Will the Commanders land this year’s Heisman Trophy winner?
LSU quarterback Jayden Daniels was named the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner on Saturday, finishing first in this year’s balloting. Winning the Heisman, Daniels becomes the third LSU Tiger to capture the award. Billy Cannon (1959) and Joe Burrow (2019) preceded him in winning the honor.
Just this week, CBS Sports’ Ryan Wilson conducted a 2024 NFL Mock Draft of the first round and Wilson had the Commanders selecting Daniels.
Washington last drafted a Heisman Trophy winner when then-owner Daniel Snyder orchestrated a trade with the St. Louis Rams. Washington traded up from the No. 6 overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft to the No. 2 overall selection. Washington also gave up their 2012 second-round pick and 2013 and 2014 first-round picks for the opportunity to draft Baylor’s Robert Griffin III.
1996 Heisman winner Danny Wuerffel (Florida) was not drafted by Washington. He was actually drafted by the Saints in 1997, then spent time with the Packers, Bears and Texans before he went to Washington in 2002 and was released during the 2003 preseason.
1991 winner Desmond Howard was drafted by Washington in the first round (4th overall) in 1992. Howard caught five touchdown passes and returned one punt for a touchdown in his three seasons in Washington before moving on to play for four other teams.
George Rogers was the 1980 Heisman winner, taken by the Saints first overall in the 1981 draft. He was one of the leading NFL rushers for four seasons in New Orleans and then ran for Washington the last three years of his career (1985-87).
Gary Beban (UCLA) was awarded the 1967 Heisman and drafted by the Rams in the second round. He came to Washington in 1968 but appeared in only five games in his two Washington seasons (1968-69) and was out of the NFL.
Vic Janowicz (Ohio State) won the Heisman in 1950, was drafted 79th overall by Washington in 1952, pursued an MLB career, then played two seasons with the Redskins before a car accident ended his NFL career.
This year’s Heisman voting was the closest since the 2018 Heisman when Kyler Murray (Oklahoma QB) finished ahead of Alabama QB Tua Tagovailoa by 296 points. Daniels finished 328 points ahead of Washington Huskies QB Michael Penix Jr.
Top 10 2023 Heisman Trophy Voting Official Results:
- Jayden Daniels, QB, LSU: 2,029 points (503 first-place votes)
- Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington: 1,701 points (292 first-place votes)
- Bo Nix, QB, Oregon: 885 points (51 first-place votes)
- Marvin Harrison Jr., WR, Ohio State: 352 points (20 first-place votes)
- Jordan Travis, QB, Florida State: 85 points (8 first-place votes)
- Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama: 73 points (4 first-place votes)
- Ollie Gordon II, RB, Oklahoma State: 31 points (1 first-place vote)
- Cody Schrader, RB, Missouri: 29 points (1 first-place vote)
- Blake Corum, RB, Michigan: 28 points (3 first-place votes)
- J.J. McCrathy, QB, Michigan: 21 points (1 first-place vote)