For any quarterback, the ability to run an offense and throw the ball downfield comes first. But when the man under center also has charisma, selling ability and magnetism, he’s a rare talent. Griffin III’s got all the necessary attributes to succeed in the NFL, but he’s also got something that a lot of players don’t have: He’s endearing to fans. Instead of adorning himself in multi-carat diamond earrings and other bling, the Heisman Trophy winner prefers to wear cartoon-y socks. During the 2011 season, he wore Ninja Turtle socks, Scooby-Doo socks and Cookie Monster socks, but his Superman socks, worn during the Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York City, received the most attention. The socks might be a bit silly, but they give fans the impression that Griffin III is young at heart and still likes to have fun.

At the Heisman ceremony, Griffin III appeared comfortable in the spotlight and sure of himself without seeming cocky. If some fans were on the fence about how they felt about him, watching that press conference converted them to fans. A few months after getting college football’s biggest award, Griffin III showed off his blazing speed at the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine and then came off extremely well in interviews with NFL officials and the media.

It’s easy to dismiss Griffin III as a Michael Vick type -- that is, a guy who can make plays with his legs but can’t throw the deep ball. True, Griffin III draws logical comparisons to Vick, who once dazzled the NFL with his speed, but Griffin’s throwing arm isn’t just an afterthought. The consensus of most scouts is that RG3 will be able to make plays with his arm and legs on Sundays.

Those who’ve follwed Griffin III’s career at Baylor have seen steady improvement. He had a good true freshman season in 2008, and after playing just three games of 2009 before sitting out due to injury, came on the scene big-time in his 2010 sophomore season. That year, he threw for 3,501 yards with 22 touchdowns and only eight interceptions, while also rushing for 644 yards and eight scores. In his record-breaking 2011 season, Griffin threw for 4,293 yards with a completion percentage of 72.4%. He also threw 37 touchdown passes with only six interceptions, while rushing for 714 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Heisman Trophy wasn’t his only big award; Griffin III was a finalist for a long list of honors and won the AP College Football Player of the Year award, the Manning Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. He was also named a Consensus All-American.