The Heisman Trophy will be handed out in New York City on Saturday night and the three finalists — Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson — will be in New York, hoping to receive the award.
2015 Heisman finalists: How Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey and Deshaun Watson compare
Take a final look at the Heisman finalists before the award is announced.
Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Here’s how you can watch the ceremony:
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Place: New York City
Henry is currently the overwhelming favorite, according to Bovada, with 1/12 odds. However, McCaffrey gained a lot of ground after an all-timer of a performance against Stanford. He’s now at 6/1, while Watson has 22/1 odds. Here’s a better look at all three of the finalists:
Derrick Henry, RB, Alabama
The odds-on favorite for several weeks, "El Tractorcito" broke Herschel Walker's SEC rushing record this year, finishing with 1,986 yards and a nation-leading 23 rushing touchdowns. He's been particularly dominant at the end of the season, rushing for at least 143 yards against every FBS opponent since October 17. He's also had at least 200 yards in four of those games.
Henry is incredibly durable, having carried the ball a combined 100 yards in Alabama’s last two games, plus 38 times against LSU. But he’s not just a bruising back — he also has a knack for big plays. McCaffrey is considered the gamebreaker of the bunch, but as Bill Connelly writes, Henry is actually even more explosive.
Out of the backfield, at least, Henry has shown more explosiveness than McCaffrey. He has averaged 5.5 highlight yards per opportunity to McCaffrey’s 4.6, and with nearly the same efficiency (43.7 percent of carries gaining at least five yards). McCaffrey’s versatility makes the two hard to compare. But in terms of pure running back prowess, Henry retains the edge, especially considering the defenses he’s faced -- three opponents ranked in the Def. S&P+ top 11 (Florida, Wisconsin, and Georgia, against whom he rushed for 484 yards), and four more ranked in the top 30.
He’s a do-it-all back on one of the best teams in the country, and he’s gotten better with an increased workload as the season has gone on.
Christian McCaffrey, RB Stanford
Perhaps it’s wrong to call McCaffrey a running back, because he really plays every position. That was on display in the Pac-12 Championship Game against Stanford, as he finished with 207 rushing yards and 105 receiving yards, and he threw a touchdown pass. That’s the fifth-most ever in a game, and it helped him break Barry Sanders’ three-decade-old all-purpose-yard record. His 3,496 all-purpose yards are 1,000 more than anyone else has this season.
McCaffery isn’t just unique in that he can play many different positions. He also seems like a different kind of player in each of those roles. From Bill Connelly
“his rushing line (5.8 yards per carry, 46 percent of carries gaining at least five yards, only 4.6 highlight yards per opportunity) suggests a 220-pound efficiency back. His receiving line (No. 3 target for Stanford, 13.4 yards per catch, 84 percent catch rate) suggests an all-conference tight end. His return stats (29 yards per kick return) suggest a 180-pound lightning bolt.”
Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
Watson's odds have dropped mostly due to McCaffrey's surge in recent weeks. However, he's still the best player and quarterback of the best team in the country, and he has to be considered. He's a true dual-threat quarterback, passing for 3,512 yards and 30 touchdowns, ranking No. 3 in pass completion percentage, rushing for 887 yards and 11 touchdowns, and ranking No. 7 in combined quarterback yardage against Power 5 opponents.
Watson looked good before being injured in 2014, and he’s proven to be even better in 2015. He’s probably underrated, even as a Heisman finalist. In fact, Bill Connelly says his numbers make him the best quarterback in the country. Especially his consistency.
Watson averaged 8.1 yards per pass attempt, combining extreme mobility (954 non-sack rushing yards) with an uncharacteristically low sack rate (2.8 percent) and a remarkable 70 percent completion rate. Star receiver Mike Williams was hurt in the first game of 2015, and with a receiving corps loaded with underclassmen (of the top six targets, four are freshmen and sophomores), Clemson ranks third in Passing S&P+. His passer rating of 159.6 is incredible, considering he is also Clemson’s best runner.
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