Heisman Race 2015: Is Derrick Henry the New Leader?

Eyes are on college football’s biggest individual prize. Who will hoist it? Here are the five top candidates.

Leonard Fournette

He looked to be on an inevitable march to New York to pick up his prize. Then 31 yards on 19 carries against Alabama’s stingy defense happened. Superman re-entered the phone booth and put on Clark Kent’s suit and glasses. His frontrunner status took a serious hit, with many saying he’d lost it completely. Let’s pump the brakes here.

Alabama’s front seven has the ability to make everyone look human. Is Fournette’s lackluster performance a big enough misstep to cause all his previous exploits to be thrown out with the bath water? I say no.

His 1,383 rushing yards are still best in the nation, even with one less game under his belt than most players. He’s averaging more than 7 yards per carry.

I’ve seen Heisman boards that dropped him out of the top five contenders completely. Are these the same people who were petitioning to let him skip his junior year so he could go dominate in the NFL? Are the margins really that thin?

Let’s imagine Fournette had broken off a 50-yard run in the fourth quarter. His numbers against Bama, although not up to his lofty standards, would have been respectable.

When it comes right down to it, I don’t want to be the type of person who forgets everything he’s seen over the past two-plus months in a split second, Men in Black style. It’s crazy but maybe, just maybe, Fournette is the best player in college football and has done more than enough to win the Heisman.

Hell, stranger things have happened.

Derrick Henry

There is something to be said about being the best against the best. Henry, who hasn’t been on my board all season, won the head-to-head battle with Fournette. A 38-carry, 210-yard performance against the No. 2 team in the country is tough to ignore. Henry’s been trending up in recent weeks, compiling 589 yards over his last three contests. What he lacks in flash he makes up for in cruel, punishing strength.

That said, he hasn’t done enough to surpass his LSU counterpart. Yet. Hold off on that victory cigar for now

Corey Coleman

The Baylor wide receiver is on pace for an FBS-record 30 touchdowns in the regular season. A change in quarterback didn’t affect his production. I’m not sure it’s possible for him to improve and yet here he is in third place. At this point, getting an invite to the ceremony would be a victory.

No one said this process is supposed to be fair.

Ezekiel Elliott

With Michigan State, Michigan and Iowa on the horizon, no player has a better chance to improve his stock. And considering how consistent the Ohio State running back has been, who would bet against him doing it?

Fourteen straight 100-yard rushing games should be 18 by ceremony’s time.

As I’ve been saying all year, Elliott is waiting in the wings, ready to pounce. The time is now.

Christian McCaffrey

Stanford is all-in on the campaign. He’s averaging 241 all-purpose yards a game. Quite a hill to climb, though.

Image via USA Today Sports