Robert Griffin III has a new leader atop his list of Heisman front-runners. After another record-breaking performance, this time against Iowa, Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith has taken the top spot. And at this point, it’s pretty hard to argue with him.
Smith leads a trio of stars at the top of RGIII’s list, with Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and Alabama quarterback Keelon Russell right behind him. Mensah continued his dominant season with a statement win over Clemson, while Russell helped Alabama take down Mississippi State. Here are RGIII's top five Heisman Trophy candidates through five weeks of the 2026 college football season.
Griffin's take: "Jeremiah Smith is absolutely balling. He's the best player in the sport right now. What he just did to Iowa was unfair — 11 catches, 206 yards, two touchdowns.
But it's really all the records he's breaking, and what he's done in the last five games. His first five games of the year: 44 catches, 823 yards, 18.7 yards per catch, nine touchdowns. He broke the career marks at Ohio State for receptions, receiving touchdowns, yards — 3,381 career yards.
I mean back-to-back 200-yard games." Griffin's take: "He might be the first quarterback taken. He has a fight with Jeremiah Smith to be the first overall pick in the draft. Right now, he's playing out of his mind.
Darian Mensah is absolutely balling." Griffin's take: "I love what I'm seeing from him because he looks like he's playing free. Every game, he's getting better. His completion percentage is getting better.
His ability to take shots down the field is getting better. And he makes Alabama feel like they can be a dominant outfit again. Earlier in the year, everyone was like, ‘What’s it gonna be like with Keelon?' But he hasn't blinked, not one time." Griffin's take: "I know they lost a bad one against Alabama.
But he was No. 1 on the list, and from what he's done this year, he's not worthy of falling off that list. He's not healthy.
He was not healthy against Alabama. That's not an excuse. It's just a fact.
Now he gets a bye week. He gets to come back and, hopefully, he'll be ready to roll, and he can use his arms and his legs to climb back up this list because he's a special player." Griffin's take: "He's been quiet, but Notre Dame is ruthless, man. This guy has completed 71% of his passes, 13 touchdowns, only one interception.
I want to continue to see how he grows. Everyone's going to talk about their schedule, but at the end of the day, CJ Carr is balling for what they're asking him to do. And that's why he's at No.
5."
