Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin headline the early list of potential 2026 Heisman Trophy candidates. Smith, who dominated the 2025 season with 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns, became the fastest Buckeyes player to reach 2,000 receiving yards in just 24 games. His acrobatic one-handed catches made him arguably the best player in college football last season.

Sayin, who challenged the NCAA pass completion record with a 77.0% mark, fell short of capturing the Heisman after Ohio State's offense struggled in the Big Ten championship loss to Indiana. The sophomore quarterback threw for 3,323 yards with 31 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions in his first season as a starter. Oregon's Dante Moore also returns after opting to stay for another season despite being projected as an early NFL draft pick, while Georgia's Gunner Stockton led the Bulldogs to an SEC title in his first full season as starter.

Other notable contenders include Miami's Malachi Toney, who led the FBS with 109 catches as a true freshman, and Texas' Arch Manning, who enters his junior season as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2027 NFL draft. The transfer portal has also created new opportunities, with Texas Tech's Brendan Sorsby and Miami's Darian Mensah bringing proven starting experience to new programs. With Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia, and Jeremiyah Love moving to the NFL, the 2026 Heisman race appears wide open.

Quick Fact: Fernando Mendoza completed 71.5% of his pass attempts during the 2025 regular season for 2,980 yards with 39 total touchdowns.