LONG SHOT: Mike Bercovici, QB, Arizona State
There may not be a more fearless gunslinger in the nation than Bercovici, who has a cannon to match his desire to push the ball down the field.
“I love the way he throws the ball,” former ASU star quarterback Jake Plummer said (h/t AZcentral.com). “He’s not afraid to throw it into that tight spot. That’s why I hope they don’t coach that out of him.”
Bercovici leads a high-powered offense on a team that should hang around in top-25 lists all year long, which helps his cause as a relevant Heisman finalist. He’s joined this year by uber-talented, multi-dimensional receiver D.J. Foster, who will line up all over the field, and sophomore Ellis Jefferson (prototypical No. 1 size and skill set), among others.
The Sun Devils needed him last year when Taylor Kelly broke his foot, and he delivered. Completing 61.8 percent of his passes for 1,445 yards with 12 touchdowns and just four interceptions, he showed himself capable of playing well on the big stage.