ARLINGTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 01: Former University of Michigan player Desmond Howard watches the action on the field during the game between the University of Alabama and the University of Michigan at Cowboys Stadium on September 1, 2012 in Arlington, Texas. Alabama defeated Michigan 41-14. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)The Heisman Trophy has basically become a quarterback award over the past couple of seasons. Will that trend carry over to this year as well?
As of right now, Justin Fields, Mac Jones, Trevor Lawrence and Kyle Trask are all considered candidates to win the Heisman for the 2020 season. They all have one thing in common: they play quarterback.
It’s going to be tough for a non-quarterback to win the Heisman this season, but ESPN analyst Desmond Howard has a dark-horse candidate who might just be able to pull it off.
During a recent episode of College Football Live, Howard made a strong argument for Florida tight end Kyle Pitts, saying “I don’t remember a tight end that can play the position the way he plays the position.”
Howard isn’t so sure that voters will give Pitts the recognition he deserves though.
“I do believe we need to start considering other players but the problem is they’re not being considered because, like Greg McElroy just said, we have too many voters,” Howard said on College FootbalL Live, via 247Sports. “They’re not really watching the games. They’re looking at statistics. They’re looking at highlights, and they’re forming their opinions based on, ‘Hey, that was on SportsCenter. This guy had that many yards.’ But they’re not really looking at the game. If they did, they would understand a guy like Kyle Pitts — who is a tight end in name and position only — is a guy who you really would strongly consider for the Heisman.”
In five games this season, Pitts has 24 receptions for 414 yards and eight touchdowns. There’s no debating who’s the best tight in the country because that title belongs to him.
Unfortunately the odds of Pitts winning the Heisman Trophy this season are pretty low. His quarterback, Kyle Trask, has a better chance of winning the most prestigious individual award in college football.
Pitts shouldn’t lose sleep over not being considered a strong candidate to win the Heisman though. In several months from now he’ll hear his name called in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.
