TCU quarterback Trevone Boykin went from little-known player to superstar last season, and he enters the 2015 campaign as a top Heisman Trophy contender. Which quarterback will make the biggest leap this season? We posed that question to our panel of experts. Here are their answers.
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- Charles Davis NFL.com
Hackenberg set to rise
Penn State's Christian Hackenberg has gone through a lot in a short amount of time. He was a high-profile recruit and decided to stick with his Penn State commitment even after sanctions against the program were handed down. He then had to become a recruiter, as he tried to keep his recruiting class together and convince veterans to stay. He was a freshman phenom under head coach, and QB guru, Bill O'Brien in 2013 and then became the absolute "face of the program" under new head coach James Franklin (and a new coordinator, and QB coach) in 2014. Whew! That's quite a journey for a youngster, regardless of his potential. Hackenberg oozes with possibilities in the college game and beyond.
Yes, he has plenty to clean up (footwork, decision making), but this might be the first year he's truly settled in at Penn State. I expect that to work well in his favor, and for him to bounce back, showing the college football world that he's one of the best QBs in the nation.
Arizona State's Mike Bercovici helped the underdog Sun Devils to two big wins -- on the road against USC and at home against Stanford -- during a three-game starting stint last season when Taylor Kelly was out with an injury. With Kelly moving on, the starting job is Bercovici's, and he could be in for a big year. He lacks ideal height (listed at 6-foot-1), which hurts him, but he has very sound fundamentals and showed he can spark the offense in a big way. He could go as high as the third round in next year's draft.
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- Chad Reuter NFL.com
Auburn's Johnson on verge of stardom
This question is a no-brainer for me since I selected Auburn's junior quarterback, Jeremy Johnson, as my darkhorse Heisman candidate. He was named Alabama's Mr. Football in 2012, played well in place of senior starter Nick Marshall when given the chance as a sophomore last season, and has a wealth of receiver talent to work with in 2015. The combination of his size (6-foot-5, 240 pounds), rocket arm and toughness as a runner should worry even the toughest of SEC defenses. In-state rival Alabama might have highly regarded Jake Coker taking the reins this year, but Johnson could be the one stealing the show in the Iron Bowl.
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- Chase Goodbread College Football 24/7
Keep eye on Oklahoma State QB
There has been an undercurrent of offseason excitement for Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph. He played well enough last year as a freshman in three games against Baylor, Oklahoma and Washington to merit it, but he's still going to be a surprise to most this fall. The Cowboys had a disappointing season last year and Rudolph's emergence can make OSU a contender in the Big 12 once again. As long as OSU's offensive line can keep Rudolph upright, he'll post big numbers this season.
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