6. Herschel Walker
Walker came very close to winning the Heisman Trophy during an outstanding 1981 season but had to wait another year to claim the individual prize. With Marcus Allen out of the picture, the legendary University of Georgia running back proved his worth to the nation.

First of all, bear in mind that Walker played most of the year with a broken thumb. Then consider that he rushed for 1,752 yards and 16 touchdowns. Those are outstanding numbers. It’s remarkable to imagine him fully healthy because he would have been even better.