Two weeks into the college football season, the question lingers over every football faithful’s head: who will win the Heisman Trophy? Just two weeks into the season, only the most elite athletes have solidified their status at the top of the list of Heisman prospects and three hopefuls will fly to New York this December for a shot to win the trophy.

Will Grier is projected to be a top contender for the Heisman as the starting quarterback at West Virginia University. After making a name for himself in Gainesville, he faced suspension when tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Three years later, Grier has bounced back. Thus far the quarterback has a season completion percentage of 76.7 percent. Grier threw four touchdowns at his most recent game, rivaling Youngstown State University which tallied to a total of nine this season. He is a fierce competitor, using his talented arm to rack up 761 passing yards. With just a single interception, Grier’s precision is one of the many traits that make him stand apart from his adversaries.

Ed Oliver of the University of Houston Cougars is on everyone’s radar as he could be the first primary defensive player to win the trophy in 21 years. There is also buzz circulating that this Houston player has the potential to be the first overall pick in the 2019 National Football League draft. Oliver is only preceded by former University of Michigan Wolverine, Charles Woodson who boasts a recent induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. He leads the Cougars with 18 total tackles, eight of which are solo tackles.

Jonathan Taylor is a force to be reckoned with this season as a key player for the University of Wisconsin. On September 8, he registered a career high of 253 rushing yards, securing his status at the top tier of running backs in the league. He has been productive in running 98.7 yards per carry this season.

Dual threat Kyler Murray is as skilled on ground as he is in the air. He represents Oklahoma University well this season, completing 19 of 33 total passes. The Oklahoma Sooner threw 515 passing yards and ran 92 rushing yards to start the season. Murray played two years as the backup quarterback to Heisman’s reigning champion Baker Mayfield.

All eyes have been on Tua Tagovailoa, quarterback for the Alabama Crimson Tide, since last season’s National Championship game. Tagovailoa was just a first-year when he was called in to start the second half. He threw a 41 yard touchdown pass to end the game in overtime, defeating the University of Georgia. Since then, he has been one of the most exciting to watch, throwing six touchdowns without any interceptions for the 2018 season. Tagovailoa has racked up 455 passing yards in two games and is likely to develop into a more masterly competitor.

Twelve regular season games are left for these men to strengthen their abilities and prove themselves to be worthy of the Heisman Trophy, however only one will emerge victorious. Throughout the duration of this season, many hopefuls are as likely to rise just as these ones may fall.

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