Dark Horse Heisman Trophy Betting Prospects

We’re only entering Week 2 of the 2025 college football season, and there have already been seismic shifts in the Heisman Trophy race. Arch Manning’s bad performance against Ohio State’s top-tier defense in Week 1 dropped him from the pre-season Heisman Trophy favorite to sixth in this futures awards market.

In 2024, Colorado’s WR/CB, Travis Hunter, snapped a three-year streak of quarterbacks winning college football’s most prestigious award. It’s fair to assume that one of the nation’s signal-callers from a Power 4 program will wind up winning the 2025 Heisman Trophy.

Garrett Nussmeier is currently the Heisman Trophy betting favorite at +800. Behind Nussmeier is South Carolina’s LaNorris Sellers at +900, followed by Carson Beck at +1200. All three favorites play quarterback.

We’re digging a bit deeper and looking for dark horse prospects in the Heisman Trophy betting market. Claim the Caesars Sportsbook promo code before placing a bet on any of these high-value players. Bet $1 and double your winnings with 20 profit boost tokens available to apply to your next 20 bets after registering a new Caesars Sportsbook account today.

Let’s start in the +1600 range and target Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer. The Washington State transfer lit up a non-major program during his debut with the Sooners, finishing with a blistering 81 percent completion rate for over 390 yards and three touchdowns.

If Mateer can overcome Michigan’s defense in a prime-time matchup during Week 2, even without throwing for multiple touchdowns or 300 yards, expect his odds to shorten substantially. Let’s get ahead of that potential outcome and bet on Mateer to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy at this price.

Jackson Arnold may have found the perfect landing spot following an unsuccessful tenure with Oklahoma in 2024. Auburn’s QB1 shredded Baylor’s defense in a prime-time road game, recording 16 carries for 137 yards and two touchdowns as a ball carrier.

Arnold faced one of the worst defenses in the FBS based on 2024 metrics, so he won’t be as dominant against other SEC defenses once conference play kicks off. However, Arnold still managed a 64 percent completion rate in Week 1.

He’ll get a couple of soft matchups to improve before a revenge game on the road against the Sooners in Week 4. At +2200, Arnold is worthy of a dark horse label to win the 2025 Heisman Trophy.

The best performance of Week 1 may have been in Tallahassee, Florida. Florida State quarterback Tommy Castellanos avoided miscues and finished with 4.9 YPC and a rushing touchdown against No. 8 Alabama. He led the game in total rushing yards for both offenses.

With matchups against three other teams currently ranked inside the top 15, Miami (FL), Clemson, and Florida, there’s going to be ample opportunity for Castellanos to continue showcasing his skillset on a national stage.

Castellanos’ versatility as a ball carrier and passer makes him difficult to contain. He’s still available to bet at +3000 in the 2025 Heisman Trophy market.

The biggest dark horse that is firmly within long shot territory for the 2025 Heisman Trophy is Jalon Daniels. Kansas’ quarterback has been red-hot to start the season, although it’s happened against inferior opponents outside the Power 4.

Daniels has plenty of experience in his sixth year within the Jayhawks’ program. Last year, Kansas adapted to a new offensive coordinator after losing Andy Kotelnicki to Penn State.

Through two games in 2025, Daniels has been hyper-efficient, averaging an 80 percent completion rate and 5.9 YPC. He’s amassed seven touchdown passes and one interception, including 280 yards against Wagner.

If Daniels can continue to play at this level against Power 4 opponents and within the Big 12 in 2025, he’ll become a legitimate Heisman Trophy finalist. Grab the current value available on Daniels in this futures awards betting market at +6000.