Top 3 Heisman Trophy Candidates You Should Bet On

Week 1 of the 2024 college football season kicks off on Thursday and while we can’t promise you who will win the Heisman Trophy this year, it’s wise to pick a quarterback on a very good team as that’s generally the requirements these days.

Here’s a look at three perhaps slightly under-the-radar Heisman candidates worth a look and their NCAAF odds.

Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard +2300

Leonard transferred to Notre Dame from Duke this off season and the Irish face a major, tough test right out of the gate with a Top 25 matchup at Texas A&M on Saturday – so a good game from Leonard in his team debut should only improve his odds.

What is interesting there is that Leonard is going against his former Duke head coach in Mike Elko, now in the same spot at A&M.

“[Leonard] has more of an upper hand than we do,” Elko said. “He’s probably a little bit more familiar with this defense than most quarterbacks we play. Two years going against a version of this defense that’s similar to what he’ll see Saturday night probably gives him a little bit more of an advantage than it does us.”

In 2022, Leonard led Duke to one of the biggest turnarounds in college football, as he accounted for 33 touchdowns — 20 passing and 13 rushing — as Duke went 9-4. In 2023, he led Duke to a win over Clemson in the opener and pushed the Blue Devils to the school’s highest national ranking, No. 16, since 1994.

However, Leonard eventually suffered an ankle injury and was limited to seven games last year. He was high in demand in the portal but a strong family pull played a role in him choosing Notre Dame.

Leonard’s great-grandfather, James E. Curran, played football for the Fighting Irish and was part of the Class of 1940.

Leonard grew up in Alabama but was a devout enough Notre Dame fan that his favorite move is “Rudy.”

Notre Dame has found its next dual-threat quarterback: Riley Leonard
pic.twitter.com/K03IhJdi2W
— Luciano Antonini (@LucciAntonini) August 9, 2024

Kansas’ Jalon Daniels +3400

Daniels has helped turn around the fortunes of the Kansas football program, with the Jayhawks as legit threats to win the new-look Big 12.

If they do, then that surely means Daniels had a huge season. Daniels earned second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022, when he emerged as a dynamic dual-threat quarterback for Kansas.

Despite missing about half of the season with a shoulder injury, he recorded 2,014 passing yards and 18 touchdowns, while adding 425 rushing yards and seven scores.

He was selected as the 2023 Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, the first Kansas player to receive the award, and also selected as a preseason First Team All-Big 12 quarterback, but injuries largely ruined his season.

Daniels began battling back problems in preseason camp and did not play in the season opener, but he returned in Week 2 against Illinois and then had 705 passing yards, 5 passing touchdowns and 74 rushing yards over a three-game stretch.

Then his season was over. Daniels’ health could decide whether the Jayhawks can make a college football playoff run in the new-look Big 12, where Texas and Oklahoma are no longer around and the path toward its championship game is wide open. Kansas also returns its top four wide receivers — Lawrence Arnold, Luke Grimm, Quentin Skinner and Trevor Wilson.

Missouri’s Brady Cook +3100

Cook emerged as a stalwart in his second full season as the Tigers‘ starting QB in 2023, registering nine 200-yard passing performances’ en route to a career-best 3,317 passing yards to rank eighth on Mizzou’s single-season chart.

His 157.2 passing efficiency rating ranked as the third-best mark in program history. He ranked third in the SEC total offense (279.69 ypg) and threw for at least one touchdown in each of MU’s 13 games. He also rushed for a career-high eight touchdowns, carrying the ball 113 times for 319 yards on the season.

Cook broke Andre Woodson’s SEC record of 325 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, running his streak to 365 passes without throwing a pick, before the string was snapped in the second quarter of the Tigers’ Oct. 7 game vs. LSU.

During camp, Cook said he feels like he’s improved his deep ball and ability to find the team’s long list of offensive playmakers led by receiver Luther Burden III, named a preseason All-American.

Last season, Burden caught 1,212 yards worth of passes for nine touchdowns as the Tigers went 11-2 and defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl — a win sealed with a fourth-quarter Burden touchdown reception at the back edge of the end zone.

If Cook takes another step forward, he could help see Mizzou into the College Football Playoff with the expanded field.

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The Top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidates You Should Bet On

While former LSU quarterback Joe Burrow won the 2019 Heisman Trophy award by unfurling one of the best seasons that any collegiate quarterback has ever had, the 2020 race to win the Heisman looks like it could turn into a knock-down, drag—out brawl for the ages. With that thought in mind, let’s take a look at my top five 20202 Heisman Trophy candidates right now!

The Top 5 Heisman Trophy Candidates You Should Bet On

Trevor Lawrence, QB, Clemson

Heisman Trophy Odds: +180

Lawrence got off to a relatively slow start last season and tossed eight interceptions in Clemson’s first seven games last season. However, the gifted 6-6, signal-caller picked up his play in a big way to finish the 2019 campaign with 3,665 passing yards, 36 TD tosses and eight interceptions. Lawrence will kick off the 2020 campaign riding the wave of a school-record 239 pass attempts without being picked off. Lawrence might be known as a classic drop-back pocket passer, but he also rushed for 563 yards and nine scores a year ago.

Justin Fields, QB, Ohio State

Heisman Trophy Odds: +210

Field had an absolutely jaw-dropping 2019 campaign at Ohio State after transferring from Georgia. The five-star recruit played like a genuine superstar despite being a sophomore. Fields ended last season with 3,273 passing yards with a stunning 41 TD tosses and just three interceptions. The dual-threat signal-caller also added 484 rushing yards and another 10 scores on the ground to finish third in last year’s Heisman voting behind winner Joe Burrow and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, Fields might be listed as the No.2 prohibitive favorite here, but he’s the top pick to win the 2020 Heisman Trophy in the hearts and minds of many!

ChubaHubbard, RB, Oklahoma State

Heisman Trophy Odds: +600

As a sophomore last season, Oklahoma State running back Chuba Hubbard led the nation in rushing by racking up a stupendous 2,094 rushing yards and finished third in touchdowns with 21 while adding 198 yards on 23 receptions. After forgoing this year’s NFL draft to return to Stillwater. If Hubbard can unfurl another 2,000-yard campaign and the Cowboys can reach the double-digit win mark, Hubbard could really challenge for the Heisman win!

Spencer Rattler, QB, Oklahoma

Heisman Trophy Odds: +800

Sure, Spencer rattler rarely saw action as a freshman last season as former starter Jalen Hurts had a phenomenal season to finish off his collegiate career, but the fact of the matter is that Sooners head coach Lincoln Riley has produced two Heisman winners (Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray) and another runner-up finish (hurts) over the last three seasons. This clearly means that Rattler will have a decent shot to challenge, even in his first year as the starter in Norman. Despite standing a modest 6-0, Rattler was the fourth highest-rated quarterback recruit in the 2019 class. If he comes close to playing anywhere near the levels that Mayfield, Murray and Hurts did the last three seasons, Rattler could surprise in a big way!

Micah Parsons, LB, Penn State

Heisman Trophy Odds: None

It’s a shame really that defensive players aren’t really in the running for the Heisman with today’s game and this award being dominated by quarterbacks. No matter, Penn State junior linebacker Micah Parsons is a monster athlete that I expect to be the best defensive player in the country in 2020. Parsons had a phenomenal 2019 campaign by recording a mind-boggling 109 total tackles, 14 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Defensive player or not, numbers like those are rare and definitely Heisman worthy!