Top 10 Heisman Trophy candidates for the 2023 season

The Heisman Trophy is the pinnacle of individual achievement in college football. For years, the quarterback position has dominated the award, boasting 19 winners since 2000, but that hasn't made the award predictable. 

Over the last three seasons, only five of the 12 Heisman finalists were listed in the top four of preseason odds. Here are the top 10 candidates who could earn the coveted trophy in 2023.

1. QB Caleb Williams, USC — +400 - +500
It's probably bad process to bet on Caleb Williams winning a second Heisman. With odds as short as +400 on some sports books, according to OddsChecker, you're not only betting on a heavy favorite, but on history. 

No player has won multiple Heisman awards since Ohio State RB Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975, the first to accomplish this feat. However, if anyone can do it, it's Williams. He has a great coach, an established name and a strong supporting cast of receivers, including Brenden Rice, Mario Williams and Arizona transfer Dorian Singer.

Williams is the odds-on favorite to be drafted No. 1 overall in 2024, and USC is +200 to win the Pac-12 title.

2. WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State — +2000 - +3500
You can find odds as long as +3500 for Marvin Harrison Jr., who is arguably the best receiver in the country. The reason his odds are as low as they are is the fact he plays wide receiver. 

In 2020, Alabama's DeVonta Smith became the first pass catcher to win the award since Michigan's Desmond Howard in 1991. With the barrier broken, Harrison has less of an uphill battle to fight. 

Harrison enters his junior season fresh off a 1,263-yard, 14-touchdown campaign and doesn't have to worry about C.J. Stroud and Jaxon Smith-Njigba dimming his light. Ohio State has the third-best odds to win the national title, and Harrison will be a big part of that.

3. QB Drake Maye, North Carolina — +1000 - +1700
Drake Maye had one of the most statistically dominant seasons in the country in 2022, accounting for over 5,000 total yards and 45 total touchdowns. North Carolina went 9-3 last season, ending the year with consecutive losses. The Tar Heels boasted a potent offense, scoring over 34 points per game. If North Carolina can avoid a late-season collapse in 2023 and Maye puts up a similar season to last, the quarterback could easily end as a Heisman finalist.

4. QB Bo Nix, Oregon —+1000 - +1400
After transferring from Auburn to Oregon, Bo Nix had the best season of his career. Nix had over 4,000 total yards and 44 total touchdowns on a team that won eight straight games in 2022. If the Ducks had reached the Pac-12 title game, Nix likely would have had more attention last season. 

Nix still has room to grow as a passer, throwing 29 touchdowns in 2022. If Oregon can reach a conference title game and improve his game through the air, he could be a true Heisman contender.

5. QB Jordan Travis, Florida State — +1000 - +1400
In 2022, Travis managed to nearly double his production as a passer compared to 2021, throwing for 3,214 yards and 24 touchdowns. Travis heads into his sixth season of college football as one of the nation's better dual-threat quarterbacks too, rushing for 1,516 yards and 21 touchdowns over his last three seasons as a Seminole. 

Much like Nix, Travis has room to grow as a passer but captains a competitive team with dual-threat capabilities. Florida State won 10 games in 2022 but fell short of a conference championship berth, losing the divisional title to Clemson. If Travis and the Seminoles can dethrone Clemson, that could be the difference maker — especially since only three Heisman winners since 2010 did not make their conference title games.

6. QB Michael Penix Jr., Washington — +1000 - +1400
Penix was one of the most dominant passers in the country last season, throwing for 4,641 yards and 31 touchdowns, though he doesn't offer much as a rusher. 

He has one of the best storylines in college football, recovering from multiple injuries en route to a dominant 2022. In four seasons at Indiana, he only appeared in only 20 games, but he put together a full 13-game season in his first year with Washington. The Pac-12 should be a competitive conference this season. Penix's abilities as a passer could thrust him further into the national spotlight. 

7. QB Jayden Daniels, LSU — +1200 - +1800
Jayden Daniels is another example of a transfer success story, leaving Arizona State for the SEC. In his first season at LSU, Daniels helped lead the Tigers to a 10-win season and a conference title game berth. 

Daniels might be the most dynamic runner on the list, rushing for 885 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2022. However, he still has a lot of growth left as a passer, throwing for 17 touchdowns and less than 3,000 yards. With only three interceptions and a 68.6% completion rate in 2022, though, Daniels proved he deserves a bigger role as a passer — throwing 166 less attempts in 2022 than Penix. With his dynamism, Daniels could have a strong season in a vulnerable SEC West. 

8. QB Quinn Ewers, Texas — +1600 - +2500
There's plenty of reasons to believe Ewers could be in the Heisman hunt in 2023, including his big name and the fact he is attached to the Texas brand. However, that's not the only reason to put faith in Ewers. 

He was one of the highest touted recruits ever at the position, has unrivaled arm talent, and he put on a masterful display against Alabama before suffering an injury. He is still very raw as a prospect, though, struggling to keep consistent mechanics that led him to an underwhelming 58.1% completion percentage. However, Texas is +115 to win the Big 12 and full of talent on offense and defense. If Ewers stays healthy and cleans up his play, he could become a name that never leaves mainstream media. 

9. QB Sam Hartman, Notre Dame — +1300 - +2000
Despite holding a shared record for most Heisman Trophy winners by a program with seven, Notre Dame hasn't seen one of its players win the award since 1987. 

As an independent program, the Fighting Irish get to create their own schedule, and if they finish the season with a top record, quarterback Sam Hartman could find himself in the discussion for the award. Most notably, they face off against Ohio State, USC and Clemson, which could be the perfect chance to get in the national spotlight. 

Hartman, a transfer, won 19 games in his last two seasons at Wake Forest, throwing for 7,929 yards and 77 touchdowns in the process. If Notre Dame has a 10-win season or better with marquee victories, Hartman's involvement could get him in the discussion. 

10. QB Cade Klubnik, Clemson — +1800 - +3000
A bet on Cade Klubnik is a bet on unproven talent on a proven program. Clemson put together 11 wins despite the struggles of starting signal caller D.J. Uiagalelei for the majority of the season. Uiagalelei got benched mid-game during the ACC title game in favor of the freshman, Klubnik, who had not yet started a game or thrown more than six passes in an appearance. 

Despite this, his debut included 279 passing yards on 20-of-24 passing with a touchdown in the air and on the ground. In his first start, Klubnik threw a pair of interceptions in the Tigers' bowl game while accounting for 371 yards of total offense and a rushing score. With Uiagalelei across the country at Oregon State, Klubnik has full control over a historically strong program. If Klubnik takes any sort of leap in Year 2, Clemson could become a contender again.