College football teams around the country are working through the meat of their schedule entering Week 7, and the Heisman Trophy race continues to take shape. Jeremiah Smith has emerged as the clear frontrunner for the sport’s top individual award.
As we approach yet another week of this very entertaining college football season, the true candidates in this Heisman Trophy race are becoming crystal clear. The obvious frontrunner is Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, who caught two more touchdowns in the Buckeyes’ win over Maryland.
Miami quarterback Darian Mensah is also holding firm in the race after the Hurricanes’ bye week, while Georgia’s Gunner Stockton re-established himself as a candidate in the Bulldogs’ controversial win over Alabama. Although Keelon Russell’s Crimson Tide were on the losing end, the sophomore signal caller still played a clean game and would have probably escaped with a win if the refs didn’t ignore the blatant pass interference from Georgia.
And you can’t forget Oregon State freshman WR phenom Jesse Legree, who is the only guy in the country currently rivaling what Smith is doing at Ohio State.
Ranking The Heisman Trophy Race Top Contenders Through Week 6
Recent Rankings: Last Week | Oct. 1 | Sept. 24
WR Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
If Jeremiah Smith continues to do Jeremiah Smith things week in and week out, we’re going to have to account for the possibility that he runs away with this thing. He only caught 4 passes against Maryland, but two of them went for impressive touchdowns (one of which he did all the work on) and he racked up 93 yards in the process.
Smith ranks second nationally in all three major receiving categories, with current totals of 48 receptions for 916 yards and 11 touchdowns. If Smith dominates against Indiana and Ohio State ends the Hoosiers nation-long 22-game win streak, the conversation might be over.
QB Darian Mensah, Miami
On 3rd-and-11
Big time throw from Darian Mensah. pic.twitter.com/G5g98u6EJL
— Jordan Reid (@Jordan_Reid) October 5, 2026
Miami wasn’t in action last week, but there honestly wasn’t a performance from any of the other candidates that would force Mensah from second on the ladder. His efficiency passing the football is as impressive as any collegiate quarterback in recent memory, and the Hurricanes schedule shakes out favorably for him to continue dominating.
With one of the nation’s best receivers to throw to in Malachi Toney and another stud in tight end Cooper Barkate that Mensah is familiar with from their time at Duke, it’s hard to imagine Mensah slowing down.
QB Gunner Stockton, Georgia
GUNNER STOCKTON IS THE MOST UNDERRATED QB IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL 🐶🔥
95/124, 1,298 YDS, 14 TDS, 2 INT through 6 games
77% completions, two picks all year, and he just won in Tuscaloosa. Georgia is 6-0. pic.twitter.com/gCpcfGqVKh
— CFB Performances (@performancesCFB) October 13, 2026
Gunner Stockton hasn’t been the first name you think of in the Heisman Trophy race despite Georgia’s dominance this season, but it’s clear he’s the captain of the ship and not just a quarterback who’s along for the ride.
Stockton completed 18 of 22 passes for 249 yards and a touchdown in Georgia’s win over Alabama, an encore to his lights out performance against Vanderbilt the previous week where he completed 25 of 32 passes for 295 yards and 3 touchdowns. Stockton’s 14 touchdown passes rank 12th nationally, and he’s only thrown 2 interceptions through six games this season.
QB Keelon Russell, Alabama
This angle of Keelon Russell’s famous throw against Georgia is SOMETHING ELSE.
One of the CRAZIEST THROWS the sport has ever seen, regardless of the level 🤯🔥
(Via nichetonotable/IG) pic.twitter.com/KvBWXRXTfa
— Rookie Watch (@RookieWatxh) October 15, 2026
Keelon Russell certainly could have been more efficient against Georgia, completing 18 of 30 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown. On the bright side, Russell didn’t turn throw any interceptions against a turnover-hungry Georgia secondary and he had Alabama in position to win the game if not for a bogus no call on what was certainly pass interference in the end zone. Russell’s 1,599 passing yards rank 10th nationally, and he’s been effective carrying the football as well with 225 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns on the season.
This Alabama team is still very much in contention to make the playoffs and are a plausible threat to run the table if they get in, but they’ll need the Russell we saw against Mississippi State as opposed to what we saw against Georgia.
WR Jesse Legree, Oregon State
Another monster game for Oregon State freshman WR Jesse Legree.
10 catches for 191 yards and 3 TD in the Beavers' 66-14 win over San Diego State pic.twitter.com/Hc8UAzg2W6
— 2StripesCPD (@2StripesCPD) October 11, 2026
Last week, we highlighted Oregon State quarterback Brady Atkinson in this fifth spot because of his gargantuan passing numbers to start the season. A significant reason for Atkinson’s success in the passing game is because of the fact that he’s throwing to one of the best freshman receivers we’ve seen in a long time in Jesse Legree. Legree leads the nation with 932 yards and 12 touchdown receptions, and the kicker is he’s done all that on 38 receptions.
That means Legree is averaging 24.5 yards per catch. You read that right. 24.5 yards per catch. In a 66-10 win over San Diego State on Saturday, Legree hauled in 10 receptions for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns. It’s hard to imagine Legree spending next season in Corvallis, but he’ll be a surefire preseason Heisman Trophy contender next season wherever he ends up. And the fact he’s in this conversation as a G6 freshman receiver is absurd to begin with.
