2020 Heisman Trophy Contenders: Odds and Predictions

The odds for the winner of the Heisman Trophy 2020 are provided by DraftKings Sportsbook.

Heisman Trophy Winner 2020

For the full list head to DraftKings Sportsbook.

COVID-19 has put the sports world on hold, canceling or postponing seasons and tournaments alike.

One of the sports that has not shown too much concern over the outbreak is college football, where some key figures are optimistic about playing the upcoming season.

Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is one of those hopefuls, saying that “I have zero doubt that we’re going to be playing and the stands are going to be packed.”

Notre Dame’s athletic director, Jack Swarbrick, is not quite as confident but has stated that he would prefer games to be played with fans as opposed to empty stadiums.

Until more news comes out regarding a possible delay to the season, we can still take a look at which returning stars and hidden gems could emerge as the 2020 Heisman Trophy winner.

Below are the top five betting favorites according to DraftKings Sportsbook, all of whom are quarterbacks.

Justin Fields, QB – Ohio State

The Chase Continues.. pic.twitter.com/MmM0B42NNK

— Justin Fields (@justnfields) February 25, 2020

College football’s top returning Heisman vote-getter is the betting favorite to hoist the award, and for good reason.

He may not replicate his insane touchdown to interception ratio from last year, but it should not be a surprise if he manages to total 50 scores with his arm and legs.

Although he lost receivers K.J. Hill and Binjimen Victor to graduation, Fields will still have Chris Olave and tight end, Luke Farrell, as targets, all while being protected by an experienced left tackle in Thayer Munford.

Fields will also have plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents against top competition, as the Buckeyes face Oregon early in the season along with their Big Ten East Division rivals Penn State and Michigan.

If he can guide OSU through such a schedule while staying healthy, the Heisman should be his to lose.

Trevor Lawrence, QB – Clemson

Trevor Lawrence will look to lead the Tigers to the National Championship Game for the third straight year, while also filling the lone void in his trophy case: a Heisman.

The long-haired Georgia native will have plenty of weapons at his disposal, with a wide receiver trio of Joseph Ngata, Amari Rodgers, and Justyn Ross.

Having Travis Etienne in his backfield will help but can also hurt him if the senior running back puts together a monster year.

Lawrence should once again have a clear path to the College Football Playoff, largely due to the rest of the ACC projected to be mediocre at best.

The Tigers do get to play Notre Dame, which could help Lawrence’s Heisman case after he finished seventh in voting last season despite an undefeated regular season.

Jamie Newman, QB – Georgia

After putting together one-and-a-half solid seasons at Wake Forest, Jamie Newman will face a bigger test in the SEC.

Similar to Fields, Newman is capable of making plays with his arm and legs and has a frame that can absorb big hits from defenders.

He will also benefit from having a solid arsenal of playmakers to help him out, with running back James Cook and receiver George Pickens leading that group.

The big question will be how the Bulldogs navigate through their tough conference schedule, as they must host Auburn and visit Alabama for the crossover portion of SEC play.

Furthermore, coach Kirby Smart’s balanced playcalling could put a low ceiling on the stats Newman could put up on offense.

D’Eriq King is arguably the biggest question mark on this list, for multiple reasons.

The former wide receiver is a great athlete and has shown in 2018 that he can put up solid numbers.

However, his supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired, especially with an offensive line that will likely be littered with underclassmen.

With a poor offensive line and his reliance on scrambling, a healthy season could be a lot to ask for from the Houston transfer.

Most importantly, to win the Heisman, your team needs to have an almost perfect record.

Even though the Hurricanes avoid Clemson in ACC play, a one-loss season would be tough to imagine unless they make significant improvements from last year, when they finished 6-7.

Spencer Rattler, QB – Oklahoma

@AZHSFB Sunday with Gio

Me: Hey Spencer you can hit the receiver in the back corner??
Rattler: I’m gon fake the hand off and hit him two yards in from the back corner cause I don’t want him to trip on peoples bags..
Me: ?
After the pass..
Me: ?

Cc: @SoonerScoop pic.twitter.com/B77Y7zHqRk

— Chilluminati (@JUSTCHILLY) March 19, 2020

We do not know much about Spencer Rattler as he only played in mop-up duty while backing up Jalen Hurts last season.

In fact, there is no guarantee that he emerges as the starting quarterback for the Sooners this year, as he must beat out redshirt sophomore Tanner Mordecai, who received more snaps than Rattler in 2019.

What we do know is that Rattler was one of the top quarterback recruits for a reason and that he will be guided by a quarterback whisperer in Lincoln Riley, who has sent three signal-callers to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

Rattler will also have a solid supporting cast that includes receiver Charleston Rambo, running back Kennedy Brooks and center Creed Humphrey.