Heisman Winner Young, Fellow Heisman Finalists Arrive At NFL Combine

Bryce Young, image courtesy of Alabama Athletics

Bryce Young, the 2021 Heisman Trophy winner, is in Indianapolis this week along with hundreds of other NFL hopefuls at the 2023 NFL Combine.

Young, similar to many recent Heisman winners, is not scheduled to work out at the combine this week, but he’s in town meeting with NFL teams and participating in other combine-related activities.

A two-time Heisman finalist who finished sixth in the voting in 2022, Young is joined by a handful of other NFL-pros-to-be this week who were also Heisman finalists or Top 10 finishers in the voting.

Three of the four finalists for the 2022 Heisman Trophy are at the combine including TCU quarterback Max Duggan, two-time quarterback finalist C.J. Stroud from Ohio State and Georgia QB Stetson Bennett. Caleb Williams, the 2022 winner, will be draft eligible following the 2023 NCAA season.

Quarterback Hendon Hooker, the 2022 fifth-place finisher from Tennessee, and ninth-place finisher Bijan Robinson (RB) from Texas are in Indianapolis as well, as is 2021 finalist Will Anderson (LB) from Alabama.

Young, for his part, appears to be a lock to become the 59th Heisman winner taken in the first round and could become the 24th Heisman winner to go No. 1 overall and the 41st to be selected in the top 5. 

Anything in the top 9 will make Young Alabama’s highest-drafted player among its four winners. DeVonta Smith was drafted 10th by the Philadelphia Eagles after he won the 2020 Heisman. Running back Mark Ingram went 28th overall to the New Orleans Saints in 2011 while running back Derrick Henry was drafted 45th overall in the second round by the Tennessee Titans in 2016. 

Speculation for where Young will go include many predictions that he will be drafted No. 1 overall, including here in this CBS Sports piece. Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt agrees, as does this NBC Sports article.