Which SEC football players have won the Heisman Trophy?

When looking at the list of players who have previously won the Heisman Trophy throughout the awards history, you will find SEC football well represented up-and-down the list, especially in the 2000’s. Here is every player from the SEC who has won the Heisman Trophy, as well as what that award-winning season looked like.

NOTE: Texas A&M’s John David Crow (1957) and South Carolina’s George Rogers (1980) also won the Heisman Trophy, but were not included as neither the Aggies or Gamecocks were in the SEC at the time. 

Which SEC football players have won the Heisman Trophy?

Georgia RB Frank Sinkwich – 1942

SEC football’s first Heisman Trophy winner came back in 1942 when Georgia’s Frank Sinkwich claimed the award after finishing fourth the year prior. Also the 1942 SEC Player of the Year, Sinkwich rushed for 828 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Bulldogs that season, while also completing 50.6% of his passes for 1,456 yards with a 10:9 TD:INT ratio.

LSU RB Billy Cannon – 1959

After finishing third in Heisman voting the year prior, Cannon became the SEC’s second winner back in 1959. Also the 1959 SEC Player of the Year, Cannon rushed for 598 yards and five touchdowns that season for LSU.

Florida QB Steve Spurrier – 1966

The 1966 SEC Player of the Year, Spurrier was named the Heisman Trophy winner that season by completing 61.5% of his passes for 2,012 yards and a 16:8 TD:INT ratio. Spurrier also led the SEC in both completion percentage and passing yards at the helm of the Florida offense that season.

Auburn QB Pat Sullivan – 1971

Sullivan claimed the Heisman Trophy back in 1971 after completing 56% of his passes for 2,262 yards with a 21:13 TD:INT ratio. The Auburn quarterback led the SEC that season in completion percentage, passing yards, and passing touchdowns.

Georgia RB Herschel Walker – 1982

After finishing top three for the Heisman in both 1980 and 1981, Walker finally claimed the award in 1982. Also the 1982 SEC Player of the Year, Walker led the conference that season with 1,752 yards and 16 rushing touchdowns for the Bulldogs.

Auburn RB Bo Jackson – 1985

Jackson became Auburn’s second Heisman winner in 1985 by rushing for 1,786 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Tigers. Jackson would also lead the SEC in both rushing yards and touchdowns among other statistical categories.

Florida QB Danny Wuerffel – 1996

After finishing third the year prior, Wuerffel became the second Florida quarterback to claim the award in 1996. During that 1996 season, Wuerffel completed 57.5% of his passes for an SEC leading 3,625 yards with a 39:13 TD:INT ratio.

Florida QB Tim Tebow – 2007

Tebow became Florida’s third quarterback to win the Heisman in 2007, doing it as a sophomore. Tebow would complete 66.9% of his passes for 3,286 yards with a 32:6 TD:INT ratio that season, while also rushing for 895 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Alabama RB Mark Ingram – 2009

Alabama’s first Heisman Trophy winner came in 2009 as Ingram took home the award for what eventually became the national champion Crimson Tide. During that season, Ingram rushed for 1,658 yards and 17 touchdowns, leading the SEC in both.

Auburn QB Cam Newton – 2010

SEC football went back-to-back for the first time in 2009-10 with Newton, who was Auburn’s third Heisman winner. Receiving numerous other accolades in 2010, Newton completed 66.1% of his passes for the Tigers that season for 2,854 yards and a 30:7 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 1,473 yards and 20 touchdowns to help lead the Tigers to a national title.

Texas A&M QB Johnny Manziel – 2012

A player from Texas A&M claimed the Heisman in the Aggies first season in the SEC in 2012 with Manziel, who won it as a freshman. Winning multiple other awards that season, Manziel would complete 68% of his passes for 3,706 yards and a 26:9 TD:INT ratio in 2012, while also rushing for 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Alabama RB Derrick Henry – 2015

Alabama’s second running back to win the Heisman came in 2015 with Henry, who led the nation in rushing that season. In 2015, Henry rushed for 2,219 yards and 28 touchdowns for the eventual national champion Crimson Tide.

LSU QB Joe Burrow – 2019

One of the greatest seasons SEC football has ever seen came back in 2019 when Burrow claimed the Heisman Trophy for eventual national champion LSU, which also started the conference’s first, and only, three-peat of the award. Burrow threw for 5,671 yards that season, along with a 76.3 CMP% and a 60:6 TD:INT ratio, while also rushing for 368 yards and five more scores.

Alabama WR DeVonta Smith – 2020

The second member of that three-peat was Smith, who claimed the Heisman in 2020 to become the SEC’s first wide receiver to take home college football’s highest individual honor. In 2020, Smith had 1,856 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns for the national champion Crimson Tide, leading the country in both.

Alabama QB Bryce Young – 2021

The SEC’s most recent Heisman winner, Young was the third member of that three-peat, as well as Alabama’s fourth-ever winner of the award. Young completed 66.9% of his passes for the Crimson Tide that season, while also throwing for 4,872 yards with a 47:7 TD:INT ratio.