What Desmond Howard, Rece Davis are saying about Jackson State football's Shedeur Sanders
The Heisman Trophy is much more than an award to Desmond Howard. The former Michigan star and 1991 Heisman winner views the selection as the inclusion into a fraternity of college football’s brightest stars.
It’s an appointment that requires more than just flashy highlights and gaudy stats, though Howard had plenty. You’ve also got to compete against the best competition.
That’s why the ESPN “College GameDay” analyst isn’t ready to anoint Jackson State football’s Shedeur Sanders into the Heisman race along with quarterbacks Hendon Hooker, C.J. Stroud and Caleb Williams.
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Sanders does have an opportunity to impress with a stellar performance against Southern (5-2, 3-1 SWAC) on Saturday at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Tigers – already emerging into the national college football consciousness due to coach Deion Sanders – will have an added spotlight Saturday with the arrival of “College GameDay” for the first time in program history.
“I look at what you do and who you do it against,” Howard said Friday. “If I’ll be brutally honest, there’s probably only two, maybe three games a year where you can impress me enough that you’re going to be a guy who I elevate as a Heisman candidate. I’ll give you a perfect example. Hendon Hooker, quarterback at Tennessee, I watched him go toe to toe with Bryce Young in the Alabama game. They were like two warriors out there playing the position at a high level.
“That’s what I want to see.”
Shedeur Sanders has led the Tigers (7-0, 4-0 SWAC) with a 73.1 completion percentage, 2,231 yards and 23 touchdowns. The sophomore leads the SWAC in passing yards and TDs. Jackson State leads the conference with 40.9 points per game.
“College GameDay” host Rece Davis believes the sophomore leadership stands out as much as his conference leading stats.
“As much as his ability on the field and all the characteristics that you want in a quarterback, there’s something about that element of a guy who can lead a team when they need to score,” Davis said. “Even if things haven’t gone well. I’m not comparing him to Bryce Young yet, but I’m talking about the trait of being able to do that. Bryce Young against Auburn. They hadn’t done anything all day, needed it and 97 yards in a minute. Against Texas, (Alabama) hadn’t done anything since the first drive, led them down for the winning score.
“Some of those qualities, that sort of intangible that you can’t always coach or develop, I think you see that in Shedeur at times.”
Shedeur Sanders had a game-winning 50-yard TD pass to Malachi Wideman with 1:31 remaining to give Jackson State a 21-17 victory over the Jaguars last season. He went 24-of-31 for 260 yards, two TDs and two interceptions.
The second-year starter may need another heroic performance to vault himself into Heisman contention for Howard.
“Tomorrow is a big game for (Sanders),” Howard said. “The way I look at Heisman candidates as a fraternity member, I probably look at it a little bit harder than other people"
This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: What Desmond Howard thinks about Shedeur Sanders' Heisman candidacy
