Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith was recently named this season’s Heisman Trophy winner. This honor goes to the most outstanding college football player each year.
What made this season’s winner so special is the fact that Smith became the first non- quarterback to win this prestigious award since Alabama’s Derrick Henry won the Heisman in 2015. Smith is the first wide receiver to win the Heisman since Desmond Howard all the way back in 1991.
While this award has been dominated by the quarterback position over the years, Smith’s win gives hope to the rest of the nation’s stop skill players heading into next season. However, the quarterback position will be front center in the 2021 race.
Betting odds have already been posted to win the 2021 Heisman Trophy with a number of worthy contenders on the list. Looking ahead to next race for college football’s most prestigious player honor, here are the Top 5 players on the betting list:
Odds to Win the 2021 Heisman Trophy
Spencer Rattler: QB Oklahoma +300
Bryce Young: QB Alabama +550
DJ Uiagalelei: QB Clemson +800
JT Daniels: QB Georgia +800
Sam Howell: QB North Carolina +800
Live College Football Betting Odds
Rattler is the early frontrunner given his 2020 performance as the Sooners’ starting quarterback. He threw for 3,031 yards and 28 touchdowns this season with seven interceptions. Rattler closed the season out on a high note with three touchdown passes in Oklahoma’s 55-20 rout over Florida in the Cotton Bowl.
With Mac Jones moving on, Young should get the starting role for Alabama at quarterback next season. Moving into such a high-profile position adds some immediate value to his longer odds as long as he can live up to expectations. He only attempted 22 passes this past season with 15 completions for 156 yards and a score. However, when you are surrounded by the type of talent Alabama routinely recruits, your chances for immediate success go up dramatically.
Uiagalelei is another up and coming quarterback that will finally get his chance to start in 2021. Following in the footsteps of the departing Trevor Lawrence leaves some pretty big shoes to fill. Yet, when he did get a chance to play this season, DJ made the most it. He threw for 914 yards and five touchdowns with zero interceptions while completing 66.7 percent of his 117 passing attempts. Much like Young, the talent surrounding Uiagalelei is a major boost to his even longer +800 odds to win the Heisman.
Expert NCAA Football Predictions
Daniels was the leading passer for Georgia this season with 1,231 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore. Given the fact that the Bulldogs are another high-profile SEC team, he will have a great chance to impress the Heisman voters right out of the gate in 2021. The question remains as to whether or not he is even the best quarterback in the SEC, let alone the nation. Given the other choices at longer odds, Daniels is even more of a longshot than his current odds suggest.
North Carolina made a name for itself this past season in the ACC at 8-4 to move to No. 13 in the national rankings. Howell received quite a bit of credit for the that run with his play at the quarterback position. He completed 68.1 percent of his 348 passing attempts for 3,586 yards and 30 scores verse just seven interceptions. These are stats to build on after catching voter’s attention in 2020.
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