2022 Heisman Trophy Odds & Predictions

• The Heisman Trophy was first awarded in 1935 to Chicago halfback Jay Berwanger
• Since 2000, a quarterback has won the award 18 times
• A defensive player hasn’t won the award since Charles Woodson in 1997. 

Each year, the Heisman Trophy is awarded the the “most outstanding” player in all of College Football. While some may argue this award has turned into a bit of a “best quarterback,” there have been other positions to win as recently as 2020 when then-Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith took home the award.

However, with the College Football season not underway, the top-four players in terms of betting odds are comprised of quarterbacks.

Here, we’ll look at some top odds and offer betting picks you should consider making.

Spoiler alert: We’ll try to look a bit outside the chalk picks and examine some dark horse candidates.

Heisman Trophy Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook

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As mentioned previously, quarterbacks seem to own this award regarding betting odds, and this season, that’s not a bad stance overall.

There are some enticing non-quarterbacks like edge rusher Will Anderson and running back Bijan Robinson. Still, there’s a wide array of exciting quarterback talent ready to showcase their skills as the 2023 NFL Draft approaches.

Bryce Young, Alabama – (+300)

Yes, he’s +300 and is on the odds-on favorite to win the award, but Alabama quarterback Bryce Young’s talent speaks for itself.

After winning the award last year, he came out in his first game against Utah State. He absolutely lit up the scoreboard, passing for five touchdowns, rushing for 100 yards, and another score.

No, Utah State is not going to the game we look back on during his 2022-23 Heisman campaign, but this shows that Young is ready to perform no matter the opponent.

Some teams may call for it to be more of a running approach and kind of let the quarterback chill out, but Young is aiming to raise his draft stock amid a wide receiver group that doesn’t exactly have the notable names of years past.

Ohio State quarterback CJ Stroud only had 223 yards and two touchdowns against Notre Dame, which didn’t help his Heisman candidacy. Heading into the season, Stroud was No. 1 in odds, but now Young holds the title.

In the SEC, if Young can lead Alabama to another title appearance and post another great stat line, get ready for back-to-back wins.

Anthony Richardson, Florida – (+1800)

If you’re unfamiliar with Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, we highly recommend doing so.

Standing 6’4” and over 230 pounds, it’s not totally out-of-pocket to liken his physical presence to that of Cam Newton.

Yes, we need to wait to see if the production matches these measurables, but in his first game of the season against a fellow top-25 team in Utah, Richardson played wonderfully, completing 71% of his passes for 168 yards and added 11 carries for 106 yards and three touchdowns.

Richardson won’t break any College Football passing records, but he’s the type of player that can dominate a game with his legs and is a hard target to take down for opposing defenders.

If Richardson continues this rushing dominance and holds up in the passing game, we could start to see this +1800 dwindle as well as his NFL draft stock.

With how the game is today, Richardson should continue to receive hype from draft pundits, which may eventually bleed over into national, mainstream cover, which will help his campaign.

Also in the SEC, Richardson will have opportunities to showcase his talent on a larger scale against teams like Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and Texas A&M.

Suppose Florida was to go out and beat Georgia on the back of Richardson. In that case, that could be a potential Heisman-sealing performance.

Tanner McKee, Stanford – (+20000)

We’re really throwing a dart here, but at +20000, you could do plenty worse than Stanford quarterback Tanner McKee.

McKee is a great NFL prospect regardless of how he finishes in the Heisman campaign.

After two years on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, McKee joined the Stanford program and displayed some of his talents in 2021.

Overall, McKee is limited due to the team around him, but the 6’6”, 228-pound signal caller showed that upside with a 300-yard performance in Week 1 against Colgate, though he did have a single interception.

In the Pac-12, McKee is already at a disadvantage, but if he can upset USC, Notre Dame, Utah, and BYU, that will massively help his campaign.

Nonetheless, expect his name to be called on NFL Draft day—McKee is a fantastic prospect.

However, it remains to be seen if that can translate into a Heisman win due to its pre-requisite of a fantastic statistical performance.

Past Heisman Winners

The Heisman Trophy has been awarded yearly for the most outstanding College Football player since 1935.

Below is a chart showcasing each winner since the turn of the century in 2000.

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