Five non-quarterbacks that could win the Heisman Trophy in 2026

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Over the past 20 years, quarterbacks have dominated the Heisman Trophy race, with college football’s top award going to a quarterback in 16 of the past 20 seasons. Based on the preseason Vegas odds, that’s expected to happen again, but there are at least a few non-quarterbacks who could make a run at the award.

While the preseason Heisman favorites are dominated by quarterbacks – CJ Carr of Notre Dame, Arch Manning of Texas, Darian Mensah of Miami, Dante Moore of Oregon, Julian Sayin of Ohio State, and Trinidad Chambliss of Ole Miss – there are superstars at other positions, too. And with a strong season, they could end up with the Heisman Trophy at the end of the season.

Here are five non-quarterbacks with real chances to win the Heisman Trophy this fall.

5. Dylan Steward – EDGE – South Carolina

A pure defensive player has never won the Heisman Trophy. Charles Woodson and Travis Hunter both won the award, but they were both two-way players who were integral players on offense, too.

For a player to win the Heisman as a purely defensive player, they would have to be a consistently dominant, game-breaking player in a season where there aren’t really standout players on offense. If players like Manti Te’o, Ndamukong Suh, and Chase Young couldn’t win the trophy, it’s going to take a transcendent season for it to happen. The best bet for that this season is Dylan Stewart.

Stewart enters the season widely projected as a top-five pick in the NFL Draft and is widely considered the best pass rusher in college football. He finished last season with just 12 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, but his production did not match his talent. He’s capable of more – it’s just a matter of how much more.

Now, for some context here, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young finished the 2019 season with 16.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss with six forced fumbles, and that earned him just fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. So if Stewart is actually going to make a run at the Heisman, he’s going to need a magical season, but the talent is there.

4. Ahmad Hardy – RB – Missouri

Missouri transfer Ahmad Hardy burst onto the national stage as a Doak Walker Award finalist and consensus All-American in 2025. He rushed for 1,649 yards and 16 touchdowns, the second-most rushing yards in the country. Hardy had multiple 250-yard games and regularly pulls off the explosive, game-breaking runs necessary for a running back to win the Heisman Trophy.

The biggest thing working against Hardy here isn’t on the field, but his recovery from an unfortunate incident this offseason.

Back in May, Hardy was shot in the upper leg while attending a concert. The bullet struck bone, requiring emergency surgery and an extended rehabilitation process. There’s still no timetable for his return, but if he is able to get on the field sooner rather than later and looks like the same player he was last year, he’s a legitimate Heisman contender as the top returning running back in the country.

3. Kewan Lacy – RB – Ole Miss

Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy carries +12500 odds to win the Heisman Trophy, making him a massive long shot. But if a running back is going to win the award, he’s probably got the best shot.

Lacy totaled 1,567 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns last season. He’s entering the 2026 season as one of the top returning running backs in the country in an offense where he will get a ton of carries.

The last running back to win was Derrick Henry in 2015, so it’s been over a decade since a running back has taken home the hardware. If anyone’s going to snap that streak, it’s going to be Lacy.

2. Malachi Toney – WR – Miami

After bursting onto the scene as a true freshman last season, after reclassifying from the high school class of 2026. Miami Hurricanes superstar wide receiver Malachi Toney is one of the biggest playmakers in college football entering the 2026 season and is the top returning playmaker in the Miami offense after a breakout year in 2025.

Playing at just 18 years old last season, he led the entire nation in receptions with 109 catches for 1,211 yards, both of which were single-season Miami records. He added 10 receiving touchdowns and showed rare versatility by throwing passes, running the ball 23 times for 113 yards and a touchdown, and returning punts for 298 yards. He’s a do-it-all weapon that will put up the monster numbers necessary to win the Heisman as a non-quarterback.

This year, with transfer quarterback Darian Mensah taking over and Miami’s entire championship core back in place, Toney will be the undisputed focal point of the Hurricanes’ offense. If Miami makes another playoff run and Toney’s production takes another leap, a Heisman Trophy is not unrealistic.

His odds are juicy at +3500, the second-best odds for a non-quarterback.

1. Jeremiah Smith – WR – Ohio State

This is the most obvious pick on the list. At +1400 odds, superstar Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has the best Heisman Trophy odds of any non-quarterback, and there’s a reason.

Smith is entering this season as essentially the consensus top player in all of college football. If he were eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft, he likely would have been the No. 1 overall pick.

Smith finished sixth in the Heisman Trophy voting last year, catching 87 passes for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. He did that while missing a regular-season game with an injury and splitting targets with Carnell Tate, who was just selected with the No. 4 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

This year, Smith returns alongside his quarterback, Sayin, who was a Heisman Trophy finalist last year. This time, Smith is expected to be the focal point of the Ohio State offense in a way that he hasn’t been throughout the first two seasons of his career. If that happens the way it’s expected to, Smith could have monster numbers by the end of the year.

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