1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel announces the three finalists for 2014: Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, Alabama receiver Amari Cooper and Wisconsin running back Melvin Gordon. -ESPN

So who will win?

I think it’s beyond obvious that Marcus Mariota will take home the hardware. Mariota boasts an impressive stat line of 3783 yards 38 touchdowns and just two interceptions. He also put down another 669 yards on the ground with 14 touchdowns. The Ducks are also #2 in the country with a 12-1 record.

Melvin Gordon is your likely second place runner up. Gordon has 2336 yards and 26 touchdowns of his own, but he’s shown an affinity to fumble the ball which voters will likely hold against him. #13 Wisconsin also finished up the season with a 59-0 loss at the hands of Ohio State which does Gordon no favors (76 yards.)

With Todd Gurley III suffering a tore ACL, one has to beg is Melvin Gordon the best back in his class? In a word: yes. Gordon is simply a once-every-seven-drafts type of prospect. He has the size at a sturdy 6’1 205 and is a very tough quick runner.

What makes Gordon such a terror for defenses? It’s his ability to make powerful cuts without slowing down. It’s just that simple. It’s a rare skill that a few backs have. People have compared Gordon and the Chiefs’ Jamaal Charles but its kind of a lazy comparison because Gordon doesn’t have legit Olympic track speed like Jamaal. There are similarities in their ability to run inside at their size but Gordon doesn’t have the patience yet of a seasoned back.

With Melvin Gordon’s powerful upright running style, cuts, and the ability to run inside I would compare him to a smaller version of Adrian Peterson. I definitely would invest a top 15 pick in his services if I were a NFL GM.

Check out the video of Melvin Gordon’s record breaking performance below: