PFF likes Tyler Van Dyke as best bet Heisman Trophy contender

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke continues to be a trendy pick as a Heisman Trophy contender. Pro Football Focus is the latest national media site to rank Van Dyke as a top Heisman Contender. Van Dyke put strong metrics last season that led PFF to name him as one of its “Best bets for 2022 Heisman Trophy odds.”

Tyler Van Dyke showed a propensity for the deep pass last season and excellent poise when Miami faced adversity. Van Dyke was 13th with 26 pass completions of 30 yards or longer last season, despite playing in only 10 games. Miami will look different under new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis in 2022.

Miami will attempt to be more balanced this fall after relying on the pass in 2021. That should lead Van Dyke to become a more efficient passer in 2022. The other Heisman Contenders that PFF likes as best bets are QBs Caleb Williams of USC, Cade Klubnik of Clemson and Quinn Ewers of Texas, plus Alabama linebacker Will Anderson.

Alabama QB Bryce Young who won the 2021 Heisman Trophy and Ohio State QB C.J. Stroud will enter the 2022 season as the clear favorites as the best player in college football. Van Dyke will have a chance to impress a national audience when Miami plays at Texas A&M on September 17 and Clemson on November 19.

"QB TYLER VAN DYKE, MIAMI HURRICANES (30-to-1)“Van Dyke has sky-high expectations for 2022 after shining as a starter last year in D’Eriq King’s stead. The 2020 four-star recruit earned a 75.5 PFF grade across nine starts in 2021. He recorded multiple big-time throws in all but one ACC start and tied for second in the Power Five in big-time throw rate (7.1%).The 6-foot-4, 224-pounder throws with excellent touch and can hit the big play downfield. At the same time, his down-to-down accuracy is errant. The sheer amount of talent around Van Dyke could also help his cause. Remember, this is still somewhat of a team award.If the Hurricanes can knock off the Texas A&M Aggies in College Station during Week 3, Van Dyke’s Heisman campaign will take off. That’s a big “if,” and there’s still plenty he has to clean up in his game that could prevent a double-digit wins season.”"

Van Dyke has impressed NFL scouts with his skill set and size at 6’4. Last season Van Dyke often struggled early in games. That hurt Miami in losses to Virginia and Florida State. More consistency and success early in games will help Van Dyke become a serious contender for the Heisman Trophy.

Heisman Trophy contenders play well in big games. How Van Dyke performs against Clemson and Texas A&M will likely determine if Van Dyke earns a trip to New York in December for the Heisman Trophy ceremony. Van Dyke showed he can perform well against good teams with 426 yards and three touchdowns versus Pittsburgh.