The 2013 college football season was a bit of a unique one when it came to the Heisman Trophy. Ina season that had a number of worthy candidates to at least make the trip to New York City, six players were invited to the most prestigious award ceremony in college football, if not all of sports. With the final day of the 2014 NFL Draft hours away, there are three Heisman finalists from last fall still waiting to hear their names called.
Alabama quarterback AJ McCarron, Boston College running back Andre Williams and Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch have yet to hear their names in the first three rounds. Will today be the day?
McCarron is one of a handful of quarterbacks from the SEC that could be drafted in the final four rounds. LSU’s Zach Mettenbeger and Georgia’s Aaron Murray are also waiting patiently. There have already been five quarterbacks drafted in the first three rounds, with none being chosen in the third round. Where McCarron falls will be interesting. He is certainly confident, explaining his reasoning for skipping the Senior Bowl by saying he would let his résumé speak for itself. Lynch may be hoping more for a team to take a chance on him as a running back, although the need for running backs has clearly been reduced if this year’s draft is any indication.
No running backs were drafted in the first round for a second straight season and this year marked the longest the draft went on before a running back was drafted. Washington’s Bishop Sankey was the first running back off the board with the 54th overall pick in the second round (Tennessee Titans). A pair of running backs from the FCS were drafted later in the third round, leaving Williams in waiting.
Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel, a 2013 Heisman finalists and 2012 Heisman Trophy winner, was drafted 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns. Auburn running back Tre Mason, a 2013 finalist, was drafted by the St. Louis Rams with the 75th overall pick Friday night. Of course, the other finalist is still playing football this fall for Florida State. Quarterback Jameis Winston won the 2013 Heisman Trophy and led the Seminoles to an ACC and BCS championship. He will be back in Tallahassee this fall and perhaps enter the NFL Draft in 2015.