2023 Heisman Trophy candidate tracker: Rankings, stats, more

An early look at the contenders for
college football's most coveted award.

Amid an ever-shifting college football multiverse -- transfers, NIL, expansion and realignment that seem tochange more frequently than the staircase at Hogwarts -- one steadfast bedrock of the game remains when weneed to grab something for grounding. The Heisman Trophy has been the bronzed anchor of the sport since 1935,the same year Bear Bryant finished his playing career at Alabama and saw the creation of the Hoover Dam,Social Security and the first Pacific airmail delivery, carrying to Hong Kong from California.

Today, the latest player to have his name engraved at the cleated feet of college football's most famousstatue makes his own airborne deliveries up and down the California coast. USC quarterbackCalebWilliams will seek his second Heisman this season, a feat done only once before. So, how do we rate hischances? And which players have the best shot at snatching the trophy from his grip? We polled 15 ESPN collegefootball writers to find out, and we'll keep updating those rankings until someone adds their name to the listof college football's immortals.

Points awarded: 5 for first-place votes, 4 for second, 3 for third, 2 for fourth and 1 for fifth. Odds by Caesars Sportsbook (through Aug. 23).

1. Player Stats

   Total votes by Week

   1. 1st
   2. 2nd
   3. 3rd
   4. 4th
   5. 5th

   1. Preseason: 14 FIRST, 1 SECOND

   Heisman-worthy moment

   2022 highlight:

   Williams eludes pressure and slings a beauty to Brenden Rice, who makes aspectacular catch to give the Trojans good field position.

2. Player Stats

   Total votes by Week

   1. 1st
   2. 2nd
   3. 3rd
   4. 4th
   5. 5th

   1. Preseason: 6 SECOND, 4 THIRD

   Heisman-worthy moment

   2022 highlight:

   Take a look back at Michael Penix Jr.'s best plays in his debut season atWashington.

3. Player Stats

   Total votes by Week

   1. 1st
   2. 2nd
   3. 3rd
   4. 4th
   5. 5th

   1. Preseason: 5 SECOND, 2 THIRD

   Heisman-worthy moment

   2022 highlight:

   Drake Maye throws a touchdown pass to Josh Downs to put North Carolina onthe board in the first quarter.

4. Player Stats

   Total votes by Week

   1. 1st
   2. 2nd
   3. 3rd
   4. 4th
   5. 5th

   1. Preseason: 1 FIRST, 2 SECOND, 5 THIRD

   Heisman-worthy moment

   2022 highlight:

   OhioState finds the scoreboard first with a pristine pass from C.J. Stroud to Marvin Harrison Jr. in thefirst quarter.

5. Player Stats

   Total votes by Week

   1. 1st
   2. 2nd
   3. 3rd
   4. 4th
   5. 5th

   1. Preseason: 3 THIRD

   Heisman-worthy moment

   2022 highlight:

   Blake Corum goesfor five touchdowns as Michigan cruises to a 59-0 victory over UConn.

Looking ahead

Feel free to print this out or save it on your phone to pull up and start some hearty Heisman debates duringyour late summer cookouts. The first player on our list above will also be the first of these players to takethe field, as Caleb Williams and USC host San Jose State in the Coliseum on Aug. 26. Just a few blocks away theTrojans keep their seven Heisman Trophies on display in Heritage Hall. Might Mr. Williams be on his way toearning their eighth? Stay tuned...

BoNix, QB, Oregon; Joe Milton III, QB, Tennessee; CadeKlubnik, QB, Clemson; Kyle McCord, QB, Ohio State; Carson Beck,QB, Georgia.