Best Heisman betting odds heading into the 2023 season

We are quickly approaching the start of the 2023 college football season, and if you’re a sports gambler like myself, you’ve probably waited a little bit to place some bets. I know a lot of people who like to put bets on college football after spring practices. Crazy, I know, but I like to wait it out a tad and see what things are looking like with fall practices.

Disclaimer: Ignore EVERYTHING I wrote on that this time last year. I placed some way too early preseason bets and didn’t hit on any of them. I’ve learned from my mistakes.

Now with that out of the way, let’s dive into some preseason odds for the Heisman Trophy. Last year, in the link above, I threw down some cash on Quinn Ewers to win at +3,500 odds. It was a longshot that didn’t hit; perhaps things would have been different had he stayed healthy. The same goes for Blake Corum — if he didn’t get injured against Illinois, it’s very possible he could have been in New York City for the Heisman ceremony.

Today, we dive in and evaluate some of the favorites, dark horse candidates and best non-quarterback options for the Heisman this season.

All odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

The Favorites

USC QB Caleb Williams (+550), LSU QB Jayden Daniels (+1,200), Texas QB Quinn Ewers (+1,200), Florida State QB Jordan Travis (+1,400), Clemson QB Cade Klubnik (+1,400)

It’s no surprise the reigning Heisman Trophy winner is the odds-on favorite to win it again. Williams had a stellar 2022 campaign, and had it not been for a late-season injury, the Trojans may have made it to the CFP. He is the heavy favorite to win it this season, as there’s a huge drop off between him and the next player.

Last year, Williams was third in the preseason to win it at +700. With him at +550 right now, that is a great deal to lock in at, considering some of the others behind him aren’t guaranteed to put up gaudy numbers like him.

Daniels is expected to take a step forward, but you can’t fully trust a dude coached by Bayou Brian Kelly. I learned my lesson on Ewers last season, so that’s gonna be a no from me, dawg. Travis and Klubnik are interesting, as their respective teams are also among the favorites to make it to the CFP, but if I’m putting any money on the top-five guys, I would put it on Williams to repeat.

Top Non-QBs

Ohio State WR Marvin Harrison Jr. (+2,000), Michigan RB Blake Corum (+2,800), Ohio State RB TreVeyon Henderson (+4,000), Penn State RB Nicholas Singleton (+5,000), Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins (+5,000)

Look, Harrison Jr. is an outstanding player. He will more than likely be the top receiver picked in the 2024 NFL Draft. He could be very, very good in the NFL, and was the best wide receiver in the country last season as a sophomore (my opinion). He has the requisite size, speed and athleticism to be one of the all time greats, just like his dad.

But who’s going to be throwing him the ball? It’s a huge unknown, as Kyle McCord and Devin Brown continue to duke it out in fall camp. We know it’ll be one of those guys, but Ryan Day isn’t sure which one just yet, which is concerning for them considering we’re just a couple short weeks away from Week 1.

Corum is probably the best play out of all the non-quarterbacks in this bunch. You know what you’re going to get out of him and he’s going to be the bell-cow running back yet again in Ann Arbor. Donovan Edwards will likely take some touches away from him, but you should anticipate Corum being the go-to guy, especially on third and fourth downs.

The Michigan offense goes through its running backs, so if Michigan is to be one of the best teams in the country yet again, Corum will have a huge part in that.

Dark Horse Contenders

Oklahoma QB Dillon Gabriel (+3,500), Alabama QBs Tyler Buchner, Ty Simpson and Jalen Milroe (+6,000), South Carolina QB Spencer Rattler (+6,000), Wisconsin QB Tanner Mordecai (+10,000)

I am not going to publicly advocate for any of these guys — especially the trio of Alabama quarterbacks, what a messy situation that is. However, if I were to put down a single dollar on any of these guys, I think I’d go for Badgers quarterback Tanner Mordecai.

New head coach Luke Fickell and new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Phil Longo — the latter coming from North Carolina and having turned Drake Maye into a stud — are implementing a new style of play that Wisconsin fans have only dreamed about prior to this offseason. With that coaching combination, along with the fact Mordecai has thrown for more than 3,500 yards and completed 65 percent of his passes in back-to-back seasons at SMU, there’s no reason he can’t do it at a better school with better coaching and better offensive weapons.

I’d also love to see a continued rebound story from Rattler. He had a monster game against Tennessee last season, throwing for six touchdowns and no interceptions, and ended the year on a decent note in the Gator Bowl loss to Notre Dame (29-of-46, 246 yards, two touchdowns, one interception). If he can replicate the success he had at the end of the season, wins at Georgia on Sept. 16 and continues to put up solid stats, he would have a great shot.

Odds/lines subject to change. T&Cs apply. See draftkings.com/sportsbook for details.