2016 Heisman Straw Poll: SI writers and editors pick Lamar Jackson

SI.com writers and editors favor Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson for the Heisman Trophy by a wide margin over Deshaun Watson, Baker Mayfield and the rest of the field.

If it were up to Sports Illustrated’s college football writers and editors, the 2016 Heisman Trophy race would not be close.

In a poll of SI’s college football experts, Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson won the race by a wide margin. Thirteen of SI’s writers and editors submitted their top three choices for the Heisman, which were scored like the actual vote with three points for a first-place vote, two for a second-place vote and one for a third-place vote.

Jackson ran away from the field with 37 total points, including 11 of 13 first-place votes. Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson finished in a distant second with 14 points, followed by Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield with 11 points. Here are the full results:

Rank	Player	School	Points
1	Lamar Jackson	Louisville	37
2	Deshaun Watson	Clemson	14
3	Baker Mayfield	Oklahoma	11
4	Jonathan Allen	Alabama	5
5	Dede Westbrook	Oklahoma	3
6	Jake Browning	Washington	2
6	Corey Davis	Western Michigan	2
6	D'Onta Foreman	Texas	2
6	Jabrill Peppers	Michigan	2

Besides Jackson, the only other players to receive first-place votes were Watson and Alabama defensive lineman Jonathan Allen, who got one each. Allen’s five points in the SI poll put him ahead of Heisman finalists Dede Westbrook and Jabrill Peppers.

The actual Heisman Trophy will be awarded Saturday night to Jackson, Watson, Mayfield, Westbrook or Peppers.