On Dec. 11, 2025, the Heisman Trophy Trust and ESPN released the fifth through 10th places in the 2025 Heisman balloting during The Top 10 Heisman Trophy Finalists Show. The announcement completed the Top 10 field that included four finalists revealed earlier in the week: Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin. The remaining six slots feature players from a mix of offensive and defensive positions, and the overall winner will be unveiled during the televised Heisman Trophy Ceremony on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC. The distribution of finalists underscores program depth for some schools and marks several school-high placements.
Key Takeaways
- Top 10 completion: 5th Jacob Rodriguez (Texas Tech, senior, LB); 6th Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State, sophomore, WR); 7th Gunner Stockton (Georgia, junior, QB); 8th Trinidad Chambliss (Mississippi, senior, QB); 9th Caleb Downs (Ohio State, junior, S); 10th Haynes King (Georgia Tech, senior, QB).
- Earlier finalists: Notre Dame junior RB Jeremiyah Love, Indiana senior QB Fernando Mendoza, Vanderbilt senior QB Diego Pavia and Ohio State freshman QB Julian Sayin were announced Dec. 8–9 and make up the top four finalists.
- Ohio State placed three players in the Top 10 (Sayin, Smith, Downs), the program’s first trio in a single Top 10 since Alabama had three in 2020–21; it is the seventh time in the last eight seasons a team had at least two Top 10 finishers.
- Jacob Rodriguez’s fifth-place finish is the highest for a primarily defensive player since Aidan Hutchinson of Michigan finished second in 2021.
- Jeremiah Smith is the first pure wide receiver to reach the Heisman Top 10 since Marvin Harrison Jr. in 2023; Caleb Downs and Rodriguez are the first defensive pair in the Top 10 together since 2021.
- Program milestones: Rodriguez is Texas Tech’s highest finisher since 2008; Haynes King is Georgia Tech’s first Top 10 selection since Calvin Johnson in 2006; Trinidad Chambliss is Mississippi’s best result since Matt Corral’s 2021 finish.
Background
The Heisman Trophy is decided by a nationwide electorate of media voters, former winners and fans contributing via the fan vote, with results revealed in staged releases culminating in the televised ceremony. Historically, quarterbacks dominate the final ballot, but recent seasons have seen defensive standouts and skill-position players break through, reflecting evolving offensive schemes and all-purpose production. The Top 10 announcement process this year used two broadcasts: the Top 10 show on ESPN aired Dec. 11 to list fifth through 10th places, while the full ceremony and winner reveal are scheduled for ABC on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. ET.
College programs treat Heisman recognition as both a team and individual prestige marker—impacting recruiting narratives, NFL scouting visibility and program branding. The presence of multiple players from a single school in the Top 10 can indicate roster depth, a high-usage offense or standout defensive playmaking. Voter behavior also reacts to narrative arcs (comeback seasons, record-breaking campaigns) and to perceived strength of schedule, which can shift marginal ballots late in the process.
Main Event
During the ESPN Top 10 Finalists Show on Dec. 11, the Heisman Trust sequentially unveiled places five through 10. Texas Tech senior linebacker Jacob Rodriguez was named fifth, marking a rare high finish for a primarily defensive player. Ohio State landed two more entries with sophomore receiver Jeremiah Smith at sixth and junior safety Caleb Downs at ninth, joining freshman quarterback Julian Sayin among the finalists.
Georgia’s Gunner Stockton and Georgia Tech’s Haynes King both earned top-10 recognition, at seventh and 10th respectively, renewing attention on the programs’ quarterback pipelines. Mississippi senior quarterback Trinidad Chambliss took eighth, giving the Rebels their highest placing since 2021. The combined Top 10 lists offensive playmakers and defensive difference-makers, highlighting a season with standout performers across units.
The announcement reiterated earlier disclosures of the top four finalists—Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame), Fernando Mendoza (Indiana), Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt) and Julian Sayin (Ohio State)—who remain the primary contenders for the trophy to be decided on Dec. 13. With the broadcast scheduled on ABC at 7 p.m. ET, networks and programs are preparing feature packages and post-ceremony coverage anticipating immediate implications for award voting narratives and postseason evaluations.
Analysis & Implications
The inclusion of two defensive players (Rodriguez and Downs) in the Top 10 signals that voters are willing to reward defensive impact when a defender’s season is demonstrably game-changing. Rodriguez’s placement at fifth—highest for a defensive-only player since 2021—could encourage future recognition of defenders who produce high-visibility stats and game-turning plays. That said, quarterbacks still occupy many of the top slots, reflecting positional voting tendencies.
Ohio State’s three Top 10 finishers will be scrutinized as both a testament to roster talent and as a potential vote-splitting factor if voters divide preference among Buckeye nominees. For programs, multiple finalists provide recruiting leverage and national exposure; for the award race, internal team representation can dilute concentrated support behind a single candidate.
For prospects eyeing the NFL, a Heisman Top 10 placement raises profile but does not always predict draft position; evaluators weigh tape, physical traits and positional value alongside awards. School milestones—Texas Tech’s highest finish since 2008 or Georgia Tech’s first Top 10 since 2006—also shape alumni and booster narratives that influence program resources and coaching job security in close-margin cases.
Comparison & Data
| Place | Player | School | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 | Jeremiyah Love; Fernando Mendoza; Diego Pavia; Julian Sayin | Notre Dame; Indiana; Vanderbilt; Ohio State | RB; QB; QB; QB |
| 5 | Jacob Rodriguez | Texas Tech | LB |
| 6 | Jeremiah Smith | Ohio State | WR |
| 7 | Gunner Stockton | Georgia | QB |
| 8 | Trinidad Chambliss | Mississippi | QB |
| 9 | Caleb Downs | Ohio State | S |
| 10 | Haynes King | Georgia Tech | QB |
The table above summarizes placements by rank, school and position. Compared with recent years, this ballot continues a quarterback-heavy pattern but also registers meaningful exceptions: two defensive players and a pure wide receiver in the Top 10. Those deviations offer insight into how voters weighed distinct season narratives and position value in 2025.
Reactions & Quotes
“The depth across positions this season is notable, with both offensive and defensive game-changers represented in the Top 10,”
ESPN college football analyst (on-air commentary)
“We are pleased to see a broad cross-section of schools recognized; these finalists represent a national season of standout performances,”
Heisman Trophy Trust (official statement)
“Fans are excited and divided — Ohio State’s three finalists add an extra layer to the Dec. 13 reveal,”
College football social-media roundup (public reaction)
Unconfirmed
- Exact vote totals and regional breakdowns have not been released publicly by the Heisman Trust.
- Any late shifts in voter preference ahead of the Dec. 13 ceremony are speculative until final tallies are confirmed on air.
- Reports about which voters specifically supported multiple Ohio State players are not available; individual ballot details remain private.
Bottom Line
The Dec. 11 Top 10 release framed a Heisman race that balances quarterback prominence with notable entries from defense and skill positions. Ohio State’s three finalists emphasize program depth and create both narrative advantage and potential vote fragmentation opposite single-candidate campaigns from other schools. Observers should watch how national narratives and broadcast moments during the Dec. 13 ceremony influence final impressions among the electorate.
When the Heisman Trophy winner is announced on Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. ET on ABC, the result will reflect both season-long production and the late-stage narratives voters prioritize. Until the official tally is revealed, the Top 10 list offers the clearest available snapshot of the season’s standouts and the programs that produced them.