Texas Football: WR Collin Johnson 2019 Heisman contender

A star wide receiver for Texas football Collin Johnson would have to rise to the occasion in a big way in 2019 to contend for the Heisman.

Every single year, there’s a player that falls near the top of the early Heisman odds that doesn’t seem to play at a position that promises much success to receive the honors. Pretty much every single Heisman Trophy awarded in the last 30 years went to a quarterback or running back. It is also mainly a quarterback driven league now. In the case of Texas football, rising junior quarterback Sam Ehlinger is the main option to win the Heisman Trophy.

However, there are two other viable players for Texas football that could contend for the Heisman Trophy on the offensive side of the ball. There isn’t anyone on defense that is of the level required for Texas football to take home the honors for the Heisman Trophy. Entering the 2018 campaign, the former Houston Cougars defensive tackle Ed Oliver was considered a contender for the award.

The other two aforementioned Texas football players that could contend for this year’s Heisman Trophy if all goes very well are rising sophomore running back Keaontay Ingram and senior wide receiver Collin Johnson. But, there are some big hurdles that each player would face on the path to contending for the 2019 Heisman honors or even to be named a finalist.

For Ingram, staying healthy throughout an entire regular season is the main challenge. The talent is no question for Ingram. For Johnson, posting a season impressive enough to surpass the Heisman odds of Ehlinger would be very difficult since the stats directly correlate. The Texas Longhorns should at least have one guy in prime contention for the Heisman this year.

Johnson is one of the biggest stars at wide receiver for the 2019 season, so he is in the right situation for a wide receiver to be able to win this award. If any wide receiver in the Big 12 would be able to win it this season, Johnson could be the guy.

The Big 12 returns a loaded group of wide receivers that includes Johnson, Oklahoma State’s Tylan Wallace, TCU’s Jalen Reagor, and Baylor’s Denzel Mims. Each year, the Big 12 also sees some new faces arise as some of the nation’s best wideouts just thanks to the high-powered offenses across the board.

A door is wide open for Johnson to become one of the Big 12’s most productive receivers this year. Johnson wasn’t even the leading wideout stat-wise for Texas football this past season. An early entrance into the 2019 NFL Draft from junior Lil’Jordan Humphrey removes the leading 2018 receiving from Texas football from the picture this coming season.

The departure of Humphrey should only give Johnson more targets in the passing game. His red zone production should also continue to rise. Expect Johnson to finish up the 2019 campaign with way over 1,000 receiving yards and at least 12 touchdowns if he’s able to reach his ceiling.

At the top of the wide receivers in contention for the 2019 Heisman Trophy is the reigning Biletnikoff Award winner Jerry Jeudy. The standout Alabama Crimson Tide rising junior wide receiver is a top NFL prospect and the only wide receiver listed in the top group of the early 2019 Heisman odds of late. But, don’t count out a player like Johnson in this mix.