2024 PFF College Football Midseason Awards: Ashton Jeanty takes home the Heisman Trophy

• Ashton Jeanty deserves the Heisman right now: The Boise State running back could shatter every rushing record in the book at this pace.

• Travis Hunter wins the Paul Hornung Award: As the greatest two-way player ever, the Colorado star wide receiver/cornerback is the easy pick for the most versatile player in college football.

• Unlock your edge with a PFF+ subscription: Get full access to all of our in-season fantasy tools, including weekly rankings, WR/CB matchup charts, weekly projections, the Start-Sit Optimizer and more. Sign up now!

Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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We’ve officially hit the midway point of the 2024 college football season and the best players and teams are separating themselves from the pack.

After unveiling PFF’s midseason All-American team last week, let’s take a look at who deserves all of college football’s major awards if the season ended today.

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Heisman Trophy/Maxwell Award (Best Player)

Winner: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

A player from a non-power conference hasn’t won the Heisman Trophy since 1990, when BYU quarterback Ty Detmertook took home the award. A non-quarterback from a non-power conference hasn’t taken home the stiff-arm trophy since Navy running back Jay Bellino in 1960. Suffice to say, the odds are against Ashton Jeanty, but his absurd numbers this season make him the current favorite to pull off the improbable and win the Heisman.

Ashton Jeanty’s historic first half of the season:

*Since PFF began charting college football in 2014

Keep in mind that his season-long pace only accounts for the regular season. Those numbers get even more ridiculous when accounting for the fact that Jeanty could be playing in the Mountain West Championship Game and the College Football Playoff/a bowl game. He could shatter every FBS rushing record in the book if he keeps this pace up and becomes the rare Group of Five player to take home the Heisman.

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Chuck Bednarik Award/Bronko Nagurski Trophy (Best Defensive Player)

Winner: EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

Stewart’s 93.8 PFF grade leads all defenders in the country, regardless of position. His 29.15% pass-rush win rate is close to eight points higher than the next-closest Power Four edge defender, while his 90.2 run-defense grade is third in the nation for his position.

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Davey O’Brien Award (Best Quarterback)

Winner: QB Cam Ward, Miami (FL)

Miami has its highest ranking (sixth) in seven years thanks to its superstar transfer from Washington State. Ward’s 92.3 PFF grade this season leads all quarterbacks in the Power Four. He also leads the nation in passing yards (2,548), passing touchdowns (24) and is third in big-time throws (20).

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Doak Walker Award (Best Running Back)

Winner: RB Ashton Jeanty, Boise State

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Biletnikoff Award (Best Receiver)

Winner: WR Tre Harris, Ole Miss

Harris is the highest-graded receiver in America so far, posting a 90.3 mark. His 987 receiving yards are also 83 more than any other pass-catcher in college football. Harris also leads all FBS receivers with 462 yards after the catch and 5.25 yards per route run. The next-closest receiver in the latter figure averages just 3.71 yards per route run.

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John Mackey Award (Best Tight End)

Winner: TE Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green

Fannin is the highest-graded player in college football this year, producing a ridiculous 96.7 PFF grade. His 495 yards after the catch lead all players in the country, regardless of position. The junior’s 873 receiving yards are 279 more than any tight end in the country. He’s currently on pace for 1,497 yards just in the regular season. The current FBS tight end record is 1,352 receiving yards set by Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro in 2013.

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Outland Trophy (Best Interior Lineman)

Winner: OT Wyatt Milum, West Virginia

Milum’s been an all-around stud for the Mountaineers this season. He’s the only offensive tackle in America with 85-plus grades both in pass-blocking and run-blocking while his 92.1 overall grade is the highest in the nation by nearly two points. Among the FBS offensive linemen who haven’t surrendered a pressure this season, Milum’s 193 pass-blocking snaps are 46 more than anyone else. He’s also second among all offensive tackles in run-blocking grade (90.1). Milum’s playing his way into the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft at this rate.

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Rotary Lombardi Award (Best Lineman)

Winner: EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

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Rimington Award (Best Center)

Winner: C Jacob Gardner, Colorado State

Gardner’s 89.0 PFF grade is over five points higher than any other center in the country this season. His 86.6 pass-blocking grade is second at the position while his 84.8 run-blocking grade is the highest by 5.5 points. He hasn’t allowed a sack or hit on 214 pass-blocking snaps while only giving up one pressure.

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Ted Hendricks Award (Best Defensive End)

Winner: EDGE Josaiah Stewart, Michigan

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Butkus Award (Best Linebacker)

Winner: LB Jay Higgins, Iowa

Higgins is the most valuable linebacker in college football according to PFF’s wins above average metric, thanks in large part to his outstanding coverage ability. His 94.3 coverage grade is over three points higher than any other linebacker while his two interceptions are tied for the most in the Power Four for his position.

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Jim Thorpe Award (Best Defensive Back)

Winner: CB Jahdae Barron, Texas

After playing mostly as a slot corner throughout his career, Barron has made the transition to the outside look seamless this year. His 89.2 PFF grade leads all FBS corners, and he’s only given up a 28.2 passer rating when targeted. For reference, spiking the ball every play nets a 39.6 passer rating.

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Paul Hornung Award (Most Versatile Player)

Winner: WR/CB Travis Hunter, Colorado

This is perhaps the easiest award to give out as Hunter’s arguably the greatest two-way player in the sport’s history. His 82.4 receiving grade is a top-20 mark among all wide receivers in the nation while he’s tied for 18th in receiving yards (604) and tied for 17th in receiving touchdowns (six). Hunter’s 82.8 defensive grade is 13th among FBS corners and he’s one of only three corners in the country with 80-plus grades in coverage and as a run defender. The top prospect on PFF’s 2025 NFL Draft big board has only let up a 44.0 passer rating into his coverage this year and has picked off two passes.

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Lou Groza Award (Best Kicker)

Winner: K Ben Sauls, Pittsburgh

Sauls has drilled all 10 of his field goals and all 28 of his extra-point attempts this season. He’s converted all three of his attempts from 50-plus yards, including a career-long 58-yarder against California that tied the program record.

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Ray Guy Award (Best Punter)

Winner: P Brett Thorson, Georgia

Thorson’s 94.2 punting grade is over three points higher than anyone else in the country. Only three of his punts have been returned, netting -9 yards total. 14 of his 22 punts landed inside the 20-yard line and he also lead the FBS with a 4.64-second average hang time.

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Johnny “The Jet” Rodgers Award (Best Return Specialist)

Winner: CB Rayshawn Pleasant, Tulane

Pleasant’s 92.0 return grade is nearly six points higher than anyone else in the nation. While the cornerback’s only returned six kicks, two of them have gone for touchdowns. In fact, he’s the only player in America with multiple return touchdowns so far.

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Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award (Best Freshman)

Winner: WR Ryan Williams, Alabama

While the fact that Ryan Williams is only 17 years old has been repeated ad nauseam over broadcasts, it doesn’t make what he’s done this year any less ridiculous. He’s already become the clear No. 1 option for the Crimson Tide and leads all true freshmen in the country with 649 receiving yards, 100 more than anyone else. Despite being so young into his career, he already has a legendary play in the instant classic win over Georgia.

ABSOLUTE SCENES IN TUSCALOOSA!!!

RYAN WILLIAMS WITH A 75-YARD TD TO RETAKE THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/pvc9ML7E7G

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) September 29, 2024

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Burlsworth Trophy (Best player who started his career as a walk-on)

Winner: S Will Brooks, Tennessee

Brooks is third among Power Four safeties this year with an 88.5 coverage grade. He’s only allowed three first downs into his coverage while picking off two passes and forcing another two incompletions.

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Joe Moore Award (Best Offensive Line)

Winner: Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa’s offensive line is the only unit in the FBS with top-10 grades both in pass-blocking and run-blocking, placing ninth in both categories. In fact, no other offensive line even cracked the top-15 for both. They’ve helped Kaleb Johnson run for 357 yards before contact, more than any other running back in America.

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Home Depot Coach of the Year Award (Best Coach)

Winner: HC Curt Cignetti, Indiana

Indiana finished with a 3-9 record last year, its third-consecutive season with four wins or fewer. In Cignetti’s first year at the helm, the Hoosiers are 7-0 and are No. 13 in the country. If Indiana can win four of its final five games, it should punch its ticket to the College Football Playoff. That’s quite the turnaround for a program whose last bowl game appearance was four years ago.

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Frank Broyles Award (Best Assistant Coach)

Winner: OC Andy Kotelnicki, Penn State

Kotelnicki has completely revolutionized Penn State’s offense in his first year as its offensive coordinator, which is a major reason why the Nittany Lions have their highest ranking in seven years (third). Despite losing serious talent to the NFL Draft and the transfer portal, Penn State’s offense is eighth in EPA per play after placing 27th last year. Meanwhile, Kansas, the school he left, is 28th in EPA per play after ranking fifth in 2023 despite bringing back most of the star players from a year ago.

Penn State is also seventh in receiving grade this season after placing 81st the year before. The Nittany Lions are running a pre-snap shift or motion on 63.3% of their plays after doing so just 45.7% of the time last season.