3. Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State
I'm not going to lie, I am a little biased. I loved watching David Carr when he was at Fresno. He could have been a great pro if the Texans believed in providing any kind of protection for him at all. Now, his little brother Derek might be even better. His play is the main reason why Fresno is undefeated and looking to crash the BCS party. He also has the kind of heart-wrenching/life-changing story that Heisman voters eat up: His newborn son underwent two surguries in the first few days of his life to combat a potentially deadly condition. David White of the NY Times wrote about it here. Not only is Derek a fantastic football player, but he is mature enough now to realize it is just a game and that there are more important things. Certain other college stars who are not in my Top 3 still haven't gotten that. Will Derek win the Heisman? No. Does he deserve to be in New York for the finals based on his play? Absolutely.
2. Jameis Winston, QB, Florida State
Barring some kind of collapse, Jameis Winston is going to win the Heisman. He is ridiculously good. He destroyed my Syracuse Orange last week. FSU is undefeated, and most of their games have been complete runaways in a better-than-expected ACC. So, why the hell am I putting him at 2 instead of 1? Well, it has to do with the talent that is around him and my #1 pick. There is no doubt in my mind that Winston is insanely gifted, and will probably be a solid pro. I think that FSU can compete with Alabama in the BCS title game, and maybe even win it. But that is not just because of Jameis. FSU has an amazing defense which is only giving up 11 points a game, #3 in FBS. FSU's offense averages just under 200 yards a game rushing, which is in the top 1/3rd of FBS. They are a well-rounded and complete team. I think that, in an award that is supposed to honor individual achievement, having a team that great around you should hurt a little. AJ McCarron isn't on my list for the same reason, though he is not as talented as Winston.
1. Bryce Petty, QB, Baylor
Baylor is a great team. They are not as good all around as FSU is, though. That makes me give the slightest of edges to Bryce Petty in my Heisman vote. Their offense is the best in the country, averaging 61 points per game in the Big 12 (10, but who's counting?). Their defense is playing better as well, but it usually doesn't matter because the offense can score at will. Petty is the leader of that unit, and his numbers back up my praise. He has only thrown 1 INT all year to go with his 24 passing TDs, and has a QB rating of 206.2, a full 11 points higher than Jameis Winston. Additionally, he has 10 rushing scores to help his campaign. This could all be a moot point if Petty stumbles down the stretch, because Jameis Winston doesn't look like he will. But, assuming that they both go undefeated, my vote goes to Baylor's Bryce.
