Top 10 Heisman candidates for 2017

The Heisman Trophy is the top individual accolade in college football. Players join an exclusive fraternity when they win the award, and the newest member of the club is Louisville's Lamar Jackson.

However, the race for next year's Heisman actually begins late in 2016. Players that perform well in postseason games plant an earworm in the minds of the Heisman voters early on, giving them some momentum entering the next season.

Here are my picks for the top 10 2017 Heisman Trophy candidates. I'm taking several players out of the equation because we're just not sure if they'll return to school or enter the 2017 Draft. Obviously, if players like Notre Dame QB DeShone Kizer and Michigan LB Jabrill Peppers come back to campus, they'll also be considered top candidates for college football's top honor in 2017.