The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
1. Watson again Heisman finalist
He’ll join Jackson, Oklahoma duo, and Peppers in NYC.
Gainesville High alum Deshaun Watson will return to the Heisman stage this year. The Clemson quarterback, who finished third last year, is not the favorite but came on strong late in the season. The favorite is Louisville QB Lamar Jackson. Other finalists are Michigan LB Jabrill Peppers and two players from Oklahoma, QB Baker Mayfield and WR Dede Westbrook.
NEW YORK — Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson is a Heisman Trophy finalist for the second consecutive season, joining Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson, Michigan linebacker Jabrill Peppers and Oklahoma teammates Baker Mayfield and Dede Westbrook.
The finalists were announced Monday on ESPN. The award will be presented Saturday in New York.
Watson finished third in last year’s voting, won by Alabama running back Derrick Henry. Just like last year, he heads to New York not as the favorite but as the contender coming on strong at the end.
“You just don’t have a lot of two-time Heisman finalists over the history of your program. He is our first, and he’s very deserving,” Clemson coach Dabo Swinney said in a statement. “I’ve said it before — I believe he is the best player in the nation and has been a great representative of our university.”
Mayfield finished fourth last season, but did not get an invite to the Heisman presentation in New York.
Westbrook and Mayfield are the first teammates to be finalists since Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart from Southern California finished first and third, respectively in 2005.
Peppers is the first defensive player to be a Heisman finalists since Notre Dame linebacker Manti Teo was a distant runner-up to Johnny Manziel in 2012.
The ballots of more than 900 voters, including former winners, were due Monday.
Watson entered as the preseason favorite in what looked like a strong field of contenders, but Jackson quickly swept past them all to be the front-runner. He was brilliant for the first two months of the season and Louisville was looking like a College Football Playoff contender.
It seemed as if Jackson would be a runaway Heisman winner, but the 15th-ranked Cardinals lost their final two games of the season. He was sacked 11 times in a lopsided loss at Houston and he committed four turnovers in a last-second loss to Kentucky.
Watson, meanwhile, has surged since Clemson’s only loss to Pitt in mid-November. He also had the benefit of playing in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game last Saturday and took full advantage of the spotlight. Watson threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores in a 42-35 victory against Virginia Tech to seal a spot in the College Football Playoff.
The raw numbers still favor Jackson, who is second in the nation in total yards per game (410.7) and has accounted for 51 touchdowns (30 passing and 21 rushing) with 13 turnovers (nine INTs and four lost fumbles) in 12 games. Watson averages 341.8 yards per game and has 43 TDs (37 passing and six rushing) with 15 turnovers (all interceptions) in 13 games.
When the two met on Oct. 1 at Clemson in what was one of the season’s most entertaining games, Watson threw for 306 yards and five TDs, ran for 91 and was picked off three times. Jackson had 295 yards passing, 162 rushing and accounted for three TDs with one interception. Clemson won 42-36.
Mayfield and Westbrook have been a dynamic combination, and late in the season No. 7 Oklahoma started a dual campaign to promote both for the Heisman. Mayfield is on pace to break the NCAA record for passer efficiency rating in a season (197.75). Westbrook has 74 catches for 1,465 yards and 16 touchdowns and has more receptions covering at least 20 yards (26) than any receiver in the country.
Peppers played defense, offense and special teams for Michigan, lining up all over the field. He had 60 tackles, three sacks and an interception on defense, scored three touchdowns on offense being used mostly as a wildcat quarterback and averaged 14.8 yards with a touchdown on punt returns.