Kansas' Jalon Daniels a Longshot to Win Heisman in New Odds

Jalon Daniels and the Kansas Jayhawks are looking to bounce back from a disheartening 5-7 finish last season.

Widely considered one of college football’s most electrifying signal-callers, Daniels is spending his final year of collegiate eligibility in Lawrence as he looks to bring KU back to a bowl game.

However, Daniels’ previous campaign might have left a sour taste in the mouths of oddsmakers.

Circa Sports gives Daniels a 100-1 shot at taking home the Heisman Trophy.

Texas quarterback Arch Manning is the top favorite to win the award with 5-1 odds, with others like Garrett Nussmeier at 8-1, Cade Klubnik at 9-1, Drew Allar at 12-1, and Jeremiah Smith at 16-1.

Daniels' probabilities are tied for 33rd in Circa Sports' rankings, joining Cam Coleman, Caleb Downs, Haynes King, and Darian Mensah with 100-1 odds.

Coming off a 2024 campaign where he threw for 2,454 passing yards, 14 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions on a 57.0% completion percentage, Daniels would need to post significantly better numbers to be remotely considered for the prestigious award.

While the Jayhawks are positioned to have a better season than they did a year ago, Lance Leipold’s squad suffered major departures due to graduation on both sides of the ball.

Daniels lost his top three wideouts and will have to rely on transfers like Emmanuel Henderson and Cam Pickett to catch passes.

Individual accolades would be welcomed with open arms, but the Jayhawks don’t need Daniels to perform at a Heisman level to succeed. If he can take care of the ball and make dynamic plays happen with his legs, Kansas could compete for a spot atop the Big 12.