What tight ends have won the Heisman? Meet the two legends and the one contender

The Heisman Trophy is the most prestigious individual award in college football. While Georgia Bulldogs tight end Brock Bowers has been among the best players in the sport this season, he is not among the betting favorites to win the Heisman, likely due to his position.

Only two tight ends have won the Heisman Trophy, with one other player finishing in the top-three. Take a look at how each of the players performed in their Heisman winning season below.

Which tight ends have won the Heisman Trophy?

Larry Kelley was the first tight end to win the Heisman Trophy in 1936, the second year of the award. The Yale Bulldogs tight end caught 17 passes for 372 yards and four touchdowns. He also played on the defensive side of the ball, and while his full stats are unclear, he did record one interception for a 54-yard touchdown. Kelley also returned kicks during his Heisman winning season.

All in all, during his collegiate career, he finished with 49 receptions for 889 receiving yards and 16 total touchdowns. He did not play in the NFL as he turned down the opportunity to play professional football, baseball, and basketball to become a teacher.

13 years later, Leon Hart became the second and final tight end to win the Heisman Trophy. Hart, who also played on both sides, caught 19 passes for 257 yards and five touchdowns while adding 73 rushing yards on 18 carries. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end finished his four-year tenure with 49 receptions for 751 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

Notre Dame never lost during his collegiate career, winning three national championships. Meanwhile, Hart was named a two-time All-American. He was selected first overall in the 1950 NFL Draft. Hart was named a first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 1951 while winning three NFL championships in the pre-Super Bowl era.

He retired with 174 career receptions for 2499 receiving yards and 26 touchdowns. Hart also had 612 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 143 carries.

Have any tight ends come close to winning the Heisman Trophy?

In addition to the two winners, 14 tight ends have finished in the top ten in Heisman Trophy voting. Only one of those finishes has been in the past 50 years, while it also marks the only top-three finish for a tight end that did not win the award.

In 1977, Ken MacAfee finished third in Heisman voting, trailing running backs Earl Campbell and Terry Miller. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish tight end caught 54 passes for 797 yards and six touchdowns. In his four-year career, MacAfee finished with 128 receptions for 1759 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns.

While he was unable to win the Heisman, the Fighting Irish did win the national championship that season. MacAfee was also named a first-team All-American for the third consecutive season. He was drafted seventh overall in the 1978 NFL Draft, however, his career lasted just two seasons. He finished with 46 receptions for 471 yards and five touchdowns.