Watson leads Fournette, McCaffrey in 2016 Heisman odds
The latest Heisman Trophy odds were released by the Westgate Sportsbook on Monday, and Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson continues to lead the pack at 5-1 odds.
Watson opened as the favorite in early March, also sitting at 5-1 in the organization's first listing for the 2016 award. The standout quarterback is followed by a pair of dominant runners in LSU's Leonard Fournette and Stanford star Christian McCaffrey, last year's runner-up, at 6-1.
Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield sits fourth on the list at 10-1, while Florida State running back Dalvin Cook and Baylor signal-caller Seth Russell are paying 12-1.
Despite only having 18 carries in his college career, Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough sits at 25-1 odds, showing the respect the oddsmakers have for the lead rusher in Nick Saban's system. The last two running backs to win the Heisman Trophy - Mark Ingram in 2009 and Derrick Henry last season - played for the legendary coach at Alabama, and many are expecting a breakout season for the 6-foot-4, 240-pound Scarbrough.
The rest of the top 15 are as follows:
| Player | Position | School | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deshaun Watson | QB | Clemson | 5-1 |
| Leonard Fournette | RB | LSU | 6-1 |
| Christian McCaffrey | RB | Stanford | 6-1 |
| Baker Mayfield | QB | Oklahoma | 10-1 |
| Dalvin Cook | RB | Florida State | 12-1 |
| Seth Russell | QB | Baylor | 12-1 |
| Nick Chubb | RB | Georgia | 15-1 |
| J.T. Barrett | QB | Ohio State | 15-1 |
| Josh Rosen | QB | UCLA | 20-1 |
| Samaje Perine | RB | Oklahoma | 20-1 |
| DeShone Kizer | QB | Notre Dame | 20-1 |
| Chad Kelly | QB | Ole Miss | 25-1 |
| Bo Scarbrough | RB | Alabama | 25-1 |
| Dakota Prukop | QB | Oregon | 30-1 |
| Patrick Mahomes | QB | Texas Tech | 30-1 |
A couple long shots worth a look include quarterbacks Greg Ward Jr. from Houston and Lamar Jackson from Louisville, paying 50-1 and 100-1, respectively.
Ward's first season in coach Tom Herman's system was a massive success, as he threw for 2,827 yards and 17 touchdowns, while also rushing for 1,114 yards and 21 scores. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound pivot accumulated these stats despite missing time due to injury. With the Cougars now on the national map thanks to their upset of Florida State in the Peach Bowl, a healthy Ward could make some waves in the Heisman race.
Jackson finished the 2015 season with a virtuoso performance in the Music City bowl win over Texas A&M. The 6-foot-3, 196-pounder threw for 227 yards and two touchdowns, while adding a ridiculous 226 yards and two scores on the ground. He showed no signs of slowing down in the spring game, throwing for an eye-popping 519 yards and eight touchdowns. Louisville returns 18 starters in Bobby Petrino's third season with the program, and should challenge for an ACC title. If Jackson can lead the Cardinals to that spot, expect to see his name skyrocket up the Heisman board.