Full List of Heisman Trophy Winners

Nate Cunningham | Nov 18, 2024

Jayden Daniels won LSU's third Heisman Trophy in 2023. / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Heisman Trophy has been the pinnacle of individual achievement in college football since 1935, symbolizing not only the grit, skill and playmaking talent it takes to stand out on the field, but the character to stand out off of it.

Every year, one player rises above the competition to claim this honor, etching their name into the sport's storied history. From legends like Barry Sanders and Bo Jackson to recent stars like DeVonta Smith and Caleb Williams, the Heisman winners list reads like a who's who of college football greatness. 

Here’s a complete look at every player who's claimed the Heisman Trophy—each bringing their own flair and impact to the game.

The Legacy of the Heisman Trophy

Since 1935, the Heisman Trophy has been presented to the most outstanding FBS player in college football. It is awarded by the Heisman Trust at an annual ceremony attended by the finalists. 

New York’s Downtown Athletic Club originally created the DAC Trophy to recognize the best collegiate player east of the Mississippi River, but one year later everything changed. 

John Heisman, the group’s athletic director, passed away in 1936 and they renamed the trophy in his honor while also making the award a national one. Heisman coached baseball, basketball and football during his 35-year career, winning the 1917 football championship with Georgia Tech.

Full List of Heisman Trophy Winners by Year

Name	Year	School	Position
Jayden Daniels	2023	LSU	QB
Caleb Williams	2022	USC	QB
Bryce Young	2021	Alabama	QB
DeVonta Smith	2020	Alabama	WR
Joe Burrow	2019	LSU	QB
Kyler Murray	2018	Oklahoma	QB
Baker Mayfield	2017	Oklahoma	QB
Lamar Jackson	2016	Louisville	QB
Derrick Henry	2015	Alabama	RB
Marcus Mariota	2014	Oregon	QB
Jameis Winston	2013	Florida State	QB
Johnny Manziel	2012	Texas A&M	QB
Robert Griffin III	2011	Baylor	QB
Cam Newton	2010	Auburn	QB
Mark Ingram	2009	Alabama	RB
Sam Bradford	2008	Oklahoma	QB
Tim Tebow	2007	Florida	QB
Troy Smith	2006	Ohio State	QB
Reggie Bush	2005	USC	RB
Matt Leinart	2004	USC	QB
Jason White	2003	Oklahoma	QB
Carson Palmer	2002	USC	QB
Eric Crouch	2001	Nebraska	QB
Chris Weinke	2000	Florida State	QB
Ron Dayne	1999	Wisconsin	RB
Ricky Williams	1998	Texas	RB
Charles Woodson	1997	Michigan	CB
Danny Wuerffel	1996	Florida	QB
Eddie George	1995	Ohio State	RB
Rashaan Salaam	1994	Colorado	RB
Charlie Ward	1993	Florida State	QB
Gino Torretta	1992	Miami	QB
Desmond Howard	1991	Michigan	WR
Ty Detmer	1990	BYU	QB
Andre Ware	1989	Houston	QB
Barry Sanders	1988	Oklahoma State	RB
Tim Brown	1987	Notre Dame	WR
Vinny Testaverde	1986	Miami	QB
Bo Jackson	1985	Auburn	RB
Doug Flutie	1984	Boston College	QB
Mike Rozier	1983	Nebraska	RB
Herschel Walker	1982	Georgia	RB
Marcus Allen	1981	USC	RB
George Rogers	1980	South Carolina	RB
Charles White	1979	USC	RB
Billy Sims	1978	Oklahoma	RB
Earl Campbell	1977	Texas	RB
Tony Dorsett	1976	Pittsburgh	RB
Archie Griffin	1975	Ohio State	RB
Archie Griffin	1974	Ohio State	RB
John Cappelletti	1973	Penn State	RB
Johnny Rodgers	1972	Nebraska	WB
Pat Sullivan	1971	Auburn	QB
Jim Plunkett	1970	Stanford	QB
Steve Owens	1969	Oklahoma	FB
O.J. Simpson	1968	USC	HB
Gary Beban	1967	UCLA	QB
Steve Spurrier	1966	Florida	QB
Mike Garrett	1965	USC	HB
John Huarte	1964	Notre Dame	QB
Roger Staubach	1963	Navy	QB
Terry Baker	1962	Oregon State	QB
Ernie Davis	1961	Syracuse	HB
Joe Bellino	1960	Navy	HB
Billy Cannon	1959	LSU	HB
Pete Dawkins	1958	Army	HB
John David Crow	1957	Texas A&M	HB
Paul Hornung	1956	Notre Dame	QB
Howard Cassady	1955	Ohio State	HB
Alan Ameche	1954	Wisconsin	FB
John Lattner	1953	Notre Dame	HB
Billy Vessels	1952	Oklahoma	HB
Dick Kazmaier	1951	Princeton	HB
Vic Janowicz	1950	Ohio State	HB
Leon Hart	1949	Notre Dame	TE
Doak Walker	1948	SMU	HB
Johnny Lujack	1947	Notre Dame	QB
Glenn Davis	1946	Army	HB
Felix Blanchard	1945	Army	FB
Les Horvath	1944	Ohio State	QB
Angelo Bertelli	1943	Notre Dame	QB
Frank Sinkwich	1942	Georgia	HB
Bruce Smith	1941	Minnesota	HB
Tom Harmon	1940	Michigan	HB
Nile Kinnick	1939	Iowa	HB
Davey O'Brien	1938	TCU	QB
Clint Frank	1937	Yale	HB
Larry Kelley	1936	Yale	TE
Jay Berwanger	1935	Chicago	HB

The Only Two-Time Heisman Trophy Winner

Ohio State running back Archie Griffin is the only player to win the Heisman Trophy twice and he did so in back-to-back seasons. 

The Buckeyes’ ball carrier won in 1974 and 1975 after rushing for 2,977 yards and 16 touchdowns over the two seasons. 

Many have disputed his second trophy, arguing that Cal running back Chuck Muncie should have won. Muncie did finish with 10 more rushing yards and nine more touchdowns than Griffin, but Griffin led the Buckeyes to an undefeated regular season and a Rose Bowl appearance. 

Which Schools Have Produced the Most Heisman Trophy Winners?

USC has the most Heisman Trophy winners with eight, followed by Notre Dame, Ohio State and Oklahoma with seven each. Alabama is in a distant fifth place with four. 

USC Trojans (8): Caleb Williams (2022), Reggie Bush (2005), Matt Leinart (2004), Carson Palmer (2002), Marcus Allen (1981), Charles White (1979), O.J. Simpson (1968), Mike Garrett (1965)

Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7): Tim Brown (1987), John Huarte (1964), Paul Hornung (1956), John Lattner (1953), Leon Hart (1949), John Lujack (1947), Angelo Bertelli (1943)

Ohio State Buckeyes (7): Troy Smith (2006), Eddie George (1995), Archie Griffin (1975), Archie Griffin (1974), Howard Cassady (1955), Vic Janowicz (1950), Les Horvath (1944)

Oklahoma Sooners (7): Kyler Murray (2018), Baker Mayfield (2017), Sam Bradford (2008), Jason White (2003), Billy Sims (1978), Steve Owens (1969), Billy Vessels (1952)

Alabama Crimson Tide (4): Bryce Young (2021), DeVonta Smith (2020), Derrick Henry (2015), Mark Ingram (2009). 

The Positions Most Often Represented by Heisman Winners

Over the award’s history there have been 38 quarterbacks to win (the most recent being LSU’s Jayden Daniels in 2023). There have been 44 running backs/half backs/fullbacks to win (the most recent was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015). Just four wide receivers have won the Heisman (Alabama’s DeVonta Smith won in 2020, breaking a near 30-year drought for the position). There have only been two tight ends to win the award, both of whom won before 1950. Just one defensive player, Michigan’s Charles Woodson, has won the Heisman (1997). 

The Heisman is typically viewed as a quarterback award nowadays, with 20 signal callers having won since 2000. Considering the quarterback is the lone player to touch the football on every play, there’s certainly some justification for the position dominating the award in recent years. 

However, there have been plenty of years where fans and pundits alike have rolled their eyes at the committee’s selection. Sometimes the biggest snubs have been skill-position players, while other years have had the nation split on which quarterback should have won. 

Notable Heisman Trophy Snubs and Controversies

Adrian Peterson, Oklahoma (2004): The Heisman went to USC quarterback Matt Leinart in 2004, but there’s a very serious case to be made for Peterson.

Leinart led the Trojans to an undefeated season and threw for 3,322 yards and 33 touchdowns. However, Peterson finished third in the nation with 1,925 yards and scored 15 touchdowns. He is considered the best freshman in college football history, but that’s also what held him back. 

A true freshman has never won the Heisman Trophy, and only two players have won it as a redshirt freshman. 

It seems like if Peterson had been a year older, he would’ve won. But when comparing the two player’s stats this probably should have been Peterson’s year.

Marshall Faulk, San Diego State (1992): Miami quarterback Gino Torretta won the Heisman in 1992, but with the passage of time most agree that he probably shouldn’t have. 

Torretta had won 23-straight games for Miami before losing to Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, and in 1992 he threw for 3,060 yards and 19 touchdowns. 

Miami had a much tougher schedule than San Diego State–and the Hurricanes dominated the Aztecs in a head-to-head matchup. 

However, Faulk had a far superior season leading the nation with 1,630 yards on 265 carries with 15 touchdowns.  

Larry Fitzgerald, Pittsburgh (2003): Oklahoma quarterback Jason White overcame two knee surgeries to lead the Sooners to a national championship appearance, throwing for 40 touchdowns and just six interceptions in the regular season. 

But Fitzgerald led the nation in receiving touchdowns with 22 and receiving yards with 1,672. He only had one game with fewer than 75 receiving yards.

Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska (2009): Mark Ingram won the 2009 Heisman Trophy, finishing 10th in rushing yards and 11th in rushing touchdowns. He was a very good player on an Alabama team that built around its stifling defense. 

He was a fine player. But he shouldn’t have won the Heisman. 

Because Suh put together perhaps the most dominant season by a defensive lineman ever. 

Suh finished with 12 sacks, 24 tackles for a loss, 10 pass breakups, 26 quarterback hurries, one interception and three blocked kicks. He was so good that Nebraska practically never blitzed, because Suh would beat his blockers with such ease. 

Suh finished fourth in Heisman voting, which many consider a travesty. 

Heisman Trophy Winner Fun Facts

• The oldest player to win the Heisman Trophy is Florida State’s Chris Weinke. He was 28 years old. 
• Six programs have won back-to-back Heismans: Alabama, Oklahoma, USC, Ohio State, Army and Yale. 
• There are 10 players who won the Heisman and then went on to win the Super Bowl: Paul Hornung, Roger Staubach, Mike Garrett, Jim Plunkett, Tony Dorsett, Marcus Allen, George Rogers, Desmond Howard, Charles Woodson and Reggie Bush. 
• There are also 10 Heisman winners in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: Charles Woodson, Tim Brown, Barry Sanders, Marcus Allen, Tony Dorsett, Earl Campbell, Paul Hornung, Doak Walker, Roger Staubach and O.J. Simpson. 
• The Heisman Trophy stands 13.5 inches tall and weighs 45 pounds 
• Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield is the only player to start his career as a walk-on and finish it with a Heisman.

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