Way Too Early 2025 Heisman Odds: Haynes King Among Notable Long Shots To Win CFB's Top Trophy

The start of the 2025 college football season is still six months away and spring practice has yet to start, but it is never too early to look ahead to the Heisman Race in 2025. Colorado's Travis Hunter became one of the most unique winners of the trophy when he won it in 2024 and heading into 2025, there is not a clear-cut favorite for the trophy, which makes a potential longshot winner a real possibility.

What about Georgia Tech QB Haynes King? Currently at Fanduel Sportsbook, King is listed at +7500 to win the trophy. Other players with the same odds include Colorado QB Kaidon Salter and Kansas State quarterback Avery Johnson

Right now, LSU QB Garrett Nussmeier (+800) is the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, followed by Texas QB Arch Manning (+900), Clemson QB Cade Klubnik (+1000), Oregon QB Dante Moore (+1200), and Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (+1200) rounding out the top five.

What would it take for King to be in contention and even win the award?

From 2014 (beginning of the College Football Playoff Era) through 2021, only Lamar Jackson in 2016 won the Heisman Trophy while not being in the College Football Playoff. Marcus Mariota, Derrick Henry, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow, Devonta Smith, and Bryce Young all made the playoff, but since then, we have had three straight years where the winner was not in the playoff and two years in a row where the winner of the Heisman had at least three losses. Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Travis Hunter all missed the playoff, but all had outstanding seasons and not much competition. Because of Georgia Tech's style of play, I don't think King could win it if they have three losses, like Hunter and Daniels did. If you have that many losses and are not in playoff contention, there has to be an extraordinary case for you to win it and King likely won't have the numbers for that.

For King to win the Heisman Trophy, Georgia Tech is going to have to be in the ACC Championship conversation, College Football Playoff conversation, and King is going to have to have his best games in the biggest games. While Georgia Tech's schedule is likely going to be lighter on ranked opponents than previous years, there are two games that stand out. The Yellow Jackets host Clemson on Sept. 13 and face Georgia in Mercedes Benz Stadium on Black Friday. Both teams are going to be the preseason favorites to win their conference and favorites to make the College Football Playoff. Big games against those teams in what should be primetime TV slots will make an interesting case for King.

In an article, 247Sports Carter Bahns listed King as a dark horse Heisman candidate:

"If Haynes King was healthy all year, there is no telling how special of a season this would have been for both himself and Georgia Tech. The fifth-year veteran took a major leap as a passer, going from an ACC-high 16 interceptions last season to just one on 236 pass attempts all year. That is not to mention his game-changing ability on the ground. Georgia saw firsthand how much King improved in Year 2 with the Yellow Jackets when he racked up 413 total yards and five touchdowns in their eight-overtime thriller. A healthy 2025 without a step backward would put him in the Heisman conversation."

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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