There’s nothing quite like a preseason Heisman hopeful who starts reading their headlines before Week 1 begins. From flashy NIL deals to way-too-early “Heisman moment” montages, the hype machine doesn’t sleep, nor do the egos that come with it.
Some of these players had serious talent, sure. But once the buzz got louder than the production, it was only a matter of time before reality caught up. Here are 15 Heisman hopefuls who bought into their hype way too early.
15. D’Eriq King
He transferred to Miami with a cape and was instantly crowned college football’s savior. But injuries and inconsistency quickly reminded everyone that preseason hype doesn’t equal postseason glory.
14. Spencer Rattler
He was on every Heisman watch list before the season even started. Then the games began, and suddenly he was benched by October.
13. JT Daniels
Once hailed as Georgia’s answer under center, he got the preseason love before ever stringing together meaningful wins. Injuries and QB battles kept his Heisman hopes firmly in the fantasy realm.
12. Bo Nix (at Auburn)
From beating Oregon as a freshman to being touted as the next big thing, the hype train left the station early. But his play at Auburn never matched the billboard energy.
11. Max Browne
He was handed the keys to USC with sky-high expectations and a golden arm. Unfortunately, things unraveled so quickly that it felt like he never really got out of neutral.
10. Adrian Martinez
He had the athleticism, the system, and the preseason buzz to match. But every year felt like a déjà vu of overpromising and underdelivering.
9. Braxton Miller
He was electric, but the Heisman chatter started before he fully polished his passing game. Injuries and a position change ended the campaign before it could truly begin.
8. Sam Ehlinger
He declared Texas “back,” and the hype followed. But the Longhorns’ inconsistency made his Heisman hopes more of a soundbite than a serious campaign.
7. Tate Martell
No one rode the wave of social media confidence quite like him. The hype was off the charts, but the actual on-field results never appeared.
6. Christian Hackenberg
He had the arm talent and the early flash, but things fell apart once the expectations hit. The hype far outpaced the development.
5. Jake Browning
After a monster sophomore year, the Heisman whispers got loud. But he plateaued quickly, and the buzz fizzled out just as fast.
4. Kelly Bryant
Taking over for Deshaun Watson would always be tough, but the early faith in a Heisman run felt premature. Clemson moved on, and so did the spotlight.
3. Kenny Hill
He went from “Kenny Trill” to benched in record time. One great opening game turned into a mountain of hype he couldn’t maintain.
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2. Quinn Ewers
From mullet marketing to NIL mania, he had all the makings of a superstar before playing meaningful snaps. The potential remains, but the early Heisman love was ahead of schedule.
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1. Tate Forcier
He started at Michigan with swagger and big-time throws, and people went wild with the Heisman talk. But after a few games, reality hit hard, and the hype train flew off the rails.
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