As the calendar flipped to August, it brought us one month closer to college football action. You know what that means, right? Both player and team futures odds are releasing and it all starts with the odds for the 2023 Heisman Trophy winner.
Brenner opens the segment by saying “I thought there’d be a tight list of criteria when it comes to what a Heisman Trophy winner is, but I found that there are other routes that can be taken to be in contention.”
Keating agrees and talks about how when looking back at the top candidates over the past 10 seasons, it’s not always quarterbacks or national champions that receive the recognition across the country in terms of voting.
Brenner moves on and mentions that in order to be in contention, the team around him has to be pretty successful — highlighting that candidates over the last five seasons have come from teams ranked inside the top 15.
Both Keating and Brenner address the idea of longshots coming out of nowhere and how that makes betting on Heisman Trophy winners that much more fun. Keating brings up TCU’s rise to national recognition last season and Brenner agrees, highlighting how Max Duggan was able to finish second in voting behind Caleb Williams and saying, “You can make up a lot of ground as long as your team is good.”
When it comes to Heisman Trophy winners looking to repeat, the track record isn’t great and Brenner says that Williams will have a hard time accomplishing the feat. Keating agrees and says, “It’s almost impossible to be the very best player in the country, head-and-shoulders above everyone else two years in a row... and there is no such thing as a ‘forgone conclusion.’”
The guys move on to their favorite picks for the 2023 Heisman Trophy Winner and Brenner begins with a quarterback from a team that was ranked inside the preseason Top-15 — and his name is not Caleb Williams. His first pick is Notre Dame’s Sam Hartman, who currently sits at +1600 on DraftKings Sportsbook — calling attention to Notre Dame’s ability to have a “magical season.” His second pick is Ohio State’s Marvin Harrison Jr., the projected first overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, lamenting that his +2000 odds are worth it given how talented he is.
Keating’s first pick is sixth-year senior Joe Milton out of Tennessee, who is currently +2500 on DraftKings Sportsbook. He likes the fact that Milton is already familiar with the offensive scheme and performed well above average in very limited action last season behind Hendon Hooker. Keating’s second pick is quite the long shot — Oregon State’s DJ Uiagalelei, who sits at a whopping +9000 to win the 2023 Heisman Trophy.
Want to hear more from Underdogs? Check out the full episode, which includes a breakdown on the importance of the offensive line at the NFL level, as well as a look into if people should be able to bet on Little League!
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Early Heisman Odds, NFL Offensive Lineman and What NOT to Bet On
- Co-hosts Jordan Brenner and Peter Keating debate their early underdog picks for the Heisman Trophy race, and they break down the analytics on just how important the O-line is for an NFL team’s success. Plus, should people be allowed to bet on Little League?
Watch the full episode below!
VIDEO:
Be sure to check out more episodes of Underdogs on the DraftKings YouTube channel and subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts!
Place your College Football bets at DraftKings Sportsbook and bet online by downloading the DraftKings Sportsbook app.
Put your knowledge to the test. Sign up for DraftKings and experience the game inside the game.