Heisman Odds: 2020 Heisman Trophy Picks

BEST BET: (3u) Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence (+500)

College football’s golden boy and the consensus favorite for top pick in next year’s NFL draft, Clemson signal caller Trevor Lawrence does everything you’d want from your QB. He has prototypical size, speed and a rocket arm to go along with an arsenal of weapons around him.

Lawrence finished last season with 3,665 yards passing while competing 65.8% of his passes and throwing for 36 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. It was a great year that ended with a loss to LSU in the College Football Playoff National Championship, but still left some room for improvement.

Lawrence threw for over 300 yards in a game just twice in 2019 and struggled with turnovers early in the year.

I fully expect him to take that next step in 2020 and put up big numbers from the opening game rather than spinning his tires early.

It’s a little surprising to see him with longer odds than the favorite, Justin Fields (+350), but Fields is another fantastic player surrounded by unbelievable talent. I have it as a toss-up between Fields and Lawrence to take home college football’s biggest award, but I prefer Lawrence because of his better price.

(1u) Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler (+1400)

You have to go all the way back to 2015 to find the last Heisman ceremony which didn’t include an Oklahoma QB as a finalist, and I think that streak continues in 2020.

For starters, the Lincoln Riley offense is extremely QB friendly and allows athletic quarterbacks to make plays in space and put up big numbers. We’ve seen this with Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts and I expect it to continue with Rattler.

Rattler, who is entering his sophomore season, was a five-star recruit out of Phoenix, Arizona and while he’s only attempted 11 collegiate passes, his potential is limitless at OU. He has the speed to beat defenders to the corner but also possesses incredible arm talent and can make every throw on the field.

Oklahoma has become a machine in the Big 12, putting up numbers week in and week out, and that will continue in 2020 with Rattler under center.

What he lacks in experience he will make up for in talent. I expect big things from Spencer Rattler this season.

(.5u) USC QB Kedon Slovis (+3300)

Kedon Slovis didn’t step onto USC’s campus as some blue-chip, can’t-miss prospect, but when his time came to play last season, in his freshman year, he put up eye-popping numbers that grabbed attention around the country.

Slovis is a sophomore from Scottsdale, Arizona, part of the same recruiting class as Rattler, and showed pin-point accuracy on the field at USC.

He appeared in 12 games but started in just 10 on his way to 3,502 yards, 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing an amazing 71.9% of his passes. He was also named PAC-12 Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the Freshman All-American team.

Slovis finished the regular season on an absolute tear, throwing for over 400 yards in four of his last five games, including a 515-yard, 4-touchdown performance in the season finale against rival UCLA.

The biggest question mark for Slovis is whether or not USC will compete at a high enough level to warrant Heisman buzz. The numbers will be there, but will the Trojans do their part in getting Slovis the attention he needs?

At +3300, the price is too good to pass up for me. The kid showed incredible accuracy as a freshman, and if he shows up in the summer with more muscle on his frame and the ability to beat defences deep, he will be a name to watch.

(.5u) LSU WR Ja’Marr Chase (+10000)

It’s tough to win the Heisman as of late unless you play the quarterback position. Nine of the last ten winners of the award have played QB, but if anyone is going to break that trend this season, Chase is a good bet.

Chase is considered the best wide receiver in the country by most, and is coming off a season in which he caught  a ridiculous 107 balls for 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns. It certainly helped to have Joe Burrow throwing him the ball, and who knows what the loss of WR coach and passing coordinator Joe Brady will mean to LSU, but Chase is guaranteed to put up more big numbers.

Not only does he have the speed to blow past defenders, but at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds, he’s physical enough to beat press coverage and athletic enough to jump over defenders to get the ball.

It’s far from a lock, but at +10000 Chase is too talented of a player to ignore.