The Heisman Trophy race is an unpredictable journey that formally unfolds over the course of approximately three months, starting on Labor Day weekend and ending at an overwrought, early-December ceremony in New York City. But an important, less quantifiable component of the Heisman derby takes place during the offseason. It involves the amplification or tamping down of hype for certain players based on past performance, projected improvement and various other factors. Even now, for instance, it’s not hard to identify the guys who will enter the fall as the strongest candidates to take home the award.
Today, let’s ignore the favorites and look at 10 potential dark horses in the 2018 race, who may seem like long shots for college football’s most prestigious individual honor now but stand a good chance of playing their way into the discussion.