Jalen Hurts, quarterback, Alabama
Much like we saw with Buechele, Hurts was a fantastic player as a true freshman for Alabama last year. He didn’t often get rattled under pressure and had a lot to do with the team’s success offensively.
Hurts is one of the nation’s premier dual-threat quarterbacks. He rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last year and scored 13 touchdowns on the ground. His ability to evade pressure and make huge plays with his legs means opposing defenses often are gashed for massive plays, even when they do everything else right (watch here).
A very talented pure passer as well, Hurts gained 2,780 yards through the air while throwing 23 touchdowns with just nine interceptions.
Those are exceptional numbers for a true freshman, and he’ll only get better with experience. Throw in the fact Hurts plays for a team that will certainly compete for a chance at a title and you have a recipe for potential Heisman glory. Perhaps the biggest thing standing in his way is that Hurts plays with Bo Scarbrough, who is also a Heisman contender.