2021 Heisman Trophy Odds: Spencer Rattler Opens As Betting Favorite
A look into some of the best Heisman futures hopefuls
There is no rest for oddsmakers. Devonta Smith was awarded the 2020 Heisman Trophy Tuesday night, and here I am Wednesday morning, breaking down the 2021 Heisman Trophy odds.
Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler opened as the +500 favorite at FanDuel Sportsbook. Looking further, there are a few other returning names that should attract bettor’s attention, such as Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiagalelei (+1000) and USC quarterback Kedon Slovis (+2000).
Below are the opening odds for next season. As we get closer to the start of the season, these odds will shift considerably as bettors set the market and news trickles out. Nevertheless, it is interesting to see how players are perceived right now.
Here are the odds for players +5000 and shorter at FanDuel Sportsbook with a look at three early numbers that stuck out.
Get all of BetQL's best bets for the college football playoffs! Dating back a full calendar year, our five-star (max-value) bets have won 61% of the time!
Chalky
Sam Howell, QB North Carolina (+1400)
Mack Brown has officially put the Tar Heels back on the map and he has the quarterback to make a run in 2021. Howell will be entering his third year as the starting quarterback for a North Carolina team that is losing several key contributors, but also boasts the No. 12 recruiting class from 2020 and the No. 17 class in 2021.
Howell has a signature game in South Bend against Notre Dame on October 30th that can help jumpstart his campaign, along with a potential matchup with Clemson in the ACC title game at the end of the season.
Howell broke Trevor Lawrence’s ACC record for touchdown passes thrown by a sophomore quarterback with 68 in his first two years under center for the Heels and is going to be backing a high powered offense once again. The numbers will be there for Howell, but will the team be able to succeed enough to warrant the award? He’s worth a look at 14-1.
Play DFS? Be sure to get a 3-day free trial on RotoQL to check out our projections!
Sleeper
Tyler Shough, QB Oregon (+8000)
Tyler Shough could have looked better in his first full season under center for the Ducks, but I will attribute part of that to Oregon being one of the youngest teams in the country and a hectic year for all of college football. Even worse for a young team, the Pac-12 started last among Power 5 conferences and set a six game schedule that many teams did not get to fulfill.
Oregon will bring back nearly all of its key contributors and has an early season showdown in Columbus against Ohio State on September 11. If the Ducks can pull the road upset in one of the first marquee matchups of the season, and Shough plays well, his odds will drop all the way into the low teens or single digits.
Shough is going to need to take some steps forward after an inconsistent sophomore campaign, but Oregon is going to be in the mix for the Pac-12 title game, and a road upset over Ohio State could jumpstart a College Football Playoff run. It’s asking for a lot, but 80/1 is a nice price to jump on early.
Mispriced Long Shot
Casey Thompson, QB Texas (+10000)
When I look at this number, something doesn’t add up.
Last week, Texas hired Alabama offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian and incumbent quarterback Sam Ehlinger declared for the NFL Draft, paving way for Thompson to take over the role in 2021.
Sarkisian had the best weapons an OC can ask for at Alabama, but he is a smart offensive mind that will have a Longhorns offense humming with Thompson under center and stud running back Bijan Robinson alongside him (who is at 30/1).
Thompson burst onto the scene after Ehlinger left the Alamo Bowl against Colorado with a shoulder injury, completing 8-of-10 passes for 170 yards and 4 touchdowns. A Red River showdown with the aforementioned Rattler and Oklahoma could determine who the favorite for the award is at that point in the season.
As the season draws closer, I expect more people to buy into the “Texas is back” narrative and these odds will drop. Getting Thompson at 100-1 on the opening odds is the best value on the board.
