Let's look at back at some of the past Heisman Trophy winners, and what they are up to. Try to contain yourselves. The NFL thanks you for sending them the best of the best.
And yes, I know the Heisman is not about who will have the best NFL career. But it is an award for the best collegiate player, isn't it? Shouldn't the NFL be happy with the Heisman's choices if those winners want to play in the NFL? Take a look at these "winners" and check out what they have done lately. It will inspire you.
Gino Torretta, Miami Hurricanes QB.
1992 Heisman, Davey O'Brien, Johnny Unitas and Maxwell Award winner. Selected in round 7 of the draft, a 192nd pick. In 1993, '94, and '95 he was on the roster for the Vikings, Lions and 49ers, never playing a game. In 1996, he was on the Seattle Seahawks' roster, and played one down, throwing a 32 yard pass for a TD. He never played another down again the NFL.
Currently works for Gabelli Assets Management as a marketing specialist. Has a website, GinoTorretta.com, that has been under construction since Al Gore invented the Internet.
The player who came in second place to Torretta in the Heisman voting? Marshall Faulk. Drew Bledsoe came in 8th.
Jason White, Oklahoma Sooners, QB.
2003 Heisman and Davey O'Brien Award winner. 2004 Johnny Unitas and Maxwell Award winner. Was not drafted in the NFL draft, nor was he asked for a try-out for any team. Eventually signed with the Titans as an un-drafted free agent, but then quit, citing his weak knees.
Currently owns an Oklahoma/Oklahoma State memorabilia store in Oklahoma.
The player who came in second to White in Heisman voting was Larry Fitzgerald. Eli Manning came in 3rd, and Ben Rothlisberger came in 9th.
Rashaan Salaam, Colorado, RB.
1994 Heisman winner. Drafted by the Chicago Bears, he rushed for a rookie record of over 1,000 yards and ten TDS. Injuries, fumbles and his love for the "herb" led to him leaving the Bears. In 1999, he played for the Raiders, Browns and the Packers, playing only two games, before giving the XFL a try. The only Heisman winner ever to do so. One last ditch effort with him getting picked up by the 49ers failed to get him past the second round cuts. In 2004, he signed with the Toronto Argonauts, but was suspended *inhale* three months later.
Current whereabouts are unknown, so look for his familiar face on milk cartons soon*.
The player who came in second to Salaam was Ki-jana Carter. Warren Sapp came in 6th, and Lawrence Phillips came in 8th.
Eric Crouch, Nebraska, QB.
2001 Heisman, Davey O'Brien and Walter Camp Award winner. Was drafted by the St. Louis Rams as a wide receiver, but left before ever playing a down. Eventually wound up in Green Bay, but then bailed when Aaron Rodgers was selected in the draft. Played a couple of years with Toronto before getting released in September of last year. Refused to wear a coat and tie to Matt Leinart's award presentation.
Currently has signed with the All-American Football League. (don't ask, it's an upstart league, and of course, the only Heisman winner to sign with them)
The player who came in second to Crouch, by a mere 62 points, was Rex Grossman. (no comment)
Charlie Ward, Florida State, QB.
1993 Heisman, Walter Camp, Davey O'Brien, Johnny Unitas and James E. Sullivan Award winner. Was not selected in the NFL draft, but was selected in the first round of the NBA draft. Played for the New York Knicks, and eventually was invited to participate in the All-star three-point competition in 1998. He came in 4th. Was traded to the Suns (Knicks got Stephon Marbury), then promptly cut by the Suns. He then spent time with the Spurs and Rockets before retiring due to in injuries in 2005. Ward is the only Heisman winner to play in the NBA.
Currently works as an assistant coach for the varsity boys basketball team at Westbury Christian School, Texas.
The player who came in second to Ward was Heath Schuler, QB from Tennessee, named by ESPN as #17 on the list of the 25 biggest sport's flops. Schuler was recently elected to the House of Representatives in North Carolina. Hmm. Marshall Faulk came in 4th.
yep...but I've done a few pieces on OJ already......I'll wait til he gets his final justice (hopefully) and then deliver the full rant. ;) Besides, we all know where he is now, don't we?
While it seems that the emphasis was only Heisman winners who sucked in the NFL and maybe lifr, you know I have one who was awesome in his NFL career. Better than most of those won who in the last twenty years.
Name; EDDIE GEORGE. No need to go on. He was awesome but injuries later on forced him out of the game.
Not too surprising that Heisman winners have been hit-and-miss in the NFL. In recent years, it's been more of a "best player on a contending team" award, which makes it more likely that you're selecting a player who looks better than he really is due to the top-notch talent around him. That, and projecting college players' pro performance has always been a shoot-in-the-dark proposition anyway.
I've said it a million times, and I'll say it a million more...
The Heisman Trophy is a curse.
Show me one Heisman Trophy winner that had a successful NFL career with nothing bad happening to them at all, and I'll show you a man who was a lights-out player on a crappy team...Oklahoma State's own Barry Sanders.
Last edited by DarkFirebird712 on January 15th at 7:57 AM.
hey... laughing sort of!!! dennis dixon QB at oregon until his tire went flat (KNEE)??? im just kidding i dont think he had a chance in ????? why hes from orgun, orygan, organ, oreygon, allright!!! oregon!!!!
Heisman winners doesn't relate to how well you will do in the NFL. Grossman did deserve the Heisman that year. He didn't win it due to being a sophmore.
edmon...yep...one pass...hilarious! And yeah, his rating would be prolly like 500...oh wait, he can't have a rating til he competes in a certain number of games.
Gino Toretta...what a joke. My Alabama Crimson Tide made him look like a high school player at best in the '92 Sugar Bowl. The best part about it was that no one even thought we had a chance of beating "The U" (I hate that). It made me laugh to even see him standing up there behind Tebow this year...the last memories I have of him was either on his rear end after a sack or walking to the sidelines after giving us the ball back!
I never understood E. Crouch for the award. He was a good player on a great team. He wasn't a great player on a good team... I always thought of the award as going to the great player...
That's right Lisa H, Jason White is a "winner". We here in Oklahoma don't have the glitz and glare of SoCal. What we have is good, honest, hard working people. Jason White is very visible in our community when it comes to fundraising for sick and terminally ill children. He is our native son and we are extremely proud of him. He never made it in the pro ranks, but most of us could care less. I'm sure most NU fans would feel the same way when it comes to one of their favorite sons, Eric Crouch.
Last edited by king13f20 on January 15th at 1:21 PM.
king...i hear White is an upstanding citizen in his community...but he finished first and in top 4 in Heisman twice, and never played in NFL...and this post was about where are they now.
Merchant..Carson's doing well, I cannot concur with the est of the team, especially the D...ugh.
dank...Crouch won in an iffy year...same as Salaam in 94. '94 wasn't great, sexy Rexy was second.
Nice write-up Lisa H. I always wondered about the worthy talent of the candidates you wrote about.
Dank1, you bring up a good point of good/great players on good/great teams. 2007's top three candidates are great players, the first 2 were on great teams, but the 3rd, Colt Brennan was on an okay/kinda good team in Hawaii. He helped make history there in the islands. If Dixon didn't get hurt it could have been a different outcome. And that would prevent Tebow from doing well in the NFL, injuries. Although he shouldn't. He's in good shape.
Last edited by StormCharger on January 15th at 3:02 PM.
Spurrier was in the 8-9th yr of his career and wasn't surrounded by the very best. Remember expansion and T.B. got the outcasts.
What about those stand out Heisman selectee's from USC, Leinart & Bush? I bet Bush is glad the season is over, he was about to go below 2 yds per carry.
Once upon a time the Heisman was being awarded to truly great players on a regular basis, up through most of the 80s anyway. It has become a joke with the voter mentality that it must go to the leader of the best team. Jason White wasn't even the best player on his own team (AD was) but won the award anyway. I think they actually got it right this year; we shall see if that trend can continue in the future.
Tebow will never make it in the pros. He is a good kid and I wish him well. Florida won't win a National Championship with him and I doubt a conference title.
Hey GoPurple, nice try but AD came in the year after Jason White won the Heisman but that was a good try. The Heisman is about the best COLLEGIATE player, not the player that has the best NFL potential.
Sometimes you get people who are on teams in college that are better than what they are individually and when they get to the NFL they become exposed. Some are good but go to bad NFL teams and get beat down (physically and mentally). I still think that what team a college player gets drafted by and how they use him makes a huge difference in how their career pans out. John Elway and Eli Manning knew that! They take a lot of #### for seeming to be Prima's but they are both looking pretty smart right about now. College Football and the NFL are not the same game and that is good as far as i am concerned. I would love to continue to see the Eric Crouch/Pat White type of guys running the option in College Football forever. I dont really care too much for the NFL. Once they start getting paid the game changes. Oh, my bad... Once they can let everyone know that they are being paid, the game changes.lol
Isn't it funny that Heisman winners never fare well in bowl games vs SEC opponents....Lets look at Vinny T. Went to the Sugar Bowl in '85 and got whacked 35-7 by Tennessee, the afformentioned Gino T. vs Bama, Troy Smith vs Florida last year, Eddie George vs Tennessee the year he won it. Then Reggie Bush had a subpar game vs Texas (not SEC)...Heisman is a joke, ever since Manning didn't win I really could care less who wins it
CONGRATULATIONS ON MAKING IT INTO SI.COM ON CAMPUS.
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I didn't think si.com would want to promote foxsports.com, but looks like you found some sort of loop whole. Oh, and I still think Rex Grossman deserved that Heisman over Crouch.
(Sorry to be late), Not a bad list.
The one I could argue is Charlie. He prove to be quite an athelete playing 10 seasons (5 good) in the NBA. His height (if I remember correctly) would have hurt in the NFL.
Andre Ware could replace him? Ty Detmer? You have so many to choose from to enlarge your list.
Love your writing!!!!!!!
