The 2025 college football season is almost here and the Heisman Trophy race looks as wide open as ever. There’s virtually zero consensus on which team will be this year’s inevitable national champion, let alone which player could win the most prestigious individual trophy in sports. With several brand new quarterbacks starting for some of the best teams around the country, that means the race to win the Heisman Trophy should be entirely up for grabs–even more so than usual.

Five of the writers from our team at A to Z Sports decided to hold our own Heisman Trophy Fantasy Draft (because the one we did in June was so much fun). We could just collaboratively list 25 players who might win the Heisman, but then we wouldn’t be able to hold bragging rights over one another when the season is all said and done.

For this Heisman Trophy Fantasy Draft, our writers took turns selecting the players we believe are most likely to win it this year (with each round reversing the order of selection). 10 points for the writer that correctly picks the Heisman winner. 6 points for finalists that make it to New York. 3 points for players who finish inside the top ten in Heisman votes. And 1000 points to you, the reader, for not skipping this part of the introduction. Enjoy!

A to Z Staff participating:
Adam Holt – LSU Tigers & New Orleans Saints Writer
Ian Valentino – National College Football & NFL Draft Writer
Brandon Little – Ohio State Buckeyes & Cleveland Browns Writer
Tyler Forness – Florida Gators & Minnesota Vikings Writer
Travis May – College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

1. Arch Manning, QB Texas

“Manning mania is among us here. When it comes to Heisman projections, I’m less concerned about risk and more focused on upside. Manning’s physical gifts and potential jump off the screen, and he will be the quarterback of a team that will be in the CFP discussion. Whether people want to admit it or not, team success does play a role in an award like this one. SEC domination from the Longhorns would land Manning in the driver’s seat for the Heisman Trophy as long as he plays like many expect him to this season. I’ll take the home run swing here over some other “safer” options that also make plenty of sense.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports LSU Tigers

2. Cade Klubnik, QB Clemson

“This Clemson team reminds me a lot of the championship-winning squads Dabo Swinney built around Trevor Lawrence and Deshaun Watson. That means the quarterback position will be under the microscope in big games. Cade Klubnik’s development throughout 2024 has him in the race to be QB1 this fall and into the 2026 NFL Draft. A smooth thrower, good athlete, and possessing seriously good accuracy, Klubnik has the platform, high floor, and surrounding cast to be excellent for the entire season.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

3. Jeremiah Smith, WR Ohio State

“Jeremiah Smith is set to put up another monstrous season in 2024 and it is going to be bigger than the 1,300+ yards he recorded as a true freshman. Ohio State’s offense is really going to ride Smith at times this year and 1,600+ yards should be in the forecast. He has only gotten bigger, stronger, and faster since last season. That is scary for opponents.” – Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Ohio State Buckeyes

4. DJ Lagway, QB Florida

“There isn’t a single more intriguing player in the country than DJ Lagway. As a true freshman, Lagway went 6-1 as a starting quarterback, with the only loss coming against Georgia, where he left the game up seven points with a really bad hamstring injury. The good news is that injury helped make Lagway a significantly better pocket passer, which will make a difference this year in helping him grow as a quarterback. If Lagway stays healthy, he’s my frontrunner for the award.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

5. Garrett Nussmeier, QB LSU

“Garrett Nussmeier is going to put up some wild counting stats this year, which Heisman voters love. He already posted 4000+ yards and 29 passing touchdowns last season. If he takes a step forward, improves efficiency, and cuts down on the turnovers (12 interceptions last season) just a bit he’ll be in the mix to win the Heisman Trophy all year long.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

6. LaNorris Sellers, QB South Carolina

“LaNorris Sellers began looking like a potential Heisman candidate in the back half of last season, posting absurdly impressive rushing numbers to go along with efficient passing (for the most part). There might be questions about the consistency of offensive weapons around him, but his tools should help him overcome any team limitations. He has future first round pick athleticism and arm talent. Sellers just needs to take advantage of it and he may win the Heisman.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

7. Drew Allar, QB Penn State

“I am not the biggest fan of Drew Allar when it comes to his pro prospects, but it’s hard to deny that he’s got an excellent tool set to thrive, especially at the college level. Penn State is one of the current favorites to win the national championship. If the addition of Trebor Pena does what we think it will, Allar could elevate the Nittany Lions to another level.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

8. John Mateer, QB Oklahoma

“John Mateer had a very productive season at Washington State last year and very well could take a Cam Ward-like jump this season in a best case scenario world. The Oklahoma offense was terrible this season and Mateer has a chance to really help elevate things along with the other additions they made–like running back Jaydn Ott. If Oklahoma takes a big step this season it will be on the shoulders of Mateer at quarterback.” – Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Ohio State Buckeyes

9. Julian Sayin, QB Ohio State

“Chances are high that a quarterback will win the Heisman Trophy once again, and why can’t the presumed Ohio State starter end up as a smash hit? Julian Sayin has drawn rave reviews entering his second season in college, and even if we haven’t seen him play much, very few quarterbacks will get better coaching and more explosive playmaking put around him. Being a point guard won’t win the Heisman, but if Sayin can be just a bit more than that at the right time and Ohio State exceeds expectations in the regular season, he could end up in New York.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

10. Ryan Williams, WR Alabama

“It’s always a challenge to take anything other than a quarterback in this sort of exercise. That being said, Williams is one of just two wideouts in the country that I would take the swing on for this. His athleticism is mesmerizing, and he should be the focal point of the Tide’s offense this season.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports LSU Tigers

11. Austin Simmons, QB Ole Miss

“Speaking of upside, Simmons is nearly the definition of it. He’s an incredibly cerebral QB, but that does not mean his physical attributes are limited whatsoever. I am incredibly intrigued to see what Lane Kiffin does with him in his first year as the starter. He already shined in limited action last season. He just needs to pull all that upside together.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports LSU Tigers

12. Jeremiyah Love, RB Notre Dame

“Taking a running back to win the Heisman is an outdated-type of process, but Jeremiyah Love is easily the top returning rusher in the country. Having the national audience and ability to repeat or exceed last year’s performance are key parts of what makes a Heisman campaign possible for non-traditional positions. Love will carry Notre Dame as far as he can and will have a massive spotlight while doing it. The Irish are back, and Love’s the engine powering the blue blood in 2025.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

13. Ty Simpson, QB Alabama

“Ty Simpson is a long shot to win the Heisman this season if I’m being realistic but his odds aren’t all that bad because he’s going to be the starting quarterback for Alabama after all (most likely). With a playmaker like Ryan Williams on his side, Simpson should at least have a somewhat productive season. If Alabama gets back into the mix of competing, perhaps Simpson takes a big leap.” – Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Ohio State Buckeyes

14. Demond Williams, QB Washington

“When you take a look at potential Heisman Trophy winners, raw talent becomes a big factor, especially when they have good surroundings. Williams has that and then some, especially with wide receiver Denzel Boston on the outside. He took over at the end of last season and thrived in the one point Sun Bowl loss against Louisville. With his dual-threat ability, he’s ready to burst onto the scene.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

15. Sam Leavitt, QB Arizona State

“Sam Leavitt put together a top 10 quarterback season in all of college football last season, but it seems some didn’t notice. He along with Cam Skattebo carried Arizona State to the College Football Playoff in his first year as a starter. Now that he has improved wide receiver weapons (Jaren Hamilton and Jalen Moss added via transfer) compared to last year expect some major fireworks on offense through the air.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

16. Dante Moore, QB Oregon

“Dante Moore is the wild card that will make or break Oregon’s season, but everything is in place for him to have a huge year. This former five star QB struggled in his early action back at UCLA, but wisely transferred to Oregon in order to sit and learn behind Dillon Gabriel last year. He knows the system. He’s got the talent. Now we just sit back and watch to see if he’ll reach his sky high potential. Moore could easily make it to New York if he scratches the surface of his physical capabilities this fall.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

17. Kevin Jennings, QB SMU

“The SMU Mustangs won 11 games last year and nearly beat Clemson in the ACC Championship Game en route to the College Football Playoff. The biggest reason why? Kevin Jennings emerged as a major threat. He threw for 3,245 yards and 23 touchdowns while also running for 354 yards and five touchdowns. The emergence of Jennings was a big one last season, and he should take another major leap going into his junior year.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

18. Carson Beck, QB Miami

“Carson Beck is hoping to return to his 2023 form in his sixth year of college. Miami’s offense should benefit Beck somewhat and this will be his last go around of trying to become a valuable NFL draft pick. Beck has the skill to be good and he has shown that. If he can bounce back strong from his elbow injury, then he should have Miami in the mix to be a solid to very good team.” – Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Ohio State Buckeyes

19. Avery Johnson, QB Kansas State

“The most fun possible outcome of 2025 is that a random team like Kansas State goes on a tear to shred a deep Big 12 Conference. The Wildcats are banking on the development of Avery Johnson in his second full season as the starter after watching Will Howard bring Ohio State back to the champion’s podium. Johnson is a highlight reel waiting to happen when he scrambles, but his passing consistency is what will determine whether this team of veterans are contenders or pretenders. I’ll take this shot on his massive upside.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

20. Fernando Mendoza, QB Indiana

“Mendoza was one of the biggest transfer dominoes to fall. The Hoosiers landed Mendoza, and he could lead an Indiana team back to the top 25. If he excels and we see the Hoosiers making a jump back towards the top ten in the rankings, Mendoza could be in the race to win the Heisman.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports LSU Tigers

21. Sawyer Robertson, QB Baylor

“Sawyer Robertson was one of the most underrated quarterbacks in college football a season ago. I believe that Baylor could take a step forward, as a whole this season. With that, Robertson will have more eyes on him. If he finds success, he will have a shot at being the top QB in the Big 12.” – Adam Holt, A to Z Sports LSU Tigers

22. CJ Carr, QB Notre Dame

“Taking another Notre Dame backfield starter feels incredibly strange (took Love earlier in this draft), but I like the value at this point in our draft. CJ Carr checks a ton of the boxes needed to make a surprise Heisman run, even if it’s unlikely he steals Love’s spotlight or grabs the nation’s heart so quickly. Notre Dame has a great chance to run the table this fall and the impact Carr will have on their passing game will be immediately noticeable. If defenses overcommit to slowing Love, then the window opens for Carr to be the elevating talent on the team.” – Ian Valentino, A to Z Sports National CFB Writer

23. Haynes King, QB Georgia Tech

“Haynes King is going to put up some huge numbers with Georgia Tech again this fall as a quarterback who can beat you with his legs and his arm. If King can make a jump as a passer, then he’s going to be one of the overall more productive QBs in the country when you factor in total impact.” – Brandon Little, A to Z Sports Ohio State Buckeyes

24. Darius Taylor, RB Minnesota

“The Heisman Trophy is mainly a quarterback award, but running backs still have the ability to build up a resume to win it. In order to get that kind of resume, you need the combination of talent and circumstances. Taylor has thrived during his first two seasons with the Golden Gophers, and this year could be a huge one, as PJ Fleck will likely rely on the running game even more with a redshirt freshman QB in Drake Lindsey.” – Tyler Forness, A to Z Sports Florida Gators

25. Darian Mensah, QB Duke

“Darian Mensah was the best non-power conference quarterback in the country last season. 4th in AY/A among all FBS QBs. 6th in passer rating. Top 5 in EPA per play too. If Duke lets him pass a bit more and gives him the green light to run some too, Mensah could easily be the shocking surprise who makes it to New York as he carries to Duke to new heights this year.” – Travis May, A to Z Sports College Football & NFL Draft Managing Editor

That’s all folks! We hope you enjoyed the College Football Heisman Draft. Make sure to let us know what we got right and wrong wherever you follow us on social media.

We’ll be back with more College Football coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!