Early Heisman Favorites
However, looking at the 2021 Heisman odds, it appears that quarterbacks are back in the driver’s seat to win the coveted award again with Oklahoma signal-caller Spencer Rattler listed as the early favorite. Uiagalelei an Early 2021 Heisman Favorite Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei is already considered one of the favorites for college football's most prestigious award in 2021.
Each year you can pretty much pencil in a quarterback winning the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football. Alabama WR DeVonta Smith broke that trend in 2020, however, becoming the first non-QB to win the award since Alabama RB Derrick Henry in 2015. Since 2010, QBs have won the Heisman nine times – with Smith and Henry being the only exceptions. Sportsbooks have already posted 2021 Heisman odds, with Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler and Alabama QB Bryce Young the favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Non-QBs in the mix for 2021 are Texas RB Bijan Robinson (+2500 at DK) and Alabama WR John Metchie (+8000).
Early Heisman Favorites 2021
Heisman odds 2021
View odds for more candidates at DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook and BetMGM.
Favorites
Lincoln Riley is looking to build on his resume of two Heisman winners and three Heisman finalists with sophomore Spencer Rattler. Rattler leads early odds tables thanks to a late season explosion and due in part to Riley’s success. In his first year as a starting quarterback, he scored 34 total touchdowns and secured a Big 12 title, Peach Bowl victory, and a win over arch rival Texas. Oklahoma’s system maximizes a quarterback’s potential and emphasizes efficiency (Oklahoma has been in the top three in offensive efficiency every year under Riley).
Following Rattler is Alabama sophomore Bryce Young, who finished as the second overall recruit (top dual-threat) in the 2020 recruiting class. Young has an array of weapons readily available at Alabama that includes rising star John Metchie III. Thanks to surrounding talent and Nick Saban, whoever starts at quarterback is immediately in the running for the Heisman Trophy.
Sophomores continue the list with Clemson’s D.J. Uiagalelei, who led the Tigers in two games this season– a 47-40 overtime loss to top-five Notre Dame and a victory over Boston College. Uiagalelei averaged nearly 400 passing yards in his two starts and vaulted himself into future Heisman consideration. Dabo Swinney has produced three Heisman finalists (no winners) since 2015, and Uiagalelei could end up being number four.
Longshots
After tearing his ACL in the Cheez-It Bowl against Oklahoma State, Miami’s D’Eriq King announced he would be returning for a sixth season as a graduate transfer. He was considered a Heisman favorite going into the 2020 season, but fell short amid outstanding seasons from other players. Should King be back in time for the 2021 season, he will be near the top of odds tables for most of the season.
Kedon Slovis is returning to USC after a majorly disappointing 2020. Slovis was among the short list for the Heisman Trophy going into the season, but the Trojans’ season was mostly derailed by COVID-19. It culminated in a Pac-12 Championship loss to Oregon, and Slovis decided he would be back. He loses top target Amon-Ra St. Brown to the NFL this season, but USC is never far off the top of recruiting rankings.
Texas sophomore running back Bijan Robinson is the highest non-quarterback on most odds tables after averaging a staggering 8.2 yards per carry in his freshman year. Robinson dazzled in the Alamo Bowl against Colorado, averaging 18.3 yards per carry on 10 carries. With Sam Ehlinger leaving for the NFL and under new head coach Steve Sarkisian, Robinson should see his lion’s share of work this coming season.
How to bet Heisman Trophy futures
By their very nature, odds on futures wagers are subject to varying degree of fluctuation. In the case of player-level futures like the Heisman Trophy, a number of different factors can influence the trajectory of his futures odds as the games unfold week to week. That includes not only performance, results and stats, but also injuries.
Take the example of the 2019 pre-season pacesetter at both FanDuel and DraftKings sportsbooks — Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The sophomore took a lot of money and his odds dropped all the way to +200 at FanDuel and +175 on DraftKings at one point in 2019. Clemson was projected to be at least a 13-point favorite in all regular-season games, and bettors believed Lawrence would lead the Tigers offense to even greater heights after capturing the National Championship in 2018 while averaging 44.3 points per game.
Lawrence fell out of the 2019 race early, though, and his odds to win plummeted. He ultimately finished seventh in the voting as Joe Burrow grabbed the coveted Trophy.
How is the Heisman Trophy winner decided?
A total of 870 media members (sports journalists mostly covering college football) from six regions along with 59 former Heisman winners vote on the award. Voters can select three players on their ballot. A first place vote allots 3 points to the player selected, second place gets 2 points and third place gets 1 point.
The Heisman and the AP Player of the Year honor the most outstanding player. The award is given for outstanding performance which best exhibits the pursuit of excellence with integrity. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. Since 2002, the award has been presented by the Heisman Trophy trust, and was first presented in 1935 by the Downtown Athletic Club in New York City.
Over the last 20 years, just two Heisman winners have played on teams that won fewer than 10 games – Florida’s Tim Tebow in 2007 and Louisville’s Lamar Jackson in 2016. But those two teams each won 9 games. So narrow your list to the projected top teams and review the schedules and players likelihood to put up strong stats with outstanding performances.
Where can you bet on college football futures?
The Heisman Trophy futures markets are available at all legal, regulated sportsbooks. Heisman futures are located behind the college football tab in online sportsbook platforms, under a specific Futures tab. Players are listed along with their corresponding odds at that point in time.
Of course there are already ’21 Heisman Trophy Odds
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Will a Mountain West player have a shot?
Even before Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy for this season, odds on the 2021 race were out even prior to the announcement.
These odds for next year are basically for fun but we like to have fun and especially so when it involves a Mountain West player. We know that winning the Heisman from a non-power conference has not happened since BYU’s Ty Detmer won it in 1990 and just a few times since has players outside of those leagues have even been a finalist.
Over at BetOnline, they released these way-too-early odds, and at the top are the usual suspects from schools like USC, Alabama, Clemson, and Georgia.
The one Mountain West player on the list is Nevada quarterback Carson Strong. He was the conference player of the year and was amazing. His odds are 25/1 which are good for 22nd, so not great.
His numbers this year rivaled Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence who finished second in the award, but there is a double-standard since Lawrence played for a playoff team and the Wolf Pack did not.
It also depends on what players return to Reno for the upcoming year and there is no bigger name than Romeo Doubs who was a deep threat machine who averaged over 17 yards per catch and had many catches over 50 yards. Doubs returning to town would help Strong make a case by throwing the ball to one of the best wide receivers in the country.
It will take an elite year and Strong to have Nevada around the top 10 to just be a finalist but once you are a finalist then anything can happen.
Early Heisman Odds
Spencer Rattler – Oklahoma 5/1
D.J. Uiagalelei – Clemson 7/1
Sam Howell – UNC 7/1
Bryce Young – Alabama 12/1
D’Eriq King – Miami 12/1
JT Daniels – Georgia 12/1
Kedon Slovis – USC 12/1
Breece Hall – Iowa State 14/1
Brian Robinson Jr. – Alabama 14/1
Emory Jones – Florida 14/1
Jayden Daniels – Arizona State 14/1
Michael Penix Jr. – Indiana 14/1
Tyler Shough – Oregon 14/1
Early Heisman Favorites 2019
Bijan Robinson – Texas 16/1
Brock Purdy – Iowa State 16/1
Graham Mertz – Wisconsin 16/1
Kyren Williams – Notre Dame 16/1
Deuce Vaughn – Kansas State 18/1
Isaiah Spiller – Texas A&M 18/1
Matt Corral – Ole Miss 18/1
Kevin Harris – South Carolina 20/1
Carson Strong – Nevada 25/1
Dillon Gabriel – UCF 25/1
Grayson McCall – Coastal Carolina 25/1
John Metchie III – Alabama 25/1
Jordan Addison – Pitt 25/1
Zay Flowers – Boston College 25/1