Who is the Heisman Trophy named after? Exploring the Honor’s origin

The Heisman Trophy is awarded every season to the top player in college football. It is widely viewed as the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented every season by the Heisman Trophy Trust after the regular season ends in December. Colorado Buffaloes two-way star Travis Hunter won the award in 2024.

The award was originally created by the Downtown Atheltic Club to recognize the best college football player East of the Mississippi River. Jay Berwanger from the University of Chicago won the first edition of the award in 1935.

However, it was not named the Heisman Trophy until 1936. It got its name after the death of the club's athletic director, John Heisman, and was broadened to allow players from anywhere in the nation to win the award. Heisman died unexpectedly of pneumonia on October 3rd, 1936. He was 66 years old.

Heisman Trophy has been dominated by quarterbacks in recent years

Although there have been periods throughout the history of the Heisman Trophy that other positions have dominated the award, QB has been the most awarded position for several decades.

Notably, from 1972 to 1983, every award was given to a running back. The last 10 winners are as follows:

• 2024: CB/WR Travis Hunter (Colorado)
• 2023: QB Jayden Daniels (LSU)
• 2022: QB Caleb Williams (USC)
• 2021: QB Bryce Young (Alabama)
• 2020 WR DeVonta Smith (Alabama)
• 2019: QB Joe Burrow (LSU)
• 2018: QB Kyler Murray (Oklahoma)
• 2017: QB Baker Mayfield (Oklahoma)
• 2016: QB Lamar Jackson (Louisville)
• 2015: RB Derrick Henry (Alabama)

Quarterbacks often get more credit for their wins by NFL teams. This is shown by where those players get selected in the NFL draft. Of the 10 most recent Heisman Trophy winners, five of them have gone on to be the first pick in the draft. All five of them were quarterbacks. The two, who were not drafted first, were Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels.

Daniels was drafted second behind fellow Heisman winner Caleb Williams in 2024. Williams won the Heisman as a sophomore and therefore needed to wait another season to enter the draft.

Lamar Jackson won as a sophomore in 2016 and did not enter the draft until 2018. He was drafted 32nd because teams doubted whether he should be a QB because of his style.

Conversely, RB Derrick Henry was selected 45th in 2016 despite winning the Heisman that season, and WR DeVonta Smith was picked 10th.

Travis Hunter is expected to be a top-five pick in 2025.