Jameis Winston is the top QB in college football entering 2014. (Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports)
Florida State’s Jameis Winston took away Johnny Manziel’s chance to win back-to-back Heisman trophies. Which quarterback in 2014 can do the same to Winston, who won the Heisman in his redshirt freshman season like Manziel did at Texas A&M in 2012?
It won’t be Manziel, Central Florida’s Blake Bortles or Louisville’s Teddy Bridgewater, three notable quarterbacks who left school early for the NFL Draft.
But plenty of other talented quarterbacks return to college football, most notably Oregon’s Marcus Mariota, who likely would have been a first-round choice in the NFL this year if he left after his sophomore season.
Here is a list of quarterbacks who will challenge Winston for college football’s player of the year honor in 2014:
1. Marcus Mariota, Oregon, junior
The Ducks’ star quarterback had substandard performances in losses to Stanford and Arizona in 2013, but both were related to a partially torn medial collateral ligament. He is like Colin Kaepernick but is more explosive as a runner out of the pocket with a strong and accurate arm. Mariota (6-4, 211) should enter the season as the Heisman favorite, as he was for much of 2013, before stumbling against Stanford and Arizona.
2. Brett Hundley, UCLA, junior
UCLA coach Jim Mora has already Tweeted a picture of the Heisman Trophy declaring Hundley’s name will be next on the plaque. Hundley threw for 3,071 yards and 24 touchdowns and also rushed for 748 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2013. He is returning to UCLA for good reasons — to win the Heisman and improve upon his decision-making and accuracy (nine interceptions last season). Hundley also needs to show the ability to win big games (the Bruins lost to Oregon, Stanford and ASU in 2013).
3. Bryce Petty, Baylor, senior
Robert Griffin III and Nick Florence have flourished before him in Art Briles’ system, but Petty is more than a system quarterback. Petty (6-3, 200) is a proven winner — leading the Bears to their first Big 12 title — who plays with efficiency and intelligence. He had only three interceptions in 2013, compared to 32 touchdowns. His 4,200 yards passing ranked fourth nationally.
4. Braxton Miller, Ohio State, senior
Miller (6-2, 215) might not be an elite NFL prospect yet, but he has name value as a senior-to-be in Urban Meyer’s system. He will try to improve upon his 2,094 passing yards and seven interceptions compared to 24 touchdowns in 2013. What makes him dangerous is his running ability with 1,068 yards last season. What could set him apart are clutch performances in the fourth quarter, a period in which he completed only 51 percent of his passes last season.
5. Connor Cook, Michigan State, junior
Cook emerged into the national spotlight with his winning performances against two stout defenses – Ohio State and Stanford – in the Spartans’ last games in 2013. In those two pressure-filled games, Cook (6-4, 218) completed 46 of 76 passes (60 percent) for 636 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. His second complete season in 2014 should include him throwing for more than 3,000 yards after achieving 2,755 in 2013.
OTHERS
–Nick Marshall, Auburn, senior
National championship-winning quarterback plays in a loaded attack and this year he actually knows the offense. His deep passing needs to improve, but he was 33rd nationally in passing efficiency in his first season with the Tigers and he definitely keeps the chains moving — quickly.
–Connor Halliday, Washington State, senior
He threw 22 interceptions and was sacked 31 times in 2013. But that was his first full season under Mike Leach’s air-raid offense. Halliday, who finished third in the nation with 4,597 passing yards, will be a senior and all of Washington State’s receivers and offensive linemen return.
–Devin Gardner, Michigan, senior
Gardner (6-4, 210) has name value as the Wolverines’ starting quarterback the last two seasons, although he’s not guaranteed of anything in 2014, with Shane Morris also competing for the starting job. Gardner had his share of bad moments last season (11 interceptions, sacked 34 times) but he has tantalizing athletic ability.
–Kevin Hogan, Stanford, senior
Hogan is highly intelligent out of the pocket with his ability to execute zone-reads and pick apart defenses with short-range throws. He also has the athleticism and toughness around the corner that the Cardinal coaching staff loves.
–Chuckie Keeton, Utah State, senior
If Keeton played in a major conference, he might be in the top half of this list. A knee injury prematurely ended Keeton’s season in 2013. NFL scouts reportedly believe Keeton (6-2, 200) can be effective at the next level as a dual-threat playmaker inside and outside of the pocket. As a sophomore in 2012, he passed for 3,373 yards and rushed for 619.
–Shane Carden, East Carolina, senior
The Conference USA Player of the Year is not from a power conference but deserves to be in this discussion. He was one of the most accurate passers last season and has more than 3,000 yards passing in each of his two seasons as a starter. Carden completed 70.5 percent of his passes for 4,139 yards in 2013, with 33 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
–Sean Mannion, Oregon State, senior
He was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the country last season, completing 400 of 603 passes for 4,662 yards, with 37 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He was on the fringes of the Heisman discussion in 2013, until the team slumped in the second half of the season.
