Most years there are clear frontrunners for the Heisman Trophy, but they don’t always win the award. In 2019, Joe Burrow came out of nowhere to take home the trophy and DeVonta Smith did the same in 2020. It may just happen again in 2026. Here are the darkhorse contenders for the 2026 Heisman Trophy.
Note: Odds found here. All players have 20/1 (or +2,000) odds or higher.
Russell was a five-star recruit in the class of 2025 who signed with Alabama out of Texas. He was able to sit and learn last season, but did get a little bit of playing time. Russell passed for 143 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions on 73.3 percent completion. He also rushed for 17 yards.
While he hasn’t even been named the starter yet, Russell has the higher potential than the other contender, Austin Mack. If he does get the starting nod, he will have talented receivers to throw to, including Ryan Coleman-Williams. The offensive line will need a lot of new players to step up, but there is some talent there. Russell can put up some good stats and will have plenty of marquee games to show the world what he can do, as the Crimson Tide have games against Florida State, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas A&M, LSU and Auburn.
Maiava was a three-star recruit who stayed in state originally to play for UNLV. As a freshman for the Rebels, he passed for 3,085 yards, 17 touchdowns and 10 interceptions on 63.5 percent completion. He transferred to USC following the 2023 season. In 2024, he passed for 1,201 yards, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions on 59.8 percent completion in seven games played. As the full-time starter in 2025, Maiava passed for 3,711 yards, 24 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 65.8 percent completion.
While Maiava loses some of his top targets from last season, the Trojans have recruited well for skill position players. The offensive line should give him some time to make plays, as they have everyone back. USC should have a competitive team and Lincoln Riley has coached Heisman-winning quarterbacks before. The Trojans will have marquee games against Oregon, Washington, Penn State, Ohio State and Indiana. That will give him a chance to get some votes if he plays well.
Mateer was a three-star recruit who signed with Washington State out of Texas. He passed for just over 250 yards in his first two seasons at Washington State. In 2024, he stepped into the starting role, passing for 3,139 yards, 29 touchdowns and seven interceptions on 64.6 percent completion. He transferred to Oklahoma before the 2025 season. Mateer helped Oklahoma make the CFP with 2,885 passing yards, 431 rushing yards and 22 total touchdowns.
After starting last season well, Mateer injured his thumb in the middle of the season, which hampered his production. Now healthy, he can produce more, especially with top receiver Isaiah Sategna III back on campus as well. Getting a running game going this year could help him, especially because he aids the rushing attack. Mateer will have to show up in big games and help Oklahoma make it back to the CFP for him to be seriously considered. The Sooners play Michigan, Georgia, Texas, Florida, Ole Miss and Texas A&M in big games that will give Mateer a chance to impress the voters.
Leavitt was a four-star recruit in the class of 2023 who signed with Michigan State out of Oregon. He didn’t play much with the Spartans and then transferred to Arizona State. In 2024, he helped the Sun Devils make the CFP by throwing for 2,885 yards, 24 touchdowns and six interceptions on 61.7 percent completion. During the 2025 season, Leavitt was only able to play in seven games, passing for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns and three interceptions on 60.7 percent completion.
Following the season, Leavitt transferred to LSU. He will now play in a quarterback-friendly system run by Lane Kiffin. He’ll have a solid offensive line ahead of him and some talent at the skill positions, including tight end Trey’Dez Green, who has some pro potential. LSU will have big games against Clemson, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Alabama, Texas and Tennessee, where Leavitt could play well and boost his chances of winning the award.
Want a real long-shot? JKS was a four-star recruit who originally committed to Oregon, but then decided to go to Cal out of Hawaii. As a freshman, he passed for 3,454 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 64.2 percent completion. He helped Cal win seven games last season.
The lefty will have a few new receivers to throw to this season in Ian Strong (Rutgers) and Chase Hendricks (Ohio) who should help open up the offense. Head coach Tosh Lupoi has done a solid job of bringing in talent before his first season. If JKS can build on his stats with extra talent around him, that would be a step toward getting national attention. Cal will have key games against Clemson and SMU, so the schedule is light, which won’t give him a chance to have a lot of big moments, but he can help his team win a decent amount of games if things go according to plan.
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