It's still too early to truly tell who will walk away with the 2017 Heisman Trophy, but plenty of players have begin to separate themselves from the pack and are building their cases for the yearly award. Here's a look at the top players at each position after six weeks of college football.
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Quarterbacks
Favorite: Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma
Despite a shocking loss to Iowa State, Oklahoma has one of the top Heisman candidates in the country in Baker Mayfield. He leads the country in passer efficiency (214.1), is tied for 8th in passing touchdowns with 15, and is 17th in passing yards with 1,635.
On the radar:
Luke Falk leads the country with 19 passing TDs. Lamar Jackson remains an intriguing option because of his dual threat game. Mason Rudolph is fifth in the country in passing yards and third in efficiency.
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Running backs
Favorite: Saquon Barkley, Penn State
2017 feels like a year a running back will win the Heisman thanks to some struggles at quarterback, and Saquon Barkley has been the best offensive weapon in the country to date.
He's second in the country averaging 217 all-purpose yards per game, is 13th in the country with 649 rushing yards and six touchdowns, is the leading running back with 395 receiving yards and two touchdowns on 29 catches, and is 9th in the country averaging 32.3 yards per kick return.
On the radar:
Love leads the country with 1,240 yards and has 9 TDs. Rashaad Penny is second in the country with 993 yards and 9 touchdowns and leads the country with 220 al-purpose yards per game. Jonathan Taylor, a true freshman, is 7th in the country with 767 yards and 9 TDs, and is the only top-10 rusher who hasn't played six games yet this season.
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Receivers
Favorite: Dante Pettis, Washington
A wide receiver hasn't won the Heisman since Desmond Howard in 1991, and won partially for his work as a kick returner. Enter Dante Pettis, who already has 3 touchdowns on 9 punt returns this season and leads the country with 286 punt return yards (31.8 per return). He's also 45th in the country with 416 yards on 37 catches, and is tied for 8th with 6 reception touchdowns.
On the radar:
Ishmael is the NCAA leader with 729 yards on 56 catches and he's scored three touchdowns. James Washington is 4th in the NCAA with 647 yards and five touchdowns on just 28 catches — he averages 23 yards per catch.
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Defensive Players
Favorite: Bradley Chubb, NC State
A defensive player hasn't won the Heisman since Charles Woodson in 1997, and he played more than just defense. But there's a few candidates who have made waves, starting with NC State defensive lineman Bradley Chubb, who is tied for third in the country with 6.5 sacks and is second in the country with 14.0 tackles for loss.
On the radar:
Minkah Fitzpatrick does a little bit of everything — he has 28 tackles, a team-high 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, 3 passes defended, a forced fumble and a blocked kick. D.J. Reed has a punt return touchdown, is 11th in the country averaging 31.9 yards per kick return, and has a pair of interceptions to go along with 27 tackles and 3 passes defended.
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NEXT: College GameDay Predictions for Remainder of 2017 Season
