With college football spring games in the books, it is time to look at betting on the 2021 Heisman Trophy favorites. Oddsmakers pretty much agree that Spencer Rattler, DJ Uiagalelei, Bryce Young and JT Daniels are the most likely players to win the award this season.
All four made it through practices unscathed, although some looked better than others. Ultimately, you can make a strong case for any of these passers. Rattler is the early pick from sportsbooks, but the odds separating this quartet aren’t massive. With that in mind, let’s look at the case for and against betting on the 2021 Heisman Trophy favorites.
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Looking at the case for and against betting on the 2021 Heisman Trophy favorites
Spencer Rattler
William Hill +550 /Fanduel Sportsbook +650
The case for…
Spencer Rattler plays quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners under Lincoln Riley. Just being in that position seems to put players in consideration for the Heisman. Beyond that, he looked good in the second half of 2020 and could take a bigger step forward this season.
The case against…
Oklahoma’s schedule is very soft and unless either Iowa State is the real deal or some other team in the Big 12 steps up, he may not play in a primetime game this year. The other 2021 Heisman Trophy favorites all have marquee matchups that could give them an advantage with voters.
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DJ Uiagalelei
William Hill +700 /Fanduel Sportsbook +900
The case for…
DJ Uiagalelei started two games for the Clemson Tigers last season and did well. If the team is winning, chances are Big Cinco is putting up numbers which puts him in the Heisman conversation.
The case against…
Let’s start with the fact that if Trevor Lawrence couldn’t win the Heisman Trophy at Clemson, what chance does Uiagalelei have? The Tigers also needs to replace Travis Etienne and Amari Rodgers which won’t be easy.
JT Daniels
William Hill +1200 /Fanduel Sportsbook +800
The case for…
Some believe JT Daniels could be Joe Burrow 2.0. He transferred to Georgia from USC and showed some promise after being named starter. He didn’t see the field early on while recovering from a torn ACL but was impressive in limited action. With the injury completely behind him, Daniels should be even better in 2021. The Bulldogs also manage to avoid playing Alabama, Texas A&M and LSU this season.
The case against…
Georgia’s top receiver, George Pickens, tore his ACL during spring practices and is out for the year. Additionally, the Bulldogs’ passing game under Kirby Smart has been questionable to say the least. In 49 games between 2017 and 2020, the team passed for more than 300 yards twice. Daniels managed to do it twice in four starts after taking over for Stetson Bennett. Do we continue seeing the latter or will the coaching staff revert back to the former?
Bryce Young
William Hill +900 /Fanduel Sportsbook +1000
The case for…
He plays for Alabama, a team that has a ton of talent and has become an offensive powerhouse. Of course, Bryce Young is no slouch either. He’s a former 5-star recruit who looked really good during the spring.
The case against…
Bill O’Brien is the new Alabama offensive coordinator which doesn’t exactly instill a lot of confidence. Young may also face competition for the Heisman Trophy from his own teammates as we saw with DeVonta Smith in 2020.
Final thoughts
As far as talent and situation goes, there isn’t much separating these four and that’s reflected in the odds. If you are betting on one of the 2021 Heisman Trophy favorites, it’s probably smart to go with the quarterback on the team you think will have the best season.
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