On3 Heisman Trophy Poll: Top 10 player rankings after Week 5

The 2024 Heisman Trophy race is well underway and we have some shakeups with some of the top candidates.

On3’s national experts have been closely monitoring some of the biggest outings of the season and have started to look for consistency from week to week. Today, they compile their poll of the top 10 candidates.

Each of the five national experts submitted a ballot with his top 10 players on it, and we’ve compiled the results to create a complete ranking using points — 10 points for a first-place vote, nine for second, etc. Let’s get into how the rankings unfolded below.

1. CB/WR Travis Hunter, Colorado – 47 points

Hunter maintained his spot atop the Heisman Trophy poll rankings this week, with the exact same number of points as last week. It’s not a clean sweep at No. 1 for Hunter, but it’s pretty close.

All Hunter does is impress every time out. On Saturday he did it in a humid Florida environment in a game against UCF that quickly turned into a blowout. He had nine catches for 89 yards and a touchdown and also picked off a pass.

2. RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State – 43

Jeanty has been remarkably consistent this season, averaging more than 10 yards per carry across four games now. On Saturday he put together his biggest game since a monster season opener.

The Boise State bruiser logged 26 carries for 259 yards and four touchdowns. He’s already got 845 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns on the season, remarkable numbers for a third of the way through the campaign.

3. QB Jalen Milroe, Alabama – 41

At this point it’s like clockwork. Jalen Milroe is going to rush for two scores and throw for two to three touchdowns. He’s done it every single game this season, regardless of the competition.

On Saturday night, it was a terrific performance against No. 2 Georgia, with Alabama jumping out to a big early lead thanks to Milroe’s brilliance. The only blemish for the Heisman Trophy contender was that he threw his first interception of the season. Still, that’s hardly a real knock.

4. QB Cam Ward, Miami – 39

Cam Ward had one of those signature Heisman Trophy type plays on Friday night in a win over Virginia Tech, somehow avoiding a sack and flipping a ball out to the flats for a key conversion. It’s the kind of play that will be on Heisman reels everywhere.

Ward was far from perfect, throwing two interceptions in the game against the Hokies. But it’s clear he’s the main factor behind Miami’s turnaround and its success. Until that changes, he likely remains on these types of lists.

5. WR Ryan Williams, Alabama – 17

Williams has been a model of consistency through the first four games, proving he’s an exceptional threat and a big-play producer. He is currently averaging 28.9 yards per catch, while he has notched a touchdown catch in every game.

The talented freshman made one of the plays of the week with his touchdown against Georgia, which helped Alabama seal a massive win. Any time you can put together a six-catch, 177-yard day against one of the nation’s top teams you’ll earn Heisman Trophy mention.

T-6. QB Nico Iamaleava, Tennessee – 15

The second-year Tennessee quarterback had the week off after helping secure a key road victory over Oklahoma a week prior. Iamaleava isn’t putting up massive numbers, but he’s helped orchestrate one of the nation’s more dangerous offenses.

In four games, Iamaleava has thrown for 892 yards and seven touchdowns, against two interceptions. He has also run for 117 yards and a score, getting it done as a dual threat.

T-6. RB Kalel Mullings, Michigan – 15

Mullings saw his biggest workload of the season as his role with the Wolverines continues to increase. He carried the rock 24 times for 11 yards and two touchdowns.

And while his yards per carry were down against Minnesota, Mullings still managed to churn out yardage and move the sticks. It was needed in a game that got uncomfortably close after Michigan took a big early lead.

T-8. WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State – 11

The talented freshman receiver keeps producing for Ohio State, and he’s starting to do it in even more novel ways. On Saturday against Michigan State, Smith scored a rushing touchdown from 19 yards out.

Through four games, Smith has now caught 19 passes for 364 yards and five touchdowns. He has logged a touchdown catch in every game this season, showing Heisman Trophy level consistency at receiver.

T-8. QB Garrett Nussmeier, LSU – 11

Nussmeier has turned the ball over a little more than some of the other contenders on this list, and that’s probably the biggest knock on him at this point. He threw two interceptions in a big win over South Alabama over the weekend.

He also threw for 409 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns — two passing and two rushing. Nussmeier has some real grittiness to him that will be needed as the schedule continues to increase in difficulty.

10. QB Kurtis Rourke, Indiana – 10

Indiana has gotten off to a 5-0 start and none of the games have been particularly close. Rourke has been mostly outstanding, too, though competition has been just so-so so far.

Rourke threw for 359 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Maryland, but he did throw his first two interceptions of the year. In five games, Rourke has accounted for 1,372 yards passing and 11 touchdowns. He’s also rushed for two scores.

Also Receiving Heisman Trophy Votes

QB Miller Moss, USC – 8
QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson – 5
CB Will Johnson, Michigan – 5
QB Carson Beck, Georgia – 4
QB Kyle McCord, Syracuse – 2
QB Arch Manning, Texas – 1
QB Jaxson Dart, Ole Miss – 1

It’s a quarterback-heavy list on the Heisman Trophy contenders past the current top 10, with all but one working from under center. Michigan corner Will Johnson is the lone exception, and he’s one of the top cover corners in high school. Just about anyone on this list is capable of having a big game and vaulting himself up into the top 10 next week.

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