{"id":631533,"date":"2026-05-08T20:26:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T20:26:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/631533\/"},"modified":"2026-05-08T20:26:14","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T20:26:14","slug":"college-football-rankings-cbs-names-one-heisman-candidate-for-every-post-spring-top-25-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/631533\/","title":{"rendered":"College football rankings: CBS names one Heisman candidate for every post-spring top 25 team"},"content":{"rendered":"

The top teams in college football usually deliver the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy. That\u2019s what CBS Sports\u2019<\/a> Shehan Jeyarajah<\/a> is thinking ahead of the 2026 college football season. <\/p>\n

Utilizing CBS Sports\u2019 Post-Spring Top 25 Rankings<\/a>, Jeyarajah named<\/a> the top Heisman candidate for each program. There are some obvious choices, like Arch Manning<\/a> for Texas<\/a>, but littered throughout are some names you must know for the upcoming campaign.<\/p>\n

Who could be this year\u2019s Fernando Mendoza<\/a>? There are certainly some great options. Check out CBS\u2019 picks<\/a> below, as Jeyarajah called his shot<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Arch Manning will be the presumptive favorite for everything he\u2019s eligible for in 2026. From the Heisman Trophy to the 2027 NFL Draft, the Texas star quarterback has immense hype entering another season. <\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s warranted or not remains to be seen. He finished last season strong after a rocky start, and he might finally be ready to take over the sport of college football with a full year of starting under his belt.<\/p>\n

Jeremiah Smith might as well be anointed as the chosen one. He\u2019s been the best wide receiver in college football for the past two seasons, and in what will likely be his final season with Ohio State, he\u2019s expected to run rampant for the Buckeyes. <\/p>\n

He would\u2019ve been a top pick in the NFL Draft each of the past two seasons, and that dream will finally come true in 2027. Perhaps he\u2019ll go the way of Devonta Smith and win the Heisman before it happens.<\/p>\n

Dante Moore could\u2019ve entered the 2026 NFL Draft, where he likely would\u2019ve been at worst a top five pick. Instead, he chose to make the mature decision to return to Oregon, and he\u2019s hoping to be rewarded for it. <\/p>\n

Everything is on the table for Moore on the Ducks. If he can put together an even better season than he had last year, the sky is the limit in Eugene.<\/p>\n

It was a rocky start for Gunner Stockton, but he really began to figure it out halfway through the season for Georgia. Now, the Bulldogs are confident in their signal-caller, despite watching Carson Beck lead Miami to the national title game last year. <\/p>\n

They\u2019re one of the favorites to win the SEC once again, and many won\u2019t bet against Georgia until they prove they\u2019re no longer capable. With Stockton under center, it doesn\u2019t feel like that\u2019ll happen.<\/p>\n

CJ Carr was one of the more pleasant surprises to fans outside of South Bend last season. He only got better as time went on, leading Notre Dame to 10 straight wins after a tough start to the season.<\/p>\n

What does he have for an encore? Notre Dame skipped their bowl game last year to focus on 2026, and their quarterback is a big reason why they have so much confidence. We\u2019ll see if he follows through.<\/p>\n

Josh Hoover could\u2019ve easily been the pick here, but CBS Sports went in a different direction. Charlie Becker is no slouch, and the second wide receiver chosen within the top six candidates.<\/p>\n

Indiana is hoping to repeat in 2026, but they\u2019re replacing much of their impressive offense. Becker is one who\u2019s returning, and that\u2019ll bode well for his chance at winning some awards this coming season.<\/p>\n

Darian Mensah wants to be the most impactful transfer in 2026. After watching other quarterbacks like Cam Ward and Carson Beck arrive in Miami and have instant success, there\u2019s no reason why the former Duke quarterback can\u2019t follow in their footsteps. <\/p>\n

He\u2019s immensely talented, drawing praise from all over the country before arriving with the Hurricanes. If he follows through, Miami could be even better than they were last season. <\/p>\n

Marcel Reed is one of the more exciting players in all of college football. Unfortunately, that wasn\u2019t on display during Texas A&M\u2019s loss to Miami in the First Round of the College Football Playoff. <\/p>\n

He\u2019ll be using that loss as motivation this season. An electric quarterback to watch, Reed\u2019s arm and legs could lead to him being crowned this year.<\/p>\n

Lane Kiffin is a quarterback whisperer, and his latest project comes via Arizona State. Sam Leavitt transferred to LSU this offseason, and he\u2019ll be the coach\u2019s first signal-caller to begin his Tigers era in Baton Rouge. <\/p>\n

He\u2019s a fantastic choice, as Leavitt stuffed the stat sheet in 2024 before an injury-filled 2025 put a damper on the Sun Devils season. There are a lot of talented quarterbacks in the SEC, but Leavitt might be the most underrated.<\/p>\n

John Mateer had the inside track to the Heisman last September. Then, a hand injury threw a wrench in his season, as he fought to get back on the field for Oklahoma. <\/p>\n

The Sooners still made the playoff, but it was a performance to forget against Alabama. Back for round two in Norman in 2026, a healthy Mateer could remind everyone why he\u2019s a favorite for the award in short order. <\/p>\n

Texas Tech Red Raiders<\/a>: RB Cam Dickey<\/a><\/p>\n

USC Trojans<\/a>: QB Jayden Maiava<\/a><\/p>\n

Ole Miss Rebels<\/a>: QB Trinidad Chambliss<\/a><\/p>\n

Alabama Crimson Tide<\/a>: WR Ryan Coleman-Williams<\/a><\/p>\n

Michigan Wolverines<\/a>: QB Bryce Underwood<\/a><\/p>\n

Tennessee Volunteers<\/a>: RB DeSean Bishop<\/a><\/p>\n

BYU Cougars<\/a>: RB LJ Martin<\/a><\/p>\n

Iowa Hawkeyes<\/a>: RB Kamari Moulton<\/a><\/p>\n

Penn State Nittany Lions<\/a>: QB Rocco Becht<\/a><\/p>\n

Missouri Tigers<\/a>: RB Ahmad Hardy<\/a><\/p>\n

Washington Huskies<\/a>: QB Demond Williams<\/a><\/p>\n

Clemson Tigers<\/a>: DL Will Heldt<\/a><\/p>\n

Florida Gators<\/a>: RB Jadan Baugh<\/a><\/p>\n

Utah Utes<\/a>: QB Devon Dampier<\/a><\/p>\n

SMU Mustangs<\/a>: QB Kevin Jennings<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The top teams in college football usually deliver the top contenders for the Heisman Trophy. That\u2019s what CBS…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":631534,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[172810,7303,1374,272963,199473,127827,162245,7310,125268,272964,127828,399,135167,272965,125270,42984,7317,272966,7320,272967,134062,398,396,397,7325,272968,7326,99,96467,272969],"class_list":["post-631533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-ncaa-football","tag-ahmad-hardy-24-lawrence-county","tag-arch-manning-23-isidore-newman","tag-bryce-underwood-25-belleville-high-school","tag-cameron-dickey-24-crockett","tag-charlie-becker-24-father-ryan","tag-cj-carr-24-saline","tag-dante-moore-23-martin-luther-king-jr","tag-darian-mensah-23-st-joseph","tag-demond-williams-jr-24-basha","tag-desean-bishop-23-karns","tag-devon-dampier-23-pinnacle","tag-football","tag-gunner-stockton-22-rabun-county","tag-jadan-baugh-24-columbia","tag-jayden-maiava-22-kaimuki","tag-jeremiah-smith-24-chaminade-madonna-prep","tag-john-mateer-22-little-elm","tag-kamari-moulton-23-cardinal-gibbons","tag-kevin-jennings-22-south-oak-cliff","tag-l-j-martin-23-canutillo","tag-marcel-reed-23-montgomery-bell-academy","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-football","tag-ncaafootball","tag-rocco-becht-22-wiregrass-ranch","tag-ryan-coleman-williams-24-saraland","tag-sam-leavitt-23-west-linn","tag-sports","tag-trinidad-chambliss-21-forest-hills-northern","tag-will-heldt-23-carmel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=631533"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/631533\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/631534"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=631533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=631533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=631533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}