Alabama WR DeVonta Smith wins Heisman Trophy

BRISTOL, Conn. — Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy on Tuesday, becoming the first wide receiver to win college football’s most prestigious award in nearly 30 years.

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Smith, who will lead the Crimson Tide (12-0) into this season’s national title game against Ohio State, is the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Michigan’s Desmond Howard in 1991. Tim Brown of Notre Dame (1987) and Johnny Rodgers of Nebraska (1972) are the only other wideouts to win the award in the modern era. Larry Kelley of Yale (1936) and Leon Hart of Notre Dame (1949) won the award as split ends.

Smith beat out his Alabama teammate, quarterback Mac Jones; Clemson University quarterback Trevor Lawrence; and University of Florida quarterback Kyle Trask. He is the first non-quarterback to win the Heisman since Crimson Tide running back Derrick Henry won the trophy in 2015.

The trophy was awarded in a virtual ceremony televised by ESPN.

Heisman ballots were due on Dec. 24, so they did not include Smith’s record-setting performance in the Tide’s College Football Playoff semifinal victory against Notre Dame. Smith was named the Rose Bowl’s offensive MVP, catching three touchdown passes to tie a bowl record, CBS Sports reported.

Smith’s 20 touchdown catches tied an SEC record set last year by LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase and also led the NCAA this year. He also leads the nation with 105 receptions and 1,641 yards.

Jones, a redshirt junior, passed for 4,036 yards and 36 touchdowns. He started four games last season but had to beat out former five-star prospect Bryce Young to win this year’s starting job.

Lawrence is only the second player in Clemson history to become a Heisman finalist, joining Deshaun Watson (2015, 2016), ESPN reported. He won all nine of his starts in the 2020 regular season, losing in the national title semifinal to Ohio State. He finished with 3,153 yards and 24 touchdown passes. He also rushed for eight touchdowns.

Trask led the Football Bowl Subdivision this season with 4,283 yards and 43 touchdowns. He was trying to become the fourth Gators quarterback to win the Heisman, following Steve Spurrier (1966), Danny Wuerffel (1996) and Tim Tebow (2007).

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