at Nebraska. He wanted to play QB in the NFL but was not a fit. He wound up in NFL Europe, the CFL, the defunct AAFL and defunct UFL. The Rams take a hit for drafting him in the third round, 95th overall and getting nothing.
15. Troy Smith (2006)
Troy Smith had a nomadic career after being a fifth-round pick of the Ravens. The Ohio State great played for two teams and went 4-4 in eight career starts. He only threw for more than 1,000 yards in his final year in the NFL, 2010, with the Niners.
14. Jason White (2003)
No sense knocking Jason White. Bum knees derailed any hope the Oklahoma star had at playing on Sundays. He had a tryout with the Chiefs, who decided not to sign him and then spent time as a Titan but never played in a game. He left football, citing his bad knees.
13. Chris Weinke (2000)
Chris Weinke took the long road to college football and the NFL, playing Minor League Baseball before heading to the gridiron. He wound up a fourth-round pick of the Carolina Panthers. Weinke was 2-18 as a starter and threw 26 picks against 15 TD passes.
12. Tim Tebow (2007)
So much was expected and so little was delivered. Tim Tebow tried his best but simply was not an NFL quarterback. He did have highlights, throwing the TD pass to Demaryius Thomas in the playoff victory over the Steelers in overtime. Overall, he was 8-6 as a starter and threw 17 TD passes against nine picks.
11. Robert Griffin III (2011)
The NFL started off brilliantly for Robert Griffin and it collapsed as fast. The Baylor quarterback was on a rocket to stardom for Washington. And then he wasn’t. He won nine games as a starter as a rookie and has gone 6-19 since. Griffin spent last year as a third-string QB in Baltimore.
10. Sam Bradford (2008)
Sam Bradford turned into a journeyman instead of a franchise QB who was drafted first overall out of Oklahoma. He is an ugly 34-48-1 as a starter. He did lead the league in completion percentage in 2016.
9. Jameis Winston (2013)
Jameis Winston came into the league with a big and bad rep. He has lived down to the bad rep and has not become the franchise QB the Bucs hoped they were getting when they drafted him out of Florida State. Still, he has 88 TD passes against 58 picks and has thrown for 4,000 yards twice. He needs to keep his behavior off the field in check and let Bruce Arians mold him.
8. Marcus Mariota (2014)
Marcus Mariota’s biggest issue in the NFL seems to be staying off the injury report. He is a middling 27-28 as a starter in Tennessee. He has thrown 69 TD passes against 42 picks. Like Winston, more is expected.
7. Reggie Bush (2005…Vacated)
The Heisman brass took away Reggie Bush’s Heisman. We can’t ignore his brilliant career at USC. Bush was never what was expected in the NFL. Still, he rushed for more than 5,400 yards and caught passes for another 3,598. He was a Super Bowl champ in XLIV and played for five teams.
6. Baker Mayfield (2017)
Baker Mayfield made a strong debut and is integral in turning the Browns around. He didn’t win the AFC North as Lamar Jackson and the Ravens did, so he is behind the Louisville star. Will be interesting to see if his mouth and opinions get him in hot water throughout his career.
5. Derrick Henry (2015)
Derrick Henry had a breakout game and season in 2018. The former Alabama star rushed for 1,059 yards, much of it coming against the Jaguars when he went for 238 yards. In that game, Henry became the first player to t player to record a 200-plus yard effort and 4-plus touchdown game on fewer than 22 carries.
4. Lamar Jackson (2016)
Lamar Jackson gets his somewhat lofty spot because he was able to get the Ravens to an AFC North crown and playoff spot as a rookie. He went 6-1 in seven starts, energizing Baltimore. In doing so, he pushed out a Super Bowl-winning QB in Joe Flacco. His divisional battles with Baker Mayfield will be fascinating.
3. Cam Newton (2010)
There could be an argument to push Cam Newton to the top of this list. After all, he did play in a Super Bowl after the 2015 season. Going to leave him here due to the inconsistency and yo-yo effect of the Panthers’ record. Newton has gone 68-53-1 as a starter. He has thrown for 4,000 yards once — as a rookie. In seven playoff games, he is 3-4. With a few more strong seasons he could eventually finish as the top player in this exercise. He averages 5.2 yards per rush and has 4,808 career yards on the ground.
2. Mark Ingram (2009)
Mark Ingram came into the NFL from Alabama. With the Saints, he rushed for 6,007 yards and 50 TDs. Ingram took the free-agent route to Baltimore, where he will be a big player in the Ravens’ rushing game. He is a two-time Pro Bowler.
1. Carson Palmer (2002)
Carson Palmer was the first pick in the 2003 NFL Draft after winning the Heisman. The USC star played for three teams in the NFL and three times earned Pro Bowl honors. He was Pro Bowl MVP in 2006, for what that is worth. Palmer threw for more than 46,000 yards and 294 touchdowns. He was 92-88-1 as a starter and 1-3 in the playoffs.
