Sam Hartman is in what will likely be his final season at Wake Forest football. By the time his tenure ends, however, there's a chance Hartman could bring home the Heisman Trophy. Here we'll look at four reasons why Hartman should be in the Heisman Trophy discussion.

Hartman's preseason odds of winning the prestigious prize were actually pretty decent. He was actually classified as one of the top 15 favorites to win the honor.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the current top five choices for the Heisman Trophy are quarterback C.J. Stroud (Ohio State), Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, and Michigan running back Blake Corum.

Last season, Hartman accounted for 50 touchdowns (39 passing and 11 running) when the Deacons went 11-3 and won the Atlantic Division of the ACC. He threw for over 4,000 yards and had one of the finest seasons in school history by a quarterback.

His 50 total touchdowns were one less than Louisville's Lamar Jackson had in 2016 when Jackson won the Heisman Trophy. Jackson's 51 total touchdowns are the most in an ACC season. That puts Hartman in a good position to be in for contention the Heisman trophy.

Here are the four reasons Wake Forest football quarterback Sam Hartman should be in the Heisman Trophy discussion.

4. Wake Forest is winning games

The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are fresh today from winning over the Florida State Seminoles, 31-21. It was a huge win since they inflicted Florida State's first loss of the season. After this big win, Hartman & Co. are now 4-1 overall. They sit tied for third with the Seminoles in the ACC Atlantic behind Clemson and Syracuse. The Demon Deacons are also nationally ranked at No. 22 just behind Minnesota and ahead of Florida State.

This is certainly good for Hartman's case as a winning program surely props up a Heisman candidate's chances. Of course, Wake Forest football needs more wins if they want to see their golden boy stay in contention. If they rise to make it to the top 15 and then the top 10 while finishing among the top two teams in their conference, Hartman's chances would skyrocket.

3. Sam Hartman's arm is strong as heck

Whereas there are maybe many questions about Wake Forest football as a team, there's surely no question about Hartman's arm strength. The Charlotte, North Carolina native has been killing it this season.

To wit, he has an average QB passer rating of 183.7 so far this season. That's good enough for ninth nationally. His best outing, in fact, was a 234.9 rating beauty in an overtime loss to Clemson. Had they won that game, Wake Forest would probably be in the top 10 already nationally with Hartman's Heisman contention even stronger.

To date, Hartman has a 64.0 percent completion rate and 962 passing yards total. He is averaging more than 240 passing yards per game. Again, that's among the highest in the country.

If those numbers don't prove that Hartman's arm is as strong as heck, then we don't know what will.

2. Sam Hartman keeps on finding the end zone

Hartman has also recorded 13 passing touchdowns, which gives him an average of more than three passing TDs per outing. Before today's game against Florida State, Hartman was actually No. 1 overall in passing touchdowns in the entire nation.

He just keeps on finding the end zone. Pass catchers A.T. Perry, Jahmal Banks, Donavon Greene, and Blake Whiteheart are among his favorite targets.

Hartman is also a dual-threat QB. Last season, he had 363 rushing yards on top of 11 rushing touchdowns. He hasn't been able to run much yet this season, but that weapon is there if Wake Forest football needs to unleash it.

With the Demon Deacons winning games and Sam Hartman continuing to play at a very high level, look for him to continue being in the discussion for Heisman Trophy winner as the season progresses.

1. Sam Hartman's story is made for Heisman

This season, Sam Hartman's path is geared toward the Heisman Trophy. The three-year starter was sidelined last month with a “non-football issue,” according to the school. On Tuesday, Wake Forest announced Hartman was diagnosed with Paget-Schroetter syndrome, also known as effort thrombosis, a blood clot commonly associated with repeated physical exertion.

Hartman had surgery on Aug. 9 to remove the clot, and a follow-up scan on Friday verified he had no evidence of further clotting.

He has played quite well since his comeback. Don't forget about his spectacular six-TD effort against Clemson, which tied an ACC record. It was a performance worthy of the Heisman Trophy.

Hartman was the star of that game, slicing through the Tigers' defense. It's a nice sight for Wake Forest football supporters, who have been worried about their quarterback's health since the start of the 2022 season.

They also defeated Florida State today. Others may have slightly higher stats than Hartman, but no one has a more compelling tale.