Heisman Rankings Week 5: Jeremiah Smith Is Unguardable, Undeniable

The Ohio State wide receiver machine has been a sight to behold during Ryan Day’s (and the backend of Urban Meyer’s) tenure. Terry McLaurin (at Ohio State from 2014 to ’18) and Chris Olave (’18–21) both developed into All-Pros at the next level. Garrett Wilson (’19–21) and Emeka Egbuka (’21–24) are both off to promising starts to their pro careers after starring with the Buckeyes. Marvin Harrison Jr. is a bit of an enigma in the pros but was dominant in college. And Jaxon Smith-Njigba has developed into the best wide receiver in football, winning the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year Award last year en route to a Super Bowl championship.

And, as far as college careers go, none holds a candle to what Jeremiah Smith is doing this year.

The junior has launched an all-out assault on the Ohio State record books, passing Egbuka for the Buckeyes’ career receptions mark (207) and Olave for career touchdowns (36) during Week 5’s win at Iowa. He is not yet halfway through his junior season, but is painting his masterpiece after winning a national championship as a freshman and earning unanimous All-American honors as a sophomore.

Is it enough to win the Heisman Trophy, an award that has been historically very difficult for wide receivers to win, with quarterbacks dominating the award since the turn of the millennium? And which other players are in position to give him a run? Let’s find out …

The Heisman favorites

1. Jeremiah Smith, WR, Ohio State (4–1); Last week: No. 2

Week 5: Beat Iowa, 31–14—11 receptions, 206 yards, two touchdowns
Season: 44 receptions, 823 yards, nine TDs

Credit to my colleague Patrick Andres, who correctly predicted that Smith would go over 167 yards and score two touchdowns against the stout Hawkeyes defense. Smith actually surpassed that bold prediction with ease, posting his second consecutive 200-plus-yard, two-plus touchdown performance. He’s on pace for 1,975 yards and 21 touchdowns. The FBS single-season records for receiving yards (2,060 by Nevada’s Trevor Insley in 1999) and touchdowns (27 by Louisiana Tech’s Troy Edwards in ’98) are in range, especially considering that Smith could play as many as 16 games this season if the Buckeyes go the distance.

The Heisman? Firmly in range. At the very least, this is shaping up to be the best season for a wide receiver since DeVonta Smith’s historic 2020, which earned the Alabama superstar the hardware.

He made it clear that he wants it, too.

“You’ve just got to [let] the Heisman voters or whoever it is know that I’m the best player in the country,” Smith said after beating Iowa, and striking the Heisman pose during the game. “I’ve got to be there.”

2. Keelon Russell, QB, Alabama (5–0); LW: No. 10

Week 5: Beat Mississippi State, 56–23—16 for 22, 285 yards, three TDs; five carries, 16 yards, one TD Season: 94 for 132 (71.2%), 1,414 yards, 11 TDs, two INTs; 37 carries, 184 yards, four TDs

In a matchup of the two most exciting young quarterbacks in college football, it was Keelon Russell, in just his fifth start, outdueling Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor. Russell continues to look poised beyond his years, and efficiently diced up an improved Bulldogs defense en route to a comfortable road win. After four consecutive convincing wins against Power 4 opponents—a run in which Russell and the offense have averaged 50 points per game—he has to be in the top tier of any Heisman race as we near midseason. A strong performance against Georgia on Saturday would secure his place as the leading quarterback.

True Heisman candidates

3. Trinidad Chambliss, QB, Mississippi (3–1); LW: No. 1

Week 5: Bye
Season: 102 for 144 (70.8%), 1,222 yards, eight TDs, three INTs; 28 carries, 108 yards, four TDs

Chambliss and the Rebels were on bye, licking their wounds from their rough Week 4 loss at Florida. They should have a good opportunity to get right against a reloading Vanderbilt squad that looked pesky early against Georgia on Saturday before eventually falling by 24 points. If Chambliss and Ole Miss are going to get where they want to go, they should be shooting for a similarly dominant performance in Week 5.

4. Kamario Taylor, QB, Mississippi State (4–1); LW: No. 4

Week 5: Lost to Alabama, 56–23—19 for 34, 256 yards, three TDs, two INTs; 10 carries, seven yards
Season: 102 for 154 (66.2%), 1,448 yards, 17 TDs, four INTs; 43 carries, 159 yards, one TD

It certainly wasn’t all his fault, but Taylor took his lumps on Saturday against a formidable Crimson Tide defense. Kane Wommack’s unit forced him into a pair of picks and completely locked down the dangerous rushing element of the game; he was sacked five times and his long rush of the day was four yards. Taylor’s season numbers remain impressive and this shouldn’t dull too much of the enthusiasm around the Mississippian gunslinger, but Russell looked like the better sophomore in Week 5.

Mississippi State quarterback Kamario Taylor drops back to pass against Alabama. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

5. Darian Mensah, QB, Miami (5–0); LW: No. 5

Week 5: Beat Clemson, 41–13—18 for 27, 227 yards, one TD; six carries, 42 yards, one TD
Season: 112 for 133 (84.2%%), 1,438 yards, 15 touchdowns; 12 carries, 79 yards, two TDs

Mensah had his worst game of the season Saturday at Clemson, and it was still pretty good, all things considered. He completed two-thirds of his passes, his first game under 85% on the season, for 8.4 yards per attempt and a touchdown, and made up some of the slack with his legs on a dominant day on the ground overall for the Hurricanes. The Tigers have myriad issues, most of them lying with Chad Morris’s offense. The defense is still very solid, and it’s hard to ask for much more of a quarterback and offense playing their B game than dropping 41 points in Death Valley.

6. Malachi Toney, WR, Miami (5–0); LW: No. 6

Week 5: Beat Clemson, 41–13—five receptions, 40 yards; one carry, 19 yards
Season: 34 receptions, 564 yards, six TDs; one carry, 19 yards

Toney has been remarkably productive this season, but it has come at some physical cost. He was banged up a few weeks ago during the Hurricanes’ win at Wake Forest, and briefly left Saturday’s win at Clemson with a shoulder injury. The Tigers were successful in limiting Miami’s No. 1 weapon, to little avail; WR2 Cooper Barkate scored a 61-yard touchdown and the Canes rolled to 192 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. One down game doesn’t eliminate Toney from consideration, though with what Smith is doing up in Columbus, it would be tough for just about any other wide receiver to keep pace.

7. CJ Carr, QB, Notre Dame (5–0); LW: No. 9

Week 5: Beat North Carolina, 37–26—21 for 29, 234 yards, four TDs; four carries, 15 yards, one TD
Season: 88 for 124 (70.9%), 1,197 yards, 13 TDs, one INT; 12 carries, 28 yards, three TDs

The Fighting Irish rushing attack set the tone in a sloppy, wet game down in Chapel Hill, N.C., but Carr made a litany of big throws to finish drives, with four passing touchdowns and a fifth score on the ground. Notre Dame got a tougher run from the Tar Heels than expected, but Carr was locked in and posted arguably his best game of the season against a Power 4 opponent.

8. Julian Sayin, QB, Ohio State (4–1); LW: No. 8

Week 5: Beat Iowa, 31–14—20 for 27, 324 yards, three TDs
Season: 103 for 142 (72.5%), 1,530 yards, 13 TDs, one INT; 25 carries, six yards, two TDs

Kinnick Stadium is rarely friendly for opposing quarterbacks, but Sayin—with some serious help from Smith—tamed it, dicing up the Hawkeyes for 324 yards and three scores, his third game this season with at least three touchdown passes. Sayin hung in against a pretty strong Iowa pass rush, which put him on the ground four times Saturday, to lead the Buckeyes to a comfortable road win.

As has been the case all season, the biggest mark against his Heisman candidacy is his superstar teammate Smith. Sayin is having a great quarterback season; Smith may be having the greatest wide receiver season.

9. Nate Sheppard, RB, Duke (4–0); LW: No. 7

Week 5: Bye
Season: 91 carries, 644 yards, six TDs; 10 receptions, 70 yards, three TDs

After a light Week 4 outing against William & Mary and a Week 5 bye, the Blue Devils bell cow should be plenty fresh for this weekend’s game against Georgia Tech, and it is an opportunity for him to put up some serious numbers. The Yellow Jackets have the ACC’s worst run defense, allowing 189 yards per game on the ground.

Duke running back Nate Sheppard should be fresh for a game against Georgia Tech. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Stock down

10. Jadan Baugh, RB, Florida (4–1); LW: No. 3

Week 5: Lost to Missouri, 45–17—12 carries, 13 yards; three receptions, 17 yards
Season: 96 carries, 613 yards, 11 TDs; five receptions, 35 yards

Baugh had been utterly unstoppable to begin the 2026 season … until he and the Gators made the trip to Columbia, Mo. Baugh was completely bottled up, gaining just 1.1 yards per carry, and was held out of the end zone for the first time this season. It may be a tough performance to rebound from, given how difficult it is for running backs to break through and how stacked the list of candidates is.

Keep an eye on these players

11. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia (5–0); LW: No. 12

Week 5: Beat Vanderbilt, 38–14—35 for 32, 295 yards, three TDs; seven carries, 22 yards
Season: 77 for 102 (75.5%), 1,049 yards, 13 touchdowns, one INT; 20 carries, 122 yards

The Commodores, without their young star quarterback Jared Curtis, gave the Bulldogs a fight into the third quarter, and thus, made Stockton work more than he has all season. The veteran quarterback answered the bell, leading three straight scoring drives in the second half before running out the clock with a six-play, 68-yard drive. Stockton set season highs for attempts and passing yards. Kirby Smart probably welcomed the extra work for his signal-caller, a week ahead of a trip to face Alabama.

12. Josh Hoover, QB, Indiana (5–0); LW: No. 13

Week 5: Beat Rutgers, 47–15—20 for 27, 251 yards, four TDs
Season: 76 for 107 (71%) for 1,101 yards, 15 touchdowns; 17 carries, 18 yards, one TD

Hoover, who was famously turnover prone at TCU (just ask his last coach), has now gone five games without a pick to begin his Hoosiers career. He put forth a workmanlike performance in his team’s dominant win at Rutgers on Saturday, bolstered by a rushing attack that ran for 329 yards and two scores. Next up: a very intriguing trip to face undefeated Nebraska, which is allowing just over 14 points per game.

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has gone five games without an interception. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

13. Austin Simmons, QB, Missouri (4–1); LW: Unranked

Week 5: Beat Florida, 45–17—23 for 30, 340 yards, two TDs
Season: 103 for 137 (75.2%), 1,287 yards, 13 TDs

Beat an undefeated top-10 team by almost 30 points, post a 300-plus yard, multi-touchdown game in the process and avoid throwing an interception to start the season, and you will earn a spot in Heisman watch.

Simmons’s impressive first season at Mizzou had gone under the radar, but he’s put up excellent numbers for the Tigers, and his outing against the Gators was his best yet, a solid bounce back from two less impressive games against Troy and Mississippi State. This is a very crowded field, but with upcoming games against Ole Miss, Texas, Georgia and Kentucky, if Simmons is to stick around in the conversation, he’ll absolutely earn it.

14. Arch Manning, QB, Texas (4–0); LW: No. 11

Week 5: Bye
Season: 73 for 115 (63.5%), 862 yards, seven TDs, three INTs; 32 carries, 82 yards

Manning and the No. 1 Longhorns were on bye in Week 5, resting up for their Red River showdown with what should be a desperate Oklahoma squad. Manning was solid in his first game against the Sooners last year but didn’t have to do much, throwing for 166 yards and a touchdown in a 23–6 win. Given how these two teams look, it wouldn’t be shocking to see a similar result, though this rivalry can get topsy-turvy out of nowhere.

15. Sam Leavitt, QB, LSU (4–1); LW: No. 14

Week 5: Beat McNeese, 63–14—18 for 23, 176 yards, three TDs, one INT
Season: 92 for 139 (66.2%), 1,220 yards, eight TDs, seven INTs; 45 rushes, 220 yards, six TDs

The Tigers opened October with their final nonconference game of the year, a true body bag contest against FCS side McNeese, and Lane Kiffin treated it as such. LSU put up 731 yards of offense, with Leavitt playing a half of football. He was solid enough, although he couldn’t avoid throwing an interception, something he’s done in every game, before giving way to backups Landen Clark and Husan Longstreet. The freewheeling Leavitt smartly avoided taking unnecessary hits; he didn’t record a single rush, and LSU’s offensive line didn’t allow a sack on the day. We’ll learn much more about whether he can hang around in this race next week at Kentucky.

16. Colin Simmons, edge, Texas (4–0); LW: No. 15

Week 5: Bye
Season: 13 total tackles (9.5 TFLs), 7.5 sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery

Simmons and the Longhorns were off last week, so he’s not moving much in our rankings. He should be licking his chops at the chance to take on struggling Oklahoma coming off of the bye in this week’s Red River Rivalry game. The Sooners’ offensive line was susceptible in its games against Michigan and Georgia.

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