Not only has Ohio State not named a new starting quarterback to replace Justin Fields, but head coach Ryan Day said the QB competition may continue on even past the season opener, given the lack of experience between the three players vying for the job.
However, many pundits believe redshirt freshman and Rancho Cucamonga, California, native C.J. Stroud has the position all-but locked down despite the ambiguity from coaches and teammates, and his early odds at Heisman Trophy contention seem to agree with that sentiment whole-heartedly.
In fact, even though Stroud has yet to attempt a single pass in his college career, SportsBetting.ag gives just four other players in the country better odds to win the coveted award in 2021-22.
The betting site places Stroud's odds at +1200, which is tied with North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell for fifth-best in America.
It's no surprise that all four players ahead of Stroud are also quarterbacks, despite a rare win for a non-QB this past year in Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith, and you may be quite familiar with all of them.
SportsBetting.ag gives third-year Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler the best odds to take home the trophy next season at +400. In his first season as a starter, Rattler threw for 3,031 yards, 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions, and despite throwing five picks during the Sooner's 2-2 start to the year, Rattler threw only two more for the rest of the season as Oklahoma finished with eight straight wins.
Rattler, a Phoenix native, was the No. 13 overall prospect in the class of 2019, and the top-rated quarterback. Should Rattler win the award this season, he'd join former Sooner QBs Baker Mayfield and Kyler Murray as the third Oklahoma quarterback to win the Heisman since 2017.
After Rattler, SportsBetting.ag gives the projected replacements for Trevor Lawrence and Mac Jones at Clemson and Alabama, respectively, the second-best odds at taking home the trophy.
D.J. Uiagalelei, 2020's No. 1-rated pro-style QB, comes in at +700 after putting on a couple impressive performances in Lawrence's brief absence for the Tigers last season.
Bryce Young, also a true freshman in 2020, was one of just two players in the country ranked higher than Uiagalelei coming out of high school, and had the distinction of being the No. 1 dual-threat QB in America. Young was given the same odds to win the Heisman at +700.
USC transfer JT Daniels, who came in strong at quarterback for Georgia in the latter stages of the 2020 season, was given the fourth-best odds at +900. Daniels threw 10 touchdowns and two picks for the Bulldogs in four games, going 4-0 along the way.
Should Stroud be a Heisman finalist next season, he'd be the fourth Buckeye to receive an invitation to New York since 2018, joining Dwayne Haskins, Fields and Chase Young. However, no Buckeye has won the award since Troy Smith in 2006.
