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Travis Hunter won the 2024 Heisman Trophy last weekend, officially ending a race that had been over for weeks. Colorado’s star became the first full-time, 2-way player to win the Heisman since the 1960s.
His victory reset multiple Heisman trends that had grown in recent years. It was the first time since 2020 and just the third time since 2010 that a non-quarterback won the award. It was also the first time since 2005 that no one from the SEC finished inside the top 10 in Heisman voting.
Does Hunter’s Heisman spark a new movement? Or does the award swing back toward a quarterback in 2025? We’ll see.
Heisman Trophy 2025 odds
Books like FanDuel and ESPN Bet have yet to publish opening Heisman Trophy odds for the 2025 season. Some numbers have started to trickle out that show Texas quarterback Arch Manning, LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, and Penn State’s Drew Allar as the early favorites.
Below, you’ll find 10 names who will either open as the favorites or have early value for the 2025 Heisman. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Arch Manning, Texas QB
Quinn Ewers could go to the NFL Draft. He could return to Texas for another season. He could even enter the transfer portal. The next few weeks will tell us whether the Ewers-Texas marriage ends happily or with an amicable split. Texas fans wanted to see Arch Manning in the SEC Championship Game and if Ewers struggles to deliver in the College Football Playoff, those groans will only get louder.
The Longhorns have a small Ewers problem, and that problem has been exacerbated by Manning. The second-year man with the famous last name sat and patiently waited as a true freshman. In his sophomore season, Manning has filled in dutifully for Ewers when injuries have forced Steve Sarkisian’s hand. In his 8 appearances, he has thrown for 939 yards and 9 touchdowns while completing 68% of his passes with just 2 picks. Manning also has 4 rushing touchdowns and an 86.5 QBR on the season.
Based on timelines, it always looked like the plan would be to turn the keys over to Manning in 2025. With Ewers’ draft stock taking a hit, I’m curious if Texas is ready to move on regardless of what Ewers decides. Manning has a bright future and Texas will want to see that sooner rather than later; the longer it makes him wait, the more it runs the risk of Manning bolting.
Cade Klubnik, Clemson QB
Clemson’s starting quarterback is having a career year — posting career bests in yards per pass (7.5), passing touchdowns (33), big-time throw rate (4.9%), turnover-worthy throw rate (2.1%), and rushing (458 yards; 7 touchdowns). PFF gave him a 64.4 overall grade for the 2023 season; he has an 88.0 overall grade entering the postseason this year. And he ranked 11th among FBS quarterbacks in EPA, per ESPN. Still, it would be wise to return in 2024. If he does, it’s likely he’d get each of his top 3 wide receivers back alongside him. The Tigers would need to replace Phil Mafah at tailback, but they can also bring back 4 of the 6 offensive linemen who played 500-plus snaps this season. Clemson’s offense has room to grow next year, and with Klubnik at the controls once again, the Tigers could have a top-10 offense and be the favorites in the ACC.
DJ Lagway, Florida QB
The freshman from Willis, Texas, began the season as Graham Mertz’s backup, but injuries forced Lagway into action ahead of schedule. He had ups and downs but showed off a penchant for playmaking and signs of a promising future at Florida. A big quarterback (6-foot-3, 239 pounds), Lagway has a cannon for an arm and was constantly hunting the deep ball. He posted a big-time throw rate of 10.1% on his dropbacks and a turnover-worthy throw rate of just 2.6%. He also had an average depth of 12 yards on all targets. Florida’s skill groups might be outstanding in 2025, which would make Florida’s offense one of the true must-watch units in college football. Lagway provided hope for an anxious fanbase and chilled the seat under Billy Napier. And he’s just scratching the surface. Depending on the number, Lagway could have a ton of value when the market opens.
Garrett Nussmeier, LSU QB
Nussmeier performed admirably in place of Jayden Daniels. He stepped in for the Heisman Trophy winner and, at one point in the year, had NFL Draft analysts buzzing about a first-round selection in 2024. He’ll put the NFL off for another year and return to Baton Rouge in 2025. And that was a big win for Brian Kelly, who needs to win big in 2025 after a disappointing end to this season. LSU has been busy in the portal, adding Oklahoma transfer receiver Nic Anderson and Florida State receiver Destyn Hill. The Tigers are also in the mix for Georgia Tech transfer Eric Singleton Jr. LSU has to replace both of its tackles and its tight end — all of them excellent players — but Nussmeier is the piece you want to build around. He threw for 3,739 yards and 26 touchdowns this season and did so without much of a run game to keep defenses honest.
Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State WR
As a true freshman receiver, Smith was oftentimes inevitable. He enters the postseason with 57 receptions for 934 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 16.4 yards per catch through his first 12 games, caught at least 3 balls in every game, and had touchdowns in 9 of his 12 games. Ohio State’s quarterback picture looks hazy (yet talented) heading in 2025, but whoever wins the job will have the luxury of throwing to the best receiver in the sport. Smith was one of the best wideouts in the country as a true freshman. It’s scary to think about how good he can be.
Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame RB
Notre Dame’s 6-foot, 210-pound sophomore was one of the most impressive running backs I saw all season in college football and he’ll be one of my favorite players entering the 2025 year. In terms of raw talent, there are only a handful of players that can stand next to him. While splitting carries with another tailback and a quarterback, Love ran for 949 yards and 15 touchdowns in the regular season while averaging 7.1 yards per play. He had 4 100-yard games, including a 7-carry, 130-yard effort against Army on Nov. 23. As it seeks to move on from Riley Leonard at quarterback this offseason, Notre Dame might feature Love more. He has a 92.0 rushing grade from PFF and has forced 55 missed tackles on 134 carries. With a bigger role, I think Love could have a monster junior season.
John Mateer, Oklahoma QB
If you don’t know Mateer, you will. The former Washington State quarterback followed Ben Arbuckle to Oklahoma, where he’ll look to be the next great OU quarterback. While under a different regime, quarterbacks have flourished at Oklahoma, and if Arbuckle and Mateer can recapture the magic they had at Wazzu, Oklahoma is going to be one of the most improved offenses in the country next season. In his first year as a full-time starter, Mateer threw for 3,139 yards, ran for 826 yards, scored 44 total touchdowns, and threw only 7 interceptions. Among FBS quarterbacks, he’s currently seventh nationally in EPA.
Jordan James, Oregon RB
Among FBS running backs, only Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty had a higher EPA in the regular season, per Game on Paper. James ran for 759 yards in 2023 as the backup to Bucky Irving. With Irving off to the NFL, James stepped in as the lead back this season and has run for 1,253 yards through 13 games. He has 15 rushing touchdowns and enters the CFP averaging 5.5 yards per carry. Oregon is expected to hand the keys to the offense over to Dante Moore in 2025, so we might see even more of a featured role from James within Will Stein’s attack.
LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina QB
Sellers’ first season as the South Carolina starting quarterback was an unabashed success. He was spotty out of the gates but closed the regular season on a brilliant run of form. Over South Carolina’s final 6 games (all wins), he threw 13 touchdowns against 3 interceptions while running for 4 more scores. He had 100-yard rushing days against Texas A&M and Clemson, and he posted QBRs north of 80 in the wins over A&M, Mizzou, and Clemson. When South Carolina played its biggest games, Sellers delivered. He left meat on the bone in the 2-point loss at Alabama but I thought he was outstanding from then on. In 2025, South Carolina will be a trendy pick because of its quarterback.
Sam Leavitt, Arizona State QB
After 1 season at Michigan State, Leavitt transferred to Arizona State to be Kenny Dillingham’s quarterback in a Big 12 title-winning campaign. The Sun Devils rode a 6-game winning streak into the Playoff and though they had a tailback who finished fifth in Heisman voting, Leavitt’s role shouldn’t be overlooked. He threw 23 passes as a true freshman at MSU in 2023. This year, he stepped in and threw 24 touchdowns against 5 picks while completing 63.2% of his passes while averaging 8.8 yards per attempt. He’s top-10 nationally in QBR, top-15 in EPA, and partnered with one of the best offensive minds in the game.
Other names of interest
- Oregon QB Dante Moore
- Utah QB Devon Dampier
- Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson
- Colorado QB Kaidon Salter
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Derek Peterson does a bit of everything, not unlike Taysom Hill. He has covered Oklahoma, Nebraska, the Pac-12, and now delivers CFB-wide content.
