It is well expected that USC quarterback Caleb Williams and third-year Ohio State passer C.J. Stroud will be among the finalists for the 2022 Heisman Trophy award. From there, it is up in the air as to who else will be invited to next week’s Heisman Trophy ceremony.
North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye has made a strong case to be a finalist for the sport’s most prestigious individual honor. As it stands, Maye ranks in the top 10 in multiple passing stats in the FBS this season, from passing yards (3,847) to touchdown passes (35).
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is set to have a front-row seat to watch Maye in the 2022 ACC Championship Game on Saturday. For the longtime Clemson coach, he has already seen enough from Maye to claim that the redshirt freshman quarterback can very well be a Heisman Trophy finalist.
“I can't imagine that he's not going to be one of the finalists for the Heisman, 35 touchdowns, five picks,” Swinney said during a press conference ahead of the ACC title game. “He's a leading rusher. He's a great player, can beat you a lot of ways. He's got a great mind for the game. He sees things. He processes stuff well.
“Regardless of what the scoreboard says or what the situation is, he creates a problem and has our full attention.”
In the big picture, Swinney is well aware of the challenge that the Maye-led Tar Heels offense will pose to the Tigers defense in their upcoming clash.
“Yeah, well, they're the eighth-best passing offense in the nation,” Swinney said. “They've got a Heisman-caliber quarterback that's playing with unbelievable confidence. They've got a great receiver.
“Everybody talks about 11, but it's not just him; it's 3, it's 5, it's 18, it's those tight ends they've got. The backs are good players. They've got a great scheme. They're very confident in what they do. They play with tempo. A lot of — they get their ball to the playmakers, a lot of formations and motions and shifts.”
Maye will look to lead North Carolina to its first ACC title since 1980, while Clemson has its sights set on winning its eighth conference championship of the Dabo Swinney era.
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