For the first time in 29 years, the Heisman Trophy winner is a wide receiver. When the college football regular season ended, the online betting favorite was Alabama’s DeVonta Smith, paying at -200. And Smith brought the trophy home with 447 first-place votes, 225 more than second-place finisher Trevor Lawrence.
Lawrence began the season as the Heisman Trophy favorite, but it was hard to deny Smith the award after one of the most dominant non-quarterback seasons in college football history. The Alabama senior had 105 catches, 1,641 yards, and 20 touchdowns.
Smith also had big games against big-time opponents, including 11 catches for 167 yards against Georgia, eight catches and 231 yards against LSU, and 15 catches for 184 yards in the SEC Championship Game against Florida.
Smith went for another 130 yards in the national semifinal against Notre Dame, and the Crimson Tide are expected to have another offensive explosion against Ohio State in the National Championship Game. Online betting odds have Alabama favored by 8.5 points and the over/under at 75.
2021 Heisman Trophy Odds
Spencer Rattler - Oklahoma
It only took a few moments for the odds for the next Heisman Trophy to be posted. The favorite among all candidates is Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler.
In the spotlight since he was in high school, thanks to the Netflix show QB1, Rattler got off to a tough start his first season as the Oklahoma quarterback. He threw three picks against Kansas State, and the Sooners began the season just 1-2.
But Rattler righted the ship with a big win over Texas, a five-touchdown performance against Oklahoma State, a win over Iowa State in the Big 12 Championship Game, and four touchdowns against Florida in the Cotton Bowl.
The released sportsbook odds list Rattler at +300. Fellow Oklahoma quarterbacks Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray won the award in 2017 and 2018.
Bryce Young - Alabama
The second-most likely 2021 Heisman Trophy winner is Alabama quarterback-in-waiting Bryce Young. Unlike Rattler, who has 3,112 yards passing heading into his sophomore year, Young will be a sophomore starting quarterback with just 22 career passes thrown. He completed 13 of those passes for 156 yards and one touchdown.
Being the quarterback at Alabama automatically makes a player someone to watch in the upcoming season. It also doesn’t hurt Young’s case that his predecessor, Mac Jones, just finished third in this year’s Heisman voting.
Young, who ironically is scheduled to appear on the yet-to-be-released Season 4 of QB1, is paying +400.
Sam Howell - North Carolina
The most experienced of the top returning quarterbacks, Sam Howell has put together back-to-back terrific seasons to start his career. His 68 touchdowns through his sophomore season is an ACC record, breaking the record set by Lawrence.
Howell will be missing two 1,000-yard rushers next season as well as a 1,000-yard receiver, but the rest of the nation’s fifth-ranked offense will return in 2021.
