Alabama teammates Mac Jones and DeVonta Smith, Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and Florida's Kyle Trask have been named finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
College football's highest individual honor will be awarded Jan. 5 during a virtual ceremony. The coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of the trip to New York for the trophy presentation that typically comes with being a finalist. This year's finalists were announced during an ESPN special Thursday night.
Jones and Smith are the eighth set of teammates to be finalists together since the tradition started in 1982. Smith is trying to become the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991.
If it isn't Smith, who leads the nation in catches (98) and receiving yards (1,511), the winner will be a quarterback for the 13th time in a 15-year stretch.
Jones leads the nation in efficiency rating (202.34), completion percentage (76.5) and yards per pass (11.4), having thrown 32 touchdown passes for the undefeated Southeastern Conference champions.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide (11-0) will play No. 4 Notre Dame (10-1) in the College Football Playoff semifinal in Arlington, Texas, on New Year's Day.
Jones or Smith would become Alabama's third Heisman winner but be the first who is not a running back. Mark Ingram in 2009 became the storied program's first Heisman winner, and Derrick Henry received the honor in 2015.
Lawrence was the preseason favorite to win the award, but missing two games after contracting COVID-19 slowed his campaign. The junior quarterback and presumptive first selection in the next NFL draft did not play against Boston College and at Notre Dame.
He did play in Atlantic Coast Conference title game rematch against the Fighting Irish last weekend and led the Tigers to a blowout victory. This season, Lawrence has thrown for 2,753 yards and 22 touchdowns in nine games, helping Clemson reach the four-team playoff for the third time in his career.
No. 2 Clemson (10-1) plays No. 3 Ohio State (6-0) in the Sugar Bowl semifinal on Jan. 1. Lawrence would be the Tigers' first Heisman winner.
Trask leads the country with 43 touchdown passes and 4,125 yards. The senior is trying to join Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996) and Tim Tebow (2007) as Heisman-winning quarterbacks for the Gators.
The rest of the top 10 was revealed in order, starting with Alabama running back Najee Harris. The Tide are the second team to have three players in the top five in Heisman voting. In 1946, Army running back Glenn Davis won the Heisman, fellow running back Doc Blanchard finished fourth and quarterback Arnold Tucker was fifth.
Iowa State running back Breece Hall was sixth this year, followed by Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, BYU quarterback Zach Wilson, Notre Dame quarterback Ian Book and Florida tight end Kyle Pitts.