Heisman Trophy sleepers: Five unlikely contenders for college football's top award
Two out of the past five Heisman Trophy winners did not play quarterback, but smart money remains on a quarterback reclaiming the award this season. Quarterbacks won the Heisman in nine of the 10 years throughout the 2010s.
The Heisman favorite wears one of football's most famous surnames on the back of his jersey. Texas quarterback Arch Manning enjoys 6-to-1 odds from BetMGM.
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (8½-to-1), Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik (9-to-1), Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (10-to-1) and Penn State quarterback Drew Allar (14-to-1) complete the top five of oddsmaker front-runners.
Give me a three-pack of Heisman picks, and I'd take Manning, Smith and Nussmeier.
Behind the front-runners are a few more quarterbacks and another wide receiver that stand out as Heisman sleepers. How do I define a sleeper? Their odds are worse than 15-to-1.
Full disclosure: I am a Heisman voter. I do not wager on the award.
Here are my top Heisman sleepers for the 2025 season:
Prime Heisman Trophy sleeper candidates
Carson Beck, Miami, QB
BetMGM odds: 25-to-1
Beck headlined the shortlist of Heisman front-runners last summer. Since then, he threw twice as many interceptions (12) in 2024 as he did the previous season, then he transferred to a worse program, he had his expensive cars stolen, and he split with his model girlfriend. Ouch! Never mind all that. He still can make throws most other quarterbacks can't, and he should find ACC defenses to his liking. Cam Ward finished fourth for the Heisman after transferring to Miami before last season. Beck injured his elbow in December. He resumed throwing recently. If healthy, he retains Heisman-level talent.
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LaNorris Sellers, South Carolina, QB
BetMGM odds: 18-to-1
Few quarterbacks outclassed Sellers by the end of last season. Ask Missouri about Sellers' passing ability. Ask Clemson about his running ability. Dual-threat quarterbacks make for good Heisman contenders, and Sellers fits that billing. He's an efficient passer, but he must reduce his turnovers after a redshirt freshman season filled with fumbles. A neat story helps a Heisman campaign. How's this? Sellers signed with South Carolina as a three-star recruit who played in goggles. (He later switched to contacts.) His Heisman hopes will depend on the Gamecocks rekindling their 2024 success, when they reached the playoff's doorstep.
Julian Sayin, Ohio State, QB
BetMGM odds: 18-to-1
Coach Ryan Day churns out successful quarterbacks. Sayin, a former blue-chip recruit, is next in line. If Sayin outperforms Manning in a season-opening clash of top teams at 'The Horseshoe,' his Heisman stock will soar. Here's your buy-low opportunity. Sayin should benefit from throwing to one of the nation's best wide receiving corps. He might encounter Heisman competition from his teammate, Smith, but a big season for Smith probably also means a big season for Sayin. He played sparingly in 2024, but he's got the arm to be a star. Sayin exudes upside, with a great supporting cast around him.
Long-shot sleeper to contend for Heisman Trophy
John Mateer, Oklahoma, QB
BetMGM odds: 25-to-1
Oklahoma needed a quarterback to lead a revival after the Sooners' dismal first season in the SEC. Insert Mateer, who starred at Washington State, like Ward before him. Mateer's offensive coordinator, Ben Arbuckle, preceded him to Oklahoma, so there's no need for Mateer to learn a new system. Now, he just needs to prove himself in the SEC. He's a dual threat with a bundle of playmaking skills. Oklahoma's brutal schedule – it's perhaps the nation's toughest – will create a platform for Mateer to sink or shine.
Hail Mary sleeper to contend for Heisman Trophy
Ryan Williams, Alabama, WR
BetMGM odds: 35-to-1
How's this for a Heisman narrative: Williams, at 18 years old, would be the youngest player to win the award. He introduced himself on the scene with a 177-yard receiving game against Georgia. He'll need to find more consistency as a sophomore to emerge as a contender. Alabama will have a new starting quarterback, and it's unclear whether that will help or hamper the pass game. Williams' Heisman hurdles include proving himself as the nation's best receiver within a landscape that includes Smith from Ohio State. Williams enjoys an advantage in playing for Alabama, which has produced four Heisman winners since 2009.
Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network's national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer.
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