AJ McCarron said he would only visit New York as a student-athlete for two reasons: for the Heisman Trophy ceremony and for the NFL draft. One of those conditions has come to fruition.
The senior quarterback was announced as one of six Heisman Trophy finalists on Monday night on ESPN.
McCarron was all smiles when he found out about being named a finalist and the chance of visiting the Big Apple for the first time.
“I only wanted to go if I earned it,” McCarron said.
Six finalists are the most invited to the ceremony since 1994. In that year, former Alabama quarterback Jay Barker finished fifth in voting.
McCarron will be joined by Northern Illinois quarterback Jordan Lynch, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, Auburn running back Tre Mason, Boston College running back Andre Williams and Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston.
“I just can’t wait,” McCarron said. “I’m really looking forward to it and being able to just see everything and go through the whole process is just a dream come true. It’s going to be cool.”
He is the third Crimson Tide player to be invited to New York since 2009. Trent Richardson was a finalist in 2011, and Mark Ingram brought home Alabama’s first Heisman trophy in 2009.
McCarron has completed 207-of-305 (67.6 percent) of his passes this season for 2,676 yards, 26 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He is ranked eighth nationally in passing efficiency (165.9) and 14th in completion percentage.
“I think if you look at my play over the three years [I’ve been here], I feel like no quarterback in the SEC, or in the country, has played as consistently as I have,” McCarron said. “I think the numbers do the talking.”
Alabama will face the Oklahoma Sooners in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2, and Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops praised McCarron’s play this season.
“I think AJ McCarron is the best player in the country, I really do,” Stoops said . “If I had a [Heisman] vote that’s who I’d vote for.”
He recently won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and is also a finalist for the Maxwell Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, the Manning Award, the Senior CLASS Award and the Walter Camp Player of the Year.
The Heisman Trophy will be presented at the Nokia Theatre on Saturday, Dec. 14. It will be broadcasted live on ESPN from 7-8 p.m. CT.
