January 21, 2025

Sport and Betting News

Predicting the Top Returning College Football Players for the 2025 Heisman Trophy

15 mins
  • The 2025 Heisman Trophy race will be a battle between talented quarterbacks and one exceptional wide receiver
  • Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith leads a group of non-QB contenders thanks to his game-breaking ability
  • Check out the complete 2025 Heisman Trophy odds and top returning college football players below

The 2024 Heisman Trophy race came down to the wire between Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter and record-setting Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty. When all the votes were tallied, it was Hunter hoisting the famous stiff-arm trophy.

Heading into the 2025 college football season, the Heisman landscape looks quite different. A loaded quarterback class dominates the top contenders, but there are a few explosive skill position players in the mix.

Chief among them is Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith, who is looking to become just the fifth wide receiver to capture the award.

2025 Heisman Trophy Odds

Player Odds
Garrett Nussmeier, QB (LSU) +900
Arch Manning, QB (Texas) +1000
Cade Klubnik, QB (Clemson) +1100
Drew Allar, QB (Penn State) +1100
Nico Iamaleava,QB (Tennessee) +1100
Jeremiah Smith, WR (Ohio State) +1700
Carson Beck, QB (Miami) +1800
Julian Sayin, QB (Ohio State) +1800
Dante Moore, QB (Oregon) +2000
LaNorris Sellers, QB (South Carolina) +2000
DJ Lagway, QB (Florida) +2500
John Mateer, QB (Oklahoma) +3000
Gunner Stockton, QB (Georgia) +3000
Kevin Jennings, QB (SMU) +3000
Austin Simmons, QB (Ole Miss) +3000
Miller Moss, QB (Louisville) +3300
Marcel Reed, QB (Ole Miss) +3500
Ryan Williams, WR (Alabama) +3500
Steve Angeli, QB (Notre Dame) +4000
Jalon Daniels, QB (Kansas) +4000

*Odds as of January 20 at FanDuel.

Quarterbacks dominate the early Heisman 2025 favorites and top 2025 college football returning players. 18 of the top-20 Heisman odds contenders are signal callers, although a wide receiver has the sixth-best odds.

Nussmieier The Favorite

LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier enters the 2025 season as the Heisman favorite at +900 odds. The senior threw for 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns last season while leading the Tigers’ high-powered attack.

However, repeating that success won’t be easy. LSU loses several key offensive weapons to the NFL draft, including top wide receiver Kyren Lacy and dynamic tight end Mason Taylor.

Furthermore, the Tigers also face a daunting SEC schedule featuring road trips to Clemson, Alabama, Ole Miss, and Florida. If LSU struggles and Nussmeier’s numbers dip, his Heisman odds will plummet.

While Nussmeier has the talent to make a run at the Heisman, there’s better value elsewhere in the market, given the question marks surrounding the LSU offense.

Smith Ready to Break the Mold

In the past 24 years, only three non-quarterbacks have won the Heisman Trophy. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith has the talent to follow Travis Hunter and join that exclusive club in 2025. Oddsmakers are giving him the six-best odds to win the 2025 Heisman.

As a true freshman, the 6’3″ wideout put up jaw-dropping numbers:

  • 75 receptions
  • 1,276 receiving yards
  • 14 receiving touchdowns
  • 17.3 yards per catch

Not to mention, Smith saved his best performances for the biggest stages, torching the Tennessee and Oregon secondaries for 100+ yards and multiple scores. He capped off his historic freshman campaign with a solid showing in the national title game, hauling in 5 catches for 88 yards and a TD against Notre Dame.

With another year in Brian Hartline’s receiver-friendly system, Smith could threaten the 1,500-yard and 20-touchdown marks. His combination of size, speed, and route-running ability is simply unmatched in college football.

The big question is who will be throwing him the ball. With Will Howard no longer having college eligibility, Smith will have to break in a new starting QB. If five-star freshman Julian Sayin wins the job and continues Ohio State’s run of elite quarterback play, the sky’s the limit for Smith’s production.

At +1700 odds, Smith is an intriguing bet to become the first pure WR Heisman winner since DeVonta Smith (no relation) in 2020. If he can replicate last year’s efficiency with an uptick in volume, he’ll be right in the thick of the race.

Experienced QBs Loom Large

While young guns like Arch Manning (+1000) are getting plenty of Heisman hype, history favors veteran quarterbacks.

In the CFP Era, every Heisman-winning quarterback has been at least a sophomore. Joe Burrow and Marcus Mariota were in their fourth year of eligibility (redshirt seniors), Mac Jones was a redshirt junior, Baker Mayfield was a redshirt senior, and Bryce Young and Caleb Williams won the award as true sophomores.

That bodes well for guys like Miami’s Carson Beck (+1800) and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (+1100). Beck, a senior transfer from Georgia, threw for over 3,000 yards in his final year with the Dawgs.

Beck will look to follow in the path of former Canes QB Cam Ward, who finished a 2024 Heisman finalist after transferring to the U in the offseason. With dynamic weapons at his disposal and an improving offensive line, Beck could put up huge numbers in year one under Mario Cristobal.

Klubnik, meanwhile, blossomed into a star in 2024, accounting for 40 total touchdowns while leading Clemson to the College Football Playoff. The junior has all the tools – arm strength, accuracy, mobility – to win the Heisman. He just needs to avoid the injury bug that has plagued Tigers quarterbacks in recent years.

2025 Heisman Betting Advice

The preseason Heisman Trophy odds are always a speculative market, with so much still unknown about how the upcoming season will unfold. Fight the temptation to place big-money bets now – there will be much better value after seeing teams in action.

That said, if you’re looking to get in on the action early, target players with high-end talent in favorable situations. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith (+1700) and Clemson’s Cade Klubnik (+1100) fit that bill. Both are proven commodities playing for national title contenders with loaded supporting casts.

I’d steer clear of big-name rookies like Arch Manning for now. The Texas phenom has all the physical tools to be a superstar, but the Heisman has historically been a veteran’s award.

Even transcendent talents like Trevor Lawrence and Adrian Peterson couldn’t win it in their first year as starters. At +1000, there’s just not enough value to warrant a bet on Manning at this stage.

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As we look ahead to the 2025 college football season, fans and analysts alike are already speculating on which players will be in the running for the prestigious Heisman Trophy. While it’s impossible to predict with certainty who will ultimately take home the award, there are several players who are already generating buzz as potential contenders.

One player who is sure to be on everyone’s radar is quarterback Trevor Lawrence from Clemson University. Lawrence has been a standout player since his freshman year and is widely considered one of the top quarterbacks in the country. With his combination of size, arm strength, and accuracy, Lawrence has the potential to put up big numbers and lead his team to a successful season.

Another player to keep an eye on is running back Najee Harris from the University of Alabama. Harris has been a key contributor for the Crimson Tide over the past few seasons and is poised for a breakout year in 2025. With his speed, agility, and power, Harris has the ability to dominate opposing defenses and put up impressive rushing numbers.

On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Micah Parsons from Penn State University is a player to watch. Parsons is a versatile defender who can make plays all over the field. With his speed, athleticism, and instincts, Parsons has the potential to be a game-changer for the Nittany Lions and could put up impressive stats in 2025.

Of course, there are many other talented players who could emerge as Heisman contenders in 2025. From dynamic wide receivers to dominant defensive linemen, there are plenty of players who have the potential to make a case for college football’s most prestigious individual award.

Ultimately, predicting the top returning college football players for the 2025 Heisman Trophy is a challenging task. However, by keeping an eye on standout performers from previous seasons and monitoring their progress throughout the upcoming season, fans and analysts can start to get a sense of which players are most likely to be in the running for the award. It will certainly be an exciting season as these talented players compete for college football’s highest honor.

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