All of us have heard talk about Heisman Trophy winners rarely shining on the pro level. IMO, they rarely do well on the next level cause they are usually stuck on a crappy team. Being that Heisman winners are usually RB's or QB's, it is essential that they have good O-lines. When a team on the pro level sucks on offense, you can frequently blame a weak O-line. The offensively weak teams drool over the Heisman winning QB or RB and therefor the Heisman winner usually gets picked up by that team with a horrible O-line. Win the Heisman, garner attention, and get picked up early in the draft. We all know who gets first pick in the draft, the weak teams. This certainly isn't the case for all Heisman winners, but it definitely works against them and makes it that much harder for them to succeed on the pro level. Agree...disagree?
No way man, I disagree! Charlie Ward won the Heisman and has had a long and productive professional sports career! ...... in the NBA!
If you look at many of the recent runner-ups and 3rd place finishers you will find that they are doing very well...
Of course there are lots of players that do well even though they are picked high in the draft, but it has to work against them and and stack the odds against them. IMO, it's a contributing factor as to why many Heisman winners don't do well.
Here are some names of kids who were invited to NY, but did not win - many of these guys are killing it in the NFL: Mike Vick Drew Brees Chad Pennington Shaun Alexander Byron Leftwich Rex Grossman Joey Harrington David Carr Antwaan Randle El Ladanian Tomlinson Tim Couch Donovan McNabb Daunte Culpepper Champ Bailey Torry Holt Randy Moss Jake Plummer Warrick Dunn Keyshawn Johnson Steve McNair Marshall Faulk Drew Bledsoe Emmitt Smith This is just in the last 10-15 years - and I'm sure I've left many out. Point is, it's still a who's who event - but, for some reason the winner isn't always on his way to higher ground...
He actually struggled early, it wasn't till this year when they picked up Roy Williams that he started to come around. You were joking with this one, right? Couch is one of the biggest busts of recent memory. In fact, Couch is a prime example of what I was talking about. A lot of those players that you mentioned have been traded to teams other than the one they were drafted for, therefor making my draft theory moot. Others on your list (such as Bledsoe) aren't exactly lighting it up in the NFL right now. For the most part, your list doesn't really disprove my theory due to the fact that so many of those players have been traded to teams other than the one they were drafted from.
Just an example of how important a good O-line is. Bledsoe played for New England and was doing so well that they signed him to a contract worth over 100 million. Bledsoe gets hurt and Brady comes in and does just as well behind that same line. Bledsoe is traded to Buffalo(a team with a horrible O-line) and all of a sudden that QB guy that shined in New England is no longer an elite qb in the NFL. The finger is pointed directly at the O-line.
i definetely agree, i guess when players are runner-ups they have more motivation to excel in the NFL and to prove something, thats just the way i see it, oh yea and Peyton Manning was a runner up too, and he's gonna be MVP for the second straight year
i think its as simple as this.... the Heisman isnt given to the best football player. its given to a good player on a good team. i dont think it has anything to do with being on a bad team. if youre a good player...youre a good player. Archie shined with the Saints, Peyton shined with the colts....and not all heisman winners are drafted to a bad team. having a supporting cast does help a lot, but you can still tell that person has talent. and i dont really think the people that finished runner up to the heisman...like the list that was provided...really lose all that much sleep over it. they are just badass players....their motivation is to win a super bowl more than "ill prove the heisman voters wrong" and for Drew B. he was a dang good QB for a long time. he has struggled with the Bills, but he's been in the league for..what..10-12 years? the heisman is a joke. it will hardley ever go to the best football player and thats why there are so many "heisman busts". it really should be called the "popular QB or TB award"...i know that doesnt have much of a ring to it ...but thats what it is. i have a hard time believing that either a QB or a RB is the best football players in the nation...EVERY YEAR. it will always be a joke until dominating linemen, linebackers, or safeties are even considered for it. and why do you have to be on a national champion contender to be the "best player"?...thats bull****. i thought it was great when Randall El was being considered....that guy is a gamer. he never stood a chance to actually win, but he got some votes. anyway...the heisman blows and the way carson palmer voted...just goes to show how crappy that award really is.
