How this non-quarterback could win the Heisman in the 2026 season

The Heisman Trophy is given to the top college football player each year. Most of the time, it goes to a quarterback, but one non-QB entering his junior season has been one of the best in the nation every year he has played.  

Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has been in conversation of being the nation's best player since his freshman season. In 2025, Smith finished sixth in Heisman voting. He's sitting at +1300 to win it in 2026, according to FanDuel. 

In 2024, Smith had 76 catches for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns. In 2025, he had 87 catches for 1,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. That gives him 163 career receptions, 2,558 yards and 27 touchdowns. In 2026, that production won't stop, but rather it'll most likely increase.

Smith isn't just good for a receiver; he is one of the best players in the country. This is a player who had analysts saying he was NFL-ready since he was a freshman. 

It's not easy to beat out a quarterback for this award. Usually for another position to win it, they have to be truly special. We saw that two years ago when Travis Hunter won it for being able to play both offense and defense. If Ohio State is great again, then Smith will be up there, and if he puts up huge numbers again and is a factor for the Buckeyes, voters may have to give him more serious attention.

Smith will likely need three key things to win the Heisman: big stats, team success and highlight-worthy moments. He will also need to stay healthy and make big plays against higher-ranked regular-season opponents. He needs to have a season so elite that quarterbacks in the running don't look impressive enough to vote for.

A major factor that prevented him from winning last season was not how good Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza was, but Ohio State's strategy itself. Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day had his team play the whole 2025 regular season waiting to kick into full gear for the playoffs. This meant not as much risk-taking in games. This resulted in fewer passes thrown, and when Smith suffered a minor injury against UCLA, his reps were limited until the last game of the regular season.

However, that likely won't be repeated this season, because the Buckeyes play so many top teams that playing it safe isn't a choice. Smith will benefit from the shift in strategy as he will have more opportunities to catch passes to boost his stats and prove he can still dominate against higher-ranked teams.

The Heisman is meant for the best player in college football. If we go solely off that, Smith very well could be the Heisman Trophy winner for the 2026 season.