Quarterback Lamar Jackson is different. He always has been and will continue to be until someone figures out how to stop him. His athleticism is simply unmatched on the football field and a nightmare for every opposing defense.
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Before he was the NFL MVP with the Baltimore Ravens, Jackson dominated college football like none other. Under head coach Bobby Petrino, the dual-threat signal caller took the Louisville Cardinals to new heights in the ACC and had a season for the ages in 2016.
As a sophomore, Jackson racked up over 5,000 yards of total offense with 51 touchdowns to become the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy. It looked even more impressive than it sounds.
Louisville QB Lamar Jackson Wins Heisman Trophy
After a solid true freshman season, including a Music City Bowl win over Texas A&M, Lamar Jackson took his game to another level as a sophomore. Nobody in the NCAA could stop him, no matter how hard they tried.
With a rocket right arm, Jackson completed 56 percent of his passes for 3,543 yards with 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He also added 1,571 rushing yards with 21 rushing touchdowns, which was better than most running backs that season. He won ACC Player of the Year and ACC Offensive Player of the Year honors.
Jackson, who also won the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award that season, was invited to New York City and was the Heisman winner over Clemson Tigers quarterback Deshaun Watson, Oklahoma Sooners quarterback Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Sooners wide receiver Dede Westbrook, and Michigan Wolverines defensive back Jabrill Peppers.
He is still the youngest winner of college football's top award, which was previously held by Florida State's Jameis Winston.
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Jackson wasn't done after one amazing season, either. He followed up his Unanimous All-American campaign by winning ACC Player of the Year honors again and was a Heisman finalist. He finished third in the Heisman voting behind Oklahoma's Baker Mayfield and Stanford's Bryce Love.
Although the former Boynton Beach High School star didn't become a two-time winner like Ohio State's Archie Griffin, Jackson's place in college football history is cemented, and he is currently making teams pay for passing on him in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Lamar Jackson's Heisman Moment
When you put up that many total yards and total touchdowns in a season, the options for your "Heisman Moment" are seemingly endless. For Lamar Jackson, the answer is simple.
Sure, he lit up Charlotte for eight touchdowns in the first half and racked up over 600 yards against Syracuse, but no game truly compared to Louisville's beatdown of No. 2 Florida State.
In the 63-20 win on ESPN, Jackson had five touchdowns, including a 47-yard rushing touchdown that made the entire FSU defense look silly for even trying to tackle him.
That run solidified his stance as the clear Heisman Trophy winner that season, and it will be remembered forever.
This article was originally published May 15, 2020.
