It had been widely assumed that Louisville quarterback Lamar Jackson was a lock as a Heisman Trophy Finalist given the distance he had put between himself and the chasing pack by the midpoint of the 2016 season.
As the year has gone on, however, there has been a select group of players who have raised their own games to become legitimate candidates for the biggest individual trophy awarded in college football. One of those players is Oklahoma WR Dede Westbrook.
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Westbrook has clearly been the number one wide receiver in college football this season. He has formed a dynamic partnership with quarterback, and fellow Heisman Trophy Finalist, Baker Mayfield, as the Sooners plowed through the Big 12 after an awkward start to the year during their non-conference schedule.
Westbrook is a lock to be named First-Team All-American and he was recently handed the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year Award to add to his growing collection of achievements.
As you can see from this video, Westbrook is everything you want in a wide receiver at the college level. He is fast enough to get downfield, quick enough to separate from defenders, and shifty enough to make people miss after the catch.
He runs excellent routes and has no fear when asked to come over the middle into the heart of the defense. it is noticeable in this package that Mayfield often never looks away from Westbrook, trusting that his favorite pass catcher will find a way to get open on his route.
His signature play may well be the touchdown in the snow against West Virginia where Westbrook throws a Mountaineers defender to the turf with a stiff-arm, before burning the covering defense for a long touchdown catch.
Westbrook will be joined by Jackson, Mayfield, Deshaun Watson (Clemson), and Jabrill Peppers (Michigan) in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation on Saturday night.
See more Oklahoma football highlights on Hambone694's YouTube Channel
