The Heisman trophy is the most coveted award in all of college football, perhaps in all college sports. It certainly has the most prestige to it, the most familiarity. In this ten part mini-series, I am going to introduce you to the top ten Heisman hopefuls in America so that you can get familiar with them just in time for Spring football.
QB Jake Browning, Washington
Not many seniors this day in time get a chance to win the Heisman. Most Heisman contenders are onto the NFL before they even become seniors. Jake Browning is a minority in this case. He is a senior quarterback entering his final season of college football.
Browning has put up some good numbers already through his three full seasons as a starter. As a sophomore, Browning threw for over 3400 yards and 43 touchdowns while leading the Washington Huskies to a College Football Playoff appearence.
What talents does Browning possess to put him in the Heisman race?
Arm Talent
Browning is now probably the most accurate quarterback in all of college football. Last season, he completed 68.5% of his passes, and posted an efficiency rating of 152.1. Browning doesn’t have top end arm stregnth, but his arm is more comparable to a young Peyton Manning. He can throw his receivers open and make big plays by finding open passing lanes.
That’s not to say that he doesn’t have arm stregnth. We have seen Browning dial it up on multiple occasions, being able to throw up to sixty yards. Browning has a great arm and you can bet NFL scouts are already diving in head first to check this guy out.
Experience
Browning is probably the most experienced quarterback left in the Power five. Having played in 39 games, including a Playoff game, no one is close to having seen so many games and then been on the big stage at the same time.
That experience gives Browning poise and confidence. You can see it with every throw he makes. He knows he can put a pass into a tight window and with four years in head coach Chris Peterson’s offense, he knows it like the back of his hand.
Familiarity
When Washington made that Playoff run back in 2016, the Washington offense was a very young one. Now, the same backfield returns with Browning in the deadly duo of running backs in Myles Gaskin and Lavon Coleman. Chico McClatcher, a running back/wide receiver hybrid will return as well, marking a wide open offensive scheme for Browning to run.
Browning has the talent and the team around him to make another Playoff run and yes, another Heisman run. All that is left to Browning is to produce. Produce is exactly what a 2018 Washington Huskies offense should do.
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