Heisman Winner
Bryce Young
QB | Sophomore | Alabama
Bryce Young became Alabama’s fourth Heisman winner and its second in row when he claimed the 2021 trophy following a prolific sophomore season, throwing for 4,322 yards on 314-of-462 passing (68.0%) as a first-year starter. He tossed 43 touchdowns and just four interceptions, leading the Crimson Tide to a 12-1 record, the 2021 SEC championship and to the top seed in the College Football Playoff.
Young, the seventh-youngest Heisman winner at 20 years, 139 days, followed Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith’s 2020 Heisman victory and became the fourth Heisman for the Crimson Tide since 2009, including 2009 winner Mark Ingram and 2015 winner Derrick Henry.
Born in Philadelphia on July 25, 2001, he started his high school career at Cathedral High in Los Angeles before transferring to Mater Dei High in Santa, Ana., Calif., where he played his final two years. He was named the Gatorade Player of the Year and the USA Today Offensive Player of the Year as a 2019 senior at Mater Dei after passing for 4,528 yards and 58 TDs.
As a 2020 freshman at Alabama, he served as the back-up to 2020 Heisman Trophy finalist Mac Jones, backing up the third-place Heisman finisher as the Crimson Tide, behind Jones, Smith and fifth-place Heisman finisher running back Najee Harris, won the national title. He played in nine games as a freshman reserve, throwing for 156 yards and one score.
He took over the reins of the Alabama offense as a sophomore, starting all 13 games and played like a seasoned vet. His 43 touchdown passes were the second-most nationally in the regular-season (including the SEC title game) while his passing yards were fourth-most and his quarterback rating of 175.53 was fifth-best.
Young, who also ran for three touchdowns, threw for five TDs in a game three times, including against Arkansas when he also set the Alabama school record with 559 passing yards, breaking a mark that stood for 52 years. He also set SEC Championship records with 421 passing yards and 461 yards of total offense, earning game MVP honors.
He threw for over 300 yards in nine games on the season and threw at least two TD passes in all 13 games, including nine games with three or more and five with four or more. He led the Crimson Tide to a CFP semifinal win over Cincinnati, throwing for 369 yards and three scores, before Alabama fell in the national title game to Georgia.
As a 2022 junior, Young finished sixth in the Heisman voting following another huge season. He completed 245-of-380 passes for 3,328 yards and 32 TDs against just five interceptions. He finished second in program history for career passing yards (8,356) and passing TDs (80).
Young was the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft, taken by Carolina.
