The Heisman Trophy race is in full swing and we are seeing a few candidates separating themselves from the pack.
Let’s check out the contenders and the pretenders as we look to make an informed wager on college football’s most prestigious individual award.
A Look Back
Before we look forward, it’s probably a good idea that we take a look back. Below are the consensus preseason Heisman Trophy odds, and it’s interesting to compare how the oddsmakers viewed the competition in August compared to now.
Top 10 Preseason Heisman Trophy Odds
Who’s Who Entering Week 5?
C.J. Stroud (+130)
There’s a reason Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud is still the favorite to win the Heisman according to the current odds over at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review).
His team is undefeated and ranked third in the nation, while the junior from Inland Empire, California has 16 touchdowns with only one interception and has completed over 70 percent of his passes for a stunning 207.5 passer rating.
Caleb Williams (+600)
Caleb Williams followed his head coach at Oklahoma, Lincoln Riley, and transferred to USC, where he was the undisputed starting quarterback from the moment he entered the transfer portal.
The Trojans are 4-0 and ranked No. 6 in the nation. Williams has nine touchdown passes with no picks, but his struggles against Oregon State last week did him no favors as he went 16-for-36 in USC’s 17-14 victory.
His Heisman odds bounced up from +350 to where they now sit at +600 in one week.
Bryce Young (+650)
It’s almost a foregone conclusion that an Alabama quarterback will be in the annual Heiman conversation, and it’s certainly not surprising that last year’s winner is also a contender yet again.
Bryce Young has 13 passing touchdowns to just two picks with over 1000 yards passing and 150 rushing yards with two trips running the rock into the end zone.
Hendon Hooker (+1200)
Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker’s stock has risen dramatically since the beginning of the season as his Heisman odds have plummeted from +4000 to +1200 in the first four weeks.
Hooker has eight passing and three rushing touchdowns along with nearly 1200 yards through the air as well as a five yards per carry average.
The Vols are undefeated and have climbed to No. 8 in the nation due in large part to Hooker’s contributions.
Stetson Bennett (+1200)
Last year’s national champions have their main man under center again and Stetson Bennett has been quietly scaling the list of Heisman candidates with his notable performances.
Bennett has a combined total of nine touchdowns and over 1200 passing yards, but he has a knack for moving the chains and getting the most out of his Bulldogs offense.
Jalon Daniels (+2800)
The University of Kansas is no longer strictly a basketball school, at least for this season, as the Jayhawks are 4-0 and sit atop the Big 12 after four games.
Junior quarterback Jalon Daniels is the straw that stirs the drink on the Kansas offense with 11 passing and four rushing touchdowns as well as a 71 percent completion rate.
Sam Hartman (+3300)
The Demon Deacons went all the way to the ACC Championship game before bowing to Pittsburgh last year, and at 3-1, it appears they could be on their way to another crack at the conference crown.
Sam Hartman has come out of nowhere to make heads turn on the national stage with 13 touchdown passes to only two picks. Keep your eyes wide open for Hartman and Wake Forest.
Will Anderson Jr. (+4000)
Will Anderson Jr. is the first non-quarterback on the list but we can see that his current odds of +4000 have spiked since he was installed as a +1600-preseason entry.
As you may recall, Anderson had 17 ½ sacks for Alabama last season and his 4 ½ sacks after four weeks reveal he’s no longer on pace to match his outstanding effort in 2021. But there’s still plenty of time left in the season so don’t count him out.
Blake Corum (+4000)
Michigan’s Blake Corum is the first running back to make the list and it’s not surprising considering that after four games, he has nearly matched his entire touchdown total from last year with nine on the season after breaking the plane of the end zone on 11 occasions last season.
Dillon Gabriel (+4000)
The UCF transfer got a plum job when Caleb Williams vacated his position at Oklahoma and opted to follow his coach, Lincoln Riley, to USC. Good news for Gabriel who has made the most of his opportunity by guiding the Sooners to an undefeated record before they were stunned by Kansas State, 41-24, last week.
However, Gabriel added four touchdowns to bring his passing TD total to 11 with no interceptions thus far. At odds of +4000, he could be a good value bet in this spot.
Heisman Trophy Pick: Caleb Williams (+600) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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