Texas Tech star Jacob Rodriguez continues to make big plays, garnering him plenty of attention this college football season.
One of his more compelling performances came against then-No. 7 BYU, where he had nine solo tackles and 14 combined, including a tackle for loss. Rodriguez also recorded a fumble for his squad in the 29-7 win.
With that, the Red Raiders improved to 9-1 overall and continue to look like a strong contender to get into the College Football Playoff bracket. Much of the credit goes to Rodriguez’s defensive contributions, which also have him in the discussion of Heisman Trophy candidates.
However, he is nowhere near the top of the list, which favors quarterbacks, including Indiana Hoosiers star Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin. Many of the rankings lists for the top Heisman contenders in college football place Rodriguez below fifth.
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However, former Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III issued a strong endorsement of Rodriguez as the top player on his list. During his “Outta Pocket with RG3 and Grete” show on YouTube, his wife asked if he thought a defensive player could win the Heisman.
“Yes, I do believe a defensive player could win the Heisman this year,” RG3 said, revealing a graphic ranking Rodriguez atop his list of six players for the trophy.
“Absolutely yes. Jacob Rodriguez from Texas Tech. He’s number one on our Heisman list,” he said, adding, “The Heisman isn’t just about numbers. He’s got 88 tackles, 72 forced fumbles, five pass deflections, two recovered fumbles, and three interceptions.”
He also suggested that Rodriguez’s numbers rivaled those of Manti Te’o when he was the runner-up in the 2012 Heisman Trophy race. Quarterback Johnny Manziel received the prestigious award for his season with Texas A&M.
Griffin III, who won the trophy the year before, also mentioned Rodriguez’s story. That included Rodriguez’s wife serving as an Army Black Hawk pilot and his former scholarship as a quarterback at Virginia. Rodriguez decided to leave that behind and become a walk-on for the Red Raiders, sleeping on his brother’s floor and taking out a loan to pay for his books.
“So when you talk about it like that, is he one of the best players in the country? Absolutely. He should be in New York at the Heisman ceremony,” RG3 said.
As of this writing, Fernando Mendoza continues to lead many lists as the top contender, though there may be debate over whether other quarterbacks deserve to be at the top. According to the NCAA’s bracket, Rodriguez and Texas Tech are currently considered the No. 8 seed for the CFP, with a hypothetical first-round matchup against Oregon.
The Heisman Trophy ceremony occurs in New York City on Dec. 10 to see who follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner, former Colorado Buffaloes cornerback and receiver, Travis Hunter.
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