Early Overrated, Underrated, Just Right 2023 Heisman Odds

• Caleb Williams is a +200 favorite to win the Heisman in 2023.
• Shedeur Sanders has +1200 odds to win the Heisman.
• KJ Jefferson’s Heisman odds are at +2500.

LAS VEGAS – Following the announcement of Caleb Williams (+800 preseason) winning the 2022 Heisman Trophy, oddsmakers were quick to action to set the odds for the 2023 Heisman in which Williams has now opened up as the favorite to win.

At first glance of the odds on online sportsbooks, many could argue that there are issues throughout with players who have odds too high or odds too low, however, some are set in the right spot.

Just Right

• Caleb Williams, USC (+200)

This should be a no-brainer, Bovada set Williams's odds just right being that he is coming off of a Heisman campaign already having finished the season top-5 in passing yards (4th) and touchdowns (1st). USC is doing everything they can to continue helping him thrive next season as well with two five-star wide receiver commits joining the squad

If all goes as planned for the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, he could become just the second player in history to win two straight Heisman Trophies.

• Cade Klubnik, Clemson (+800)

There is tons of hype surrounding Cade Klubnik after Clemson benched D.J. Uiagalelei which forced him to enter the transfer portal. The hype comes after Klubnik got his first start of the season in the ACC Championship game and led them to a win after throwing 279 yards and two total touchdowns on an 83.3% completion rate that led them to a 39-10 ACC title victory.

With Klubnik performing at such as high level in his first start on the biggest stage of the conference, many can only imagine what his first full season as a starter is going to be like.

The Overrated

• Kyle McCord, Ohio State (+700)

Leading the way for the overrated is Ohio State QB, Kyle McCord and solely off of the Ohio State curse. The Buckeyes have seen 15 players in history get nominated to win the Heisman. Of those 15 though, just five of them have been a QB while nine of them were running backs with one offensive lineman. Of the seven Heisman winners though, just one was a QB with Troy Smith winning in 2006. The last three Ohio State QBs nominated for the Heisman have all finished in third place.

• Shedeur Sanders, Colorado (+1200)

It should come as a surprise that oddsmakers have Shedeur Sanders with odds under +2000 to win the Heisman. Yes, there is tons of hype surrounding him, Deion Sanders, and the Colorado football program as a whole, but at the end of the day, they were just a 1-win team last season and college football oddsmakers have given them just a 5.5-win total for the 2023 season.

This is also his first time starting at the FBS and Power Five level as Jackson State was Division I but in the FCS. Only time will tell if Sanders can convert his success to this level, but with almost an entirely new team coming in, don’t count on his odds so hard.

The Underrated

• KJ Jefferson, Arkansas (+2500)

The fact that K.J. Jefferson is far down on this list should have many running to his odds considering he has led Arkansas to at most a top-10 ranking in each of his last two seasons. He is also a senior with tons of experience in arguably the toughest conference in all of college football, the SEC.

Jefferson has now notched 2,300+ passing yards, 500+ rushing yards, and 25+ total touchdowns in two straight seasons. The Razorbacks also have a recruiting class coming in to surround Jefferson with several three and four-star offensive linemen and plenty of four-star receivers as well.

• J.J. McCarthy, Michigan (+2500)

What J.J. McCarthy has done this season should not go unnoticed. After taking the job away from Cade McNamara earlier in the season, he has led this Michigan team to a second overall ranking and the teams second straight trip to the college football playoffs.

Not only did McCarthy force McNamara to the bench this season, but he did last season in the college football playoffs as well. That being said, he is a proven winner and with his first full season, as a starter coming, his odds are worth the risk.