Heisman Trophy Rankings: 5 Early Frontrunners After Week 2 of College Football
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Following an exciting Week 2 of college football filled with upsets, controversy, and physical matchups, it’s time to gauge five college football stars currently at the top of the Heisman Trophy conversation.
Between the talent at quarterback around the nation and a Buckeyes wide receiver looking to make history, this year’s Heisman contention could wind up being one of the most exhilarating races in the past few seasons.
As teams prepare for the upcoming Week 3, let’s take a look at which college stars are making noise through two weeks.
Darian Mensah, Miami (FL)
PFN QB Impact Score: 98.8
It sounds ridiculous, but through two weeks of play, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has more touchdowns (8) than incompletions (4) to his name. While the major argument will be the strength of opponents, as the Hurricanes have only played Stanford and FAMU, if Mensah can continue to play at this high caliber as the opponents become tougher, he could become undeniable in the race.
The Hurricanes’ QB added 252 yards and three touchdowns to his stat sheet this past Thursday, only playing in the first half of the ball game with Miami steamrolling FAMU 77-7. Mensah carries a 91.1% completion rating through two weeks and has become a rising prospect on quarterback draft boards for the 2027 NFL Draft.
Mensah’s teammate, Malachi Toney, has also become an interesting name in the Heisman race to begin the college season, but as history has shown, quarterbacks are favorites to win the award, especially on a playoff-caliber team like Miami has displayed so far.
Kamario Taylor, Mississippi State
PFN QB Impact Score: 89.3
Taking the college football world by storm, Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor is leading the Bulldogs to a program turnaround and filling up the highlight reel in the process. Trampling ULM in Week 1, the major story was just how well Taylor would do against tougher competition, and Week 2’s matchup against Minnesota may have helped silence those doubters.
On the road in Minnesota, Taylor accounted for 313 total yards of offense in Mississippi State’s 38-13 win, throwing for 227 yards, 3 touchdowns, and adding 86 more yards with his legs. The schedule only gets tougher from here for the Bulldogs as they face South Carolina, Mizzou, Alabama, and LSU in their next four contests.
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Still, Taylor has shown flashes of having all the tools to navigate his way through the SEC this season, potentially. If he can navigate Mississippi State through the rest of this difficult schedule, he’ll remain a Heisman favorite.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
PFN WR Impact Score: 91.8
Sure, Ohio State came away with a loss on Saturday, but that shouldn’t take away from the spectacular performance that Buckeye wide receiver Jeremiah Smith put together against the Texas Longhorns.
Coming off a first-half only performance against Ball State, several questions arose on whether or not the Buckeyes’ leading receiver was going to be able to replicate the same type of night against an SEC opponent, but it was clear that even against Texas, Smith could do it all in just one half.
Totaling 164 yards on the evening and 1 score, Smith tallied 110 of his yards in the first half alone, producing more offensive yards by himself than the Longhorns had at halftime (97). Now at 315 yards and three scores through two weeks, Smith has all the momentum to make a Heisman run this season, even if he’s not a quarterback.
Arch Manning, Texas
PFN QB Impact Score: 83.0
Truth be told, Arch Manning almost got himself taken off the Heisman Trophy watch following the Longhorns’ abysmal first half on Saturday against Ohio State, but with some second-half heroics, the Texas quarterback was able to rally his team down 23-3 in the fourth quarter, and come out with a 24-23 win in Austin.
While it wasn’t pretty, Manning logged 195 yards, one touchdown, and an interception. What this win does for the Longhorns quarterback is check off a Heisman-caliber moment during the season and gives voters a reason to keep his name on tabs throughout the year.
With a major brand like Texas behind him and development evident as each game progresses, Manning will continue to be in the spotlight heading for the 2027 NFL Draft. If he’s able to continue flourishing in 2026, expect his Heisman odds to increase each week.
CJ Carr, Notre Dame
PFN QB Impact Score: 84.7
Two weeks into the season, CJ Carr has yet to play a fourth quarter, as Notre Dame has bombarded opponents to kick off the season. Of course, the strength of opponents will always be a rising red flag when judging Heisman candidates so early, but with the efficiency Carr has displayed and the ability to operate with elite poise, it’s hard not to see why his name is flying up the Heisman odds.
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A true pocket passer, Carr has close to 500 passing yards this season through two games and six touchdowns to accompany. While those stats don’t scream Heisman candidate, when you realize he’s only playing about 60-70% of the ballgame, it makes a bit more sense.
Nonetheless, Notre Dame’s remaining schedule does no favors for Carr if they continue to blow opponents out and limit the quarterback’s ability to put up stats. Their November matchup against Miami will be the true tell-all, and if he’s able to take an undefeated streak into that matchup and somehow win, the Carr’s name could potentially skyrocket to the top of Heisman lists.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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