Ranking the best values for 2025 Heisman futures
Before the 2024 season of college football kicked off, I picked Travis Hunter to win the Heisman Trophy when his odds were at +4700. In 2023, I incorrectly picked Bo Nix to win the Heisman Trophy before the season started. In 2022, I successfully picked Caleb Williams to win the Heisman Trophy when he was the preseason favorite.
As much as the Heisman Trophy is about skill, it’s also about the ‘wow’ plays that a player makes for his team, especially in big moments.
The list of 2025 Heisman Trophy favorites is headlined by a familiar name, but there is value to be had elsewhere. This list ranks the top Heisman contenders based on their betting value on FANDUEL and Bet MGM.
As always, do with this information what you will…
My 2025 Heisman: Cade Klubnik – Clemson QB
Heading into last season, Cade Klubnik had to answer questions about his play after showing promise in 2023 but also shrinking in big moments. Admittedly, I was skeptical he could take the next step for Clemson heading into 2024. The good news is, he proved me (and others) wrong and bounced back in big way last year. Klubnik finished third nationally for touchdowns accounted for (43), and did so with a relatively young supporting cast.
After arriving at Clemson as a five-star recruit in 2022, Klubnik is going into his third year as a starter for Dabo Sweeney and has the benefit of continuity with Garrett Riley as his offensive coordinator. Each year, Klubnik has improved. Last year was encouraging in that Klubnik not only displayed NFL arm talent and sneaky-good athleticism, but he also showed growth in his poise and confidence as a passer.
That confidence helped Klubnik excel on deep throws. In 2024, he had 16 completions of 30 or more yards. Klubnik also has value as a runner, and he had over 100 carries last year, with Riley often calling designed runs for Klubnik. In 2024, he recorded 7 rushing touchdowns and recorded two rushes of 50+ yards. Clemson’s running back room will be looking for replacements after the departure of Phil Mafa, which could lead to a solid floor for Klubnik as a runner.
While Klubnik was solid for mostly all of last season, it was the way he and LaNorris Sellers finished their season in 2024 (combined for 4 rushing scores in their head-to-head battle) that gives reason to think that the Clemson-South Carolina rivalry will feature two of the leading Heisman candidates in 2025 (more on Sellers below). With how nicely Clemson sets up as a national title contender, Klubnik’s value is strong as a Heisman candidate, especially if he improves on last season’s numbers (4,102 yards & 43 total touchdowns).
FANDUEL Odds: +900
Bet MGM Odds: +1100 (Opening Odds: +1100)
What’s the skinny on Klubnik?
The fourth-year QB has a strong supporting cast on offense and continuity with his offensive coordinator, plus a dominant defense and a proven coach. Clemson has a manageable schedule and a lot of returning production, setting them and Klubnik up for a big season.
The Next Best Four Heisman Contenders
Jeremiyah Love – Notre Dame RB
The Heisman Trophy is traditionally a quarterback award. Last year, however, voters decided otherwise. The 2025 crop of quarterbacks is deep, and the trophy could very well be given to a talented signal caller. But skill players like Love and Jeremiah Smith will make a case for their own candidacy in 2025.
Behind a banged up offensive line last season, Love was one of the nation’s best running backs. While his game is built on power and physicality, Love has a sneaky good second gear and can bust one loose at anytime. In 2024, all 17 of Love’s rushing touchdowns came on first or second down. He also recorded four rushes of 60+ yards, with his long being a 98 yard scamper against Indiana in the playoffs. On the season, Love averaged 6.9 yards per carry overall.
Love was also third in the country last year in earning yards after contact (4.39 yards), trailing only Ashton Jeanty and Damien Martinez. Even better is that the Notre Dame offensive line has a chance to be even better this year. While Love has a game-breaking back as a sidekick in junior Jadarian Price, Love will benefit from Riley Leonard (17 rushing touchdowns in 2024) moving onto the NFL. Last year, the offense relied heavily on Leonard’s running ability and this should portend more third down and red zone carries for Love.
Notre Dame will also be breaking in a new quarterback in CJ Carr, and there are still a few unknowns at the receiver position. Add in the fact that Love is a quality receiver and spent time in the offseason training at the position, and his Heisman chances seem more and more legitimate. Especially given his odds, Love might possess the most upside of any Heisman Trophy candidate in 2025.
Note: Love’s odds have moved significantly throughout the summer and he’s perhaps the biggest pre-season riser in several sports books.
FANDUEL Odds: +4200
Bet MGM Odds: +5000 (Opening Odds: +5000)
What’s the skinny on Love?
Love is one of the best all-around backs in the country. His receiving skills, high usage, and opportunity to play on a national title contender all bolster his odds to win the Heisman, even if the award traditionally is awarded to quarterbacks.
Arch Manning – Texas QB
While the pre-season Heisman favorite for 2025 is still somewhat of an unknown, he flashed certain skills in 2024 that could portend him taking home the award as junior. Manning displays elite traits as a runner, and showed in his sporadic playing time at Texas an ability to layer his throws and access all levels of the field. Manning did get two starts in 2024, but also threw 2 interceptions against UL-Monroe, his second start.
Even without the name, Manning would be considered a legimate Heisman contender for the 2025 season with enough sample size; the name, however, must be acknowledged here, and neither Peyton nor Eli won the award as college players. Arch, moreover, seems to offer the most athleticism of any of the Manning quarterbacks, and it doesn’t hurt that he had time to develop in Texas’ offense under a quarterback whisperer in Steve Sarkisian. Over the years, Sarkisian has worked with several college quarterbacks who have gone on to be NFL draft picks.
Especially recently uder Sarkisian, Texas has recruited as well as anyone, but gone are first-round picks Xavier Worthy (2023) and Matthew Golden (2024), and last year the Longhorns boasted one of the top offensive lines in the country. While Ryan Wingo could just as well follow Worthy and Golden’s paths, replacing Kelvin Banks (42 starts) on the line will not be easy as Banks was also a leader off the field. Manning shouldn’t need the type of line that Texas fielded last year to make a strong bid for Heisman, but his cast of weapons will make an impact on how well he fares in 2025.
Running back Quintrevion Wisner returns, as does CJ Baxter, which theoretically helps Texas create a diversified rushing attack, giving Manning optimal looks on read option calls. The track record of Sarkisian, the expectations in Austin, and overall health of the Longhorns roster, all go into Arch Manning entering the 2025 season as the Heisman favorite. Pre-season odds historically do not favor the favorite, but each year is a new year, especially in this era of college football.
Part of what helps Manning’s odds are the fact that the Longhorns look to be fielding one of the best defenses under Sarkisian; short fields and extra opportunities certainly bodes well for a mobile quarterbacks like Manning. Texas winning ten games and claiming the SEC might just be enough for Manning to win the award; hoever, not only do the Longhorns draw a tough schedule, but the SEC alone has several potential Heisman candidates for Manning to fend off.
FANDUEL Odds +700
Bet MGM Odds: +600 (Opening Odds: +900)
What’s the skinny on Manning?
Perhaps no college player enters the 2025 season with as much buzz as Manning, but his pedigree, plus the flashes he showed in 2024 and the fact that he plays for a national title contender, give reason to think that the first-year starter can hit the ground running.
LaNorris Sellers – South Carolina QB
A rare athlete in many ways, Sellers is first a quarterback, but he showed in 2024 that he can win with his legs and make guys miss in small spaces. Sellers runs through tackles, and while working the pocket, he keeps his eyes downfield. His arm strength helps his ability to connect on off-platform throws. As a runner, he has exceptional quickness in short spaces and can reach second gear quickly.
Sellers displayed nice touch on deeper balls and again has a downfield threat in Nyck Harbor, who could unlock another level of the Gamecocks’ offense in 2025 after an inconsistent start to his college career. South Carolina must replace its leading rusher from 2024 in Raheim Sanders, but Sellers was a close second, and the backfield benefits from a sturdy back in Rasul Faison coming over from Utah State.
With an effective play-action game, and if guys like Harbor and Mazeo Bennett take another step, Sellers has a chance to make strides in the offense under Mike Shula. With roots in the NFL, Shula brings over loads of experience and helped coach Cam Newton, a similar player in stature and skill to Sellers, to a strong start to his career in Carolina (Shula was Carolina’s offensive coordinator when Newton won MVP in 2015).
Sellers has already shown flashes and in his first year as a starter, he led the Game Cocks on a few clutch drives to help South Carolina win games: first against Missouri, and then on the road at Clemson. The stakes in the Clemson game were high and the Gamecocks were an underdog heading into that game. After last year’s spectacle by Sellers and Cade Klubnik (the two combined for all 4 of the touchdowns scored that game, all rushing) in the Gamecocks season finale against Clemson, the rivalry feels fully renewed and could be an opportunity for both quarterbacks to make their last statement for Heisman voters.
On the flip side, Sellers did show his inexperience and youth last year by throwing an interception to effectively end the game at Alabama (loss) and Sellers also failed to get South Carolina in better position to win their game against LSU (a failed South Carolina field goal attempt from 49 yards in the final minute gave LSU the win).
Sellers did have a unique distinction in 2024 of playing better on the road in certain aspects (completed 69.1% of his passes on road vs 61.9% at home) and ran for more yards (415) and touchdowns (5) on the road than he did at home. Last year, it took Sellers and South Carolina to heat up, but in November the Gamecocks won all five of their games. A finish like that could help propel Sellers into the Heisman conversation, as both recent Heisman winners (Travis Hunter and Jayden Daniels) had to put on strong finishes late in the season to cement the award.
In 2025, there are tough defenses for South Carolina to face, to be sure, but there are also tougher SEC schedules out there (don’t ask Oklahoma or Florida how they’re feeling). South Carolina gets to host Alabama, Oklahoma, and Clemson. They’re on the road against LSU, Texas A&M, and Ole Miss, with the former two being especially hostile.
Sellers likely won’t benefit from team having top 12 scoring defense again, but the Gamecocks finished 5-3 in conference play last year and their losses to LSU and Alabama came at a combined five points. South Carolina does not need to be playing in Atlanta for an SEC title because Sellers has that ‘splash play’ potential that can help him attract Heisman consideration and his athleticism has a chance to make him one of the most exciting players in the country.
Though there are questions about the defense, the Gamecocks should follow their track from last year and again be a bubble playoff team. If so, Sellers could follow Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels and win the award despite their team’s defenses.
FANDUEL Odds: +1800
Bet MGM Odds: +1800 (Opening Odds: +1800)
What’s the skinny on Sellers?
With some of the highest upside of any quarterback in the country, Sellers could explode onto the scene after a successful freshman season at South Carolina. He’s dangerous as a runner and is only scratching the surface as a passer. If the SC defense can again be a turnover machine in 2025, Sellers will have plenty of scoring opportunities.
Garrett Nussmeier – LSU QB
It’s been done before in Baton Rouge: a seasoned quarterback in a pass-heavy offense takes a big step forward in year two as a starter and propels the Tigers on a surprise playoff run, culminating in a Heisman Trophy award.
After lacking star talent at receiver in 2024, LSU has plenty of fire power for Nussmier this season. Receivers Barion Brown and Nic Anderson arrived in the transfer portal and both offer serious playmaking ability. After playing in a struggling passing attack in Oklahoma last season, new tight end Bauer Sharp has a chance to be as impactful as Mason Taylor was last season for the Tigers.
Anderson (who came over from Oklahoma with Bauer) and Brown, one of the fastest players in the conference, should help not only stretch the field but also create plays over the middle. While he was aggressive and effective attacking the middle of the field in 2024, Nuessmeier’s deep ball needs work. Last year, Nussmeier also struggled against pressure.
Nussmeier does a lot of things well and isn’t afraid to test tight windows. Last season, he led the SEC in completions and pass attempts, but ranked ninth in passing efficiency and first in interceptions (12). Nussmeier’s 525 passing attempts ranked second nationally, and he finished 5th in passing yards. He finished the season with 4,052 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Again this year, there should be plenty of targets to go around. Brown will be given a lot of targets, as well as Bauer and Anderson, but Zavion Thomas is another player who could emerge on offense if given more opportunities. Thomas is a speed demon who has been underutilized on offense so far at LSU.
Regardless, an improved group of pass catchers should help improve Nussmeier’s turnover numbers, while continuity with Joe Sloan as offensive coordinator bodes well for Nussmeier’s ceiling in this aggressive LSU passing attack. What makes Nussmeier a top quarterback to watch this season is his experience, arm talent, and supporting cast.
The Tigers draw a daunting schedule, but the last prolific LSU quarterback to win the Heisman wasn’t penalized for his team’s losses, so even if the defense underperforms, Nussmeier has a real shot at the award.
FANDUEL Odds: +800
Bet MGM Odds: +850 (Opening Odds: +850)
What’s the skinny on Nussmeier?
LSU has churned out two Heisman-winning quarterbacks in the past several years, and while Nussmeier isn’t as explosive as Joe Burrow or Jayden Daniels, the fifth-year Senior took a big step forward last year and is polished as a passer, has plenty of weapons, and will be playing on a potentially loaded Tigers team.
The Not So Long Shots
Dante Moore – Oregon QB
The name Dante Moore might be familiar to the recruiting world, but amongst the everyday fan, the UCLA transfer is largely an unknown. Moore saw playing time as a true freshman in 2023 at UCLA, but Chip Kelly rotated Moore with Ethan Garbers throughout the season. In his one season as a Bruin, Moore threw nine interceptions on the year and completed only 53.5%. He also took 25 sacks in his limited action and had three games with multiple interceptions.
For a fresh start, Moore transferred in 2024 to Oregon. The reason Moore chose Oregon was to sit and learn for a year. The decision could pay dividends, as Moore failed to live up to his recruiting hype at UCLA (Moore was ranked ahead of Arch Manning in the 2023 recruiting class).
The good thing for Moore is that Dan Lanning has recently helped his transfer quarterbacks turn into NFL draft picks, and with the pedigree that he has, Moore could be the next one in line. There is, however, also a good chance that Moore returns to Oregon and instead is considered a hot Heisman name next summer.
But what separates Moore from other quarterbacks is his natural ability to throw the ball. He is a smooth thrower who can access different levels of the field. Moore also showed at UCLA an ability to throw off-platform, and he displayed a quick release.
The Ducks lost top receiver Evan Stewart to injury before the 2025 season even started, but freshman Dakorien Moore is a stud five-star recruit at receiver, and now has a clear path to being a top option in this Oregon offense. Both Malik Benson and Sadiq Kenyon (tight end) have the potential to emerge on this offense as well, giving Moore several options in the passing game.
To help bolster his chances, Moore has one of the elite offensive lines in all of college football, which is something he did not have at UCLA and could greatly benefit his ability to hit the ground running in year one as a starter for Oregon.
Oregon’s offensive coordinator Will Stein helped Bo NIx and Dillon Cabriel bump up their respective completion percentages and yards per attempt in each of their first seasons in Eugene. Stein’s offense uses a lot of underneath throws and plays to get their receivers in space. While Nix and Gabriel are both talented, Moore arguably has more arm talent than either one, and he has a chance to be highly productive in this offensive scheme.
Whether it’s this season or next, Moore is well-positioned to contend for a Heisman Trophy while at Oregon.
FANDUEL Odds +2600
Bet MGM Odds: +1800 (Opening Odds: +2000)
John Mateer – Oklahoma QB
After a disappointing 2024 season, especially on offense, Oklahoma retooled its roster by bringing in several transfers at key positions. Mateer headlines the group, given how poorly the quarterbacks fared last season in Norman. At Washington State, Mateer displayed an ability to not only impact the game as a passer but also as runner. Mateer is a downhill runner with an ability to make defenders miss in tight spaces. In 2024, he forced 53 missed tackles at Washington State while running for 15 touchdowns.
Ben Arbuckle joined Mateer in his move to Oklahoma, and the former Cougars’ offensive coordinator engineered a scoring offense that ranked sixth nationally in points per game, and put up the 17th most yards per game out of any team in the country. Washington State leaned heavily on Mateer as a passer, and the same should be true for this Oklahoma staff with Arbuckle in charge.
At running back, the Sooners received a big upgrade with Jayden Ott coming over from Cal. Ott is a dynamic back coming off an injury-filled season in 2024, but has explosiveness as a runner and is also a weapon in the pass game (96 receptions and 6 receiving touchdowns in his three years at Cal). When healthy, Ott is arguably a top-5 back in the country, possessing a rare blend of speed, vision, and power. His presence should help expand the offense and keep defenses honest.
The Washington State passing attack was potent last year, and Mateer showed he’s willing and able to test intermediate and deep parts of the field. He threw 14 of his 29 touchdowns when the Cougars were between the opposing 39-20 yard lines. This year at Oklahoma, Mateer has two big-play receivers in Jayden Gibson and Deion Burks. When healthy in 2023, Gibson averaged more than 25 yards per catch. Burks also had his best season in 2023 and looks to be healthy after missing large parts of 2024 due to injury.
Last year, the Sooners used 9 different offensive linemen. This season, the unit returns four starters from last year’s team and should benefit from having time together to gel. They also signed a five-star recruit along the offensive line, aiding their chances at a bounce back year from the unit.
Oklahoma struggled against top competition last year but dealt with plenty of injuries and was held back by its inconsistencies at quarterback. Part of what boosts the optimism around Mateer is that he played some of his best football in the final two months of the season last year, throwing 16 touchdowns versus two interceptions at Washington State (8-5 ratio the first two months).
The Sooners’ schedule is brutal this season, but if Oklahoma can reach 8 or 9 wins, and Mateer puts on another dazzling performance as a runner and thrower, there’s reason to think he can find himself in the mix for Heisman votes as the season wears down.
FANDUEL Odds +2500
Bet MGM Odds: +2500 (Opening Odds: +2500)
Jeremiah Smith – Ohio State WR
After bursting onto the scene as a true freshman last year, Smith has a chance to cement himself as one of college football’s elite players. Smith’s 2024 season was filled with highlight catches (see: versus Iowa and Michigan State), and his team is fresh off a national title, thrusting him squarely into the spotlight. Smith was, moreover, the one who iced the national championship game against Notre Dame with his big catch late.
Smith can make the difficult look easy and is ball winner on contested catches. What’s also impressive is his route running ability and play strength. Although Smith’s 2024 tape is filled with tough catches, he’s also dangerous with the ball in his hands. He hauled in 8 receptions of 40+ yards last season and was often used on jet sweeps in Chip Kelly’s offense. As a true freshman, Smith led the Big Ten in receiving yards and hauled in 15 touchdowns while averaging more than 17 yards per catch. Between the regular season and playoffs, (16 total games), Smith was held scoreless only four times.
Last year, Howard often looked to Smith as his first read and gave his star receiver plenty of one-on-one opportunities. While he is still an unknown, Julian Sayin has a chance to actually be an upgrade over Howard (see below), and the first-year quarterback, like Howard, should provide Smith plenty of opportunities to make plays in the pass game.
A solid group of receivers and a field-stretching tight end should, moreover, mean defenses can’t focus as heavily on Smith. Both Tate and Klare should take some pressure off the stud sophomore receiver and give Ohio State another dynamic group of pass catchers.
The Heisman Trophy has traditionally gone to quarterbacks, but Smith is a rare talent at receiver and plays in what should again be a high-scoring offense. Smith will need to hope one of the top quarterbacks doesn’t put up Jayden Daniels-type numbers this season, but perhaps Travis Hunter helped move the needle on non-quarterbacks being selected with his historic win last season, and voters think differently about the award.
FANDUEL Odds: +1300
Bet MGM Odds: +1000 (Opening Odds: +1300)
Julian Sayin – Ohio State QB
As mentioned, Sayin has a real chance at being a better all-around quarterback than last year’s starter, Will Howard. While Howard led Ohio State to a National Title, and came up big in clutch moments, the former Kansas State star was too reliant on his first reads and did not work through his progressions very well.
Sayin, although he will be a first-year starter, was a top ten recruit in the 2024 class and showed plenty of flashes in high school to portend a big season in Columbus. Sayin benefits from having the dynamic Jeremiah Smith, as well as Carnell Tate at receiver and tight end Max Klare, who quietly put up big numbers in a struggling Purdue offense last season. Klare gives this offense a field-stretching option at tight end and should receive plenty of targets from Sayin.
Adding to the optimism around Sayin is the fact that CJ Donaldson, a West Virginia transfer, looks poised to receive a heavy workload as both a runner and receiver. While the Buckeyes lost Treyveon Henderson, the newly added Donaldson is a converted receiver and has strong hands for a running back.
The tape is limited, but Sayin showed on tape a player with a strong arm who can access different levels of the field. His ability to maneuver the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield is especially impressive, and, although the offensive line will have to replace a few key starters, Ohio State has been developing several highly-ranked recruits over the last few years and should again be solid up front.
Ohio State’s defense is, however, likely to regress, given how much talent they lost to the NFL Draft. But as with many other blue-blood programs, the Buckeyes have built a strong pipeline on defense and should not experience such a significant drop-off on defense that the offense falters. It will be hard for Sayin to fill Howard’s shoes immediately, but he has a stud receiver and the benefit of developing under Howard for a year.
Sayin will need to lead the Buckeyes to a nearly perfect season in order to separate himself from what is a deep pack of quarterbacks. But the ceiling is high for Sayin, leaving little surprise as to why he’s listed as high as he is for Heisman favorites, despite being a relative unknown.
FANDUEL Odds: +1500
Bet MGM Odds: +1800 (Opening Odds: +2000)
DJ Lagway – Florida QB
Lagway has all the talent in the world and could very well enter next season as the odds-on favorite for the 2026 Heisman. Lagway’s placing on this list, however, is largely due to the incredibly difficult schedule Florida has to play. As a true freshman last year, Lagway was 6-1 as a starter (although all six wins were at home). The Gators’ road games will be especially challenging in 2025, but Lagway showed remarkable confidence as a true freshman and is unafraid to test defenders on contested throws.
Lagway is a big game hunter, and last season averaged 10 yards per attempt on only 192 passes. He has the arm to test defenses deep and give his receivers chances. Florida upgraded their receiver room in the transfer portal and returns a proven back in Jadan Baugh (who, like Lagway, played some of his best ball down the stretch). If this unit takes a step, Lagway could become one of the nation’s best, and most promising, quarterbacks. The Gators’ offensive line is another point of strength, returning several key starters, particularly Jake Slaughter at center.
With Lagway, who missed Florida’s biggest game (against Texas), the question heading into 2025 is: How healthy will he be? Lagway’s shoulder injury kept him limited in spring, and he missed the Texas game because of a hamstring injury. Lagway appears to be ready for the season, but his health will be worth monitoring, especially given how much the team is relying on him to build off a promising freshman season.
FANDUEL Odds: +2500
Bet MGM Odds: +1800 (Opening Odds: +2500)
Two Last Long Shots
Devon Dampier – Utah QB
Like the next player on this list, Dampier has one key advantage as a quarterback: he’s dangerous as a runner and broke out last season. Dampier ranked first in the country last year at avoiding sacks and recorded 19 touchdowns on the ground. He did struggle against some of the better Power 4 programs he faced, and his accuracy needs to improve, but in total, Dampier recorded more than 4,000 yards in 13 games at New Mexico last season.
Dampier will be helped by some of the other pieces of the Lobos offense who came along with him to help give Utah a lift. Former New Mexico running back NaQuari Rogers, wide receiver Ryan Davis, and even offensive coordinator Jason Beck joined the dynamic quarterback in the move to the Power 4 by joining Utah. That continuity and chemistry could lead to big things for Dampier, who’s playing in a wide open Big 12. If Utah reaches the playoffs, and Dampier has a few brilliant moments throughout the season, his name could warrant some serious Heisman discussion come December.
FANDUEL Odds: +5000
Bet MGM Odds: Off the board
Marcel Reed – Texas A&M QB
Texas A&M had a wild ride of a 2024 season, starting with a first tough test against Notre dame in their season opener. The Aggies again face the Fighting Irish in their 2025 opener, and this time Reed gets the start (Connor Weigman got the start in last year’s contest and Reed did not even play in that game).
Once Reed took over for a struggling (and injured) Weigman, he led Texas A&M to a big win against LSU and had the Aggies on the doorstep of the SEC Championship game. The Aggies pulled Weigman in the third quarter against LSU, and Reed ran for three scores to bring Texas A&M back from being down, and Reed never looked back as the starter.
Against Auburn, Reed brought A&M back from being down two scores and, behind his efforts, the Aggies nearly pulled off the comeback victory. While Reed is accurate, especially on shorter throws, his legs make him a lethal weapon in the run game, and he was, at times, A&M’s most explosive player on offense last season.
The Aggies’ leading rusher, Le’Veon Moss, returns and will be heavily relied upon this year. But Reed also had six games last season with double-digit rushing attempts. Reed also benefits from the continuity with Collin Klein as offensive coordinator. Under Klein, A&M quietly performed well in SEC play (1st in scoring & in scoring red zone touchdowns). On top of that, the Aggies landed a true number one receiver in the transfer portal with KC Concepcion (NC State), plus the A&M returns all five of its starters on the offensive line.
Reed is as dynamic as any player in the country, and last year, he showed a quick release as a thrower. As a runner, Reed can put defenders in a phone booth with his elusiveness, and learning under Klein should only help raise his floor as a prospect. If A&M is a surprise team this year, it will largely be because of Reed and his play-making ability.
FANDUEL Odds: +3000
Bet MGM Odds +4000
One Last Long, Long Shot
Caleb Downs – Ohio State S
Last year’s Heisman trophy winner won voters over with his signature plays on both offense and defense. While his true position is safety, Downs has game-changing potential, and perhaps Hunter’s performance last year can help other defenders get more votes, especially if Downs gets some touches on offense. As a defender, Downs is a sure-tackler in open space and has incredible instincts.
Perhaps what could help push the needle for Downs is his ability as a punt returner. Between his stops at Alabama and Ohio State, Downs has returned two punts for touchdowns. The All-American safety has a nose for the football, too, having recorded one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, eight tackles for loss, and two interceptions as a defender in 2024. The pedigree has always been there for Downs, who was a five-star recruit in 2023 and is the younger brother of NFL receiver Josh Downs.
The idea of Downs getting touches on offense could materialize with Brian Hartline back calling the shots (heading into the 2024 season, Downs had reportedly been sitting in on running back meetings). So, like Hunter, if Downs can have a few splash plays for the offense and help flip games on defense or special teams, it’s not so crazy to think he could receive some Heisman votes.
FANDUEL Odds: +18000
Bet MGM: Not Listed
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