Ohio State defensive end Chase Young should be real Heisman contender

Ohio State defensive end Chase Young has been absolutely incredible this season and should be considered a serious Heisman Trophy contender.

Another game, another dominant performance for Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. Young proved to be the best player on the in Ohio State’s commanding 38-7 victory over No. 13 Wisconsin on Saturday. Against a strong Wisconsin offensive line, Chase Young piled up four sacks, five tackles for loss and two forced fumbles.

He was absolutely incredible in all aspects of the game. Young was obviously a ridiculous pass-rush threat in the game, but he was also a major reason why Ohio State was able to hold the Wisconsin rushing attack and Jonathan Taylor in check. We already knew that Chase Young was a possible top overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, now, we have to take him seriously as a Heisman Trophy contender.

After his dominant performance against Wisconsin, Young now has 29 total tackles, 13.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss and five forced fumbles on the season. He is clearly the best defensive player in college football and can arguably make a larger impact on the game than any player no matter the position.

No defensive player has won the Heisman Trophy since Charles Woodson took home the award in 1997. Even Woodson winning the award had a least partially to do with his part-time offensive impact and punt return abilities. The award is typically dominated by quarterbacks and running backs, with quarterbacks particularly winning nearly every year in the modern era. Other than Woodson, no defensive player has won the Heisman Trophy.

Obviously, Young actually taking this award is unlikely. A quarterback like Joe Burrow, Tua Tagovailoa or his Ohio State teammate Justin Fields will likely win the Heisman this season. But Young should undoubtedly be in the conversation. He is an incredible football player who is leading the way with consistent production for one of the best teams in all of college football.

Who is the best player in college football? That is not an easy question to answer. The quarterbacks mentioned above are certainly in the conversation, but no conversation can be had without mentioning Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. No matter how you look at it, he should undoubtedly be an extremely serious Heisman Trophy contender.