Early Heisman Trophy odds for 2022 are out, and the returning winner is not the favorite.
Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (+285) won the Heisman Trophy in 2021. He passed for 4,872 yards, 47 TDs and seven interceptions. Young led the Crimson Tide to an appearance in the College Football Playoff championship game, too. He has the second-best odds.
That's because Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud (+250) is the favorite. Stroud finished fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting last season. He finished with 4,435 yards, 44 TDs and six interceptions.
A total of 18 players have odds of +5000 or better according to odds at Sports Interaction, and eight of those players are transfer quarterbacks. That's a sign of the times in college football.
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Here is a closer look at the early Heisman Trophy odds and a few contenders to watch heading into the 2022 college football season:
2022 Heisman Trophy odds
Here are the 2022 early Heisman Trophy odds according to Sports Interaction. Five players have odds of +3000 or less.
| PLAYER | SCHOOL | POSITION | ODDS |
| C.J. Stroud | Ohio State | QB | +250 |
| Bryce Young | Alabama | QB | +285 |
| Caleb Williams | USC | QB | +800 |
| DJ Uiagalelei | Clemson | QB | +2400 |
| Dillon Gabriel | Oklahoma | QB | +3000 |
| Jaxson Dart | Ole Miss | QB | +3000 |
| Bijan Robinson | Texas | RB | +3200 |
| Tyler Van Dyke | Miami | QB | +3500 |
| Spencer Rattler | South Carolina | QB | +4000 |
| Kedon Slovis | Pitt | QB | +4000 |
| TreVeyon Henderson | Ohio State | RB | +4000 |
| Anthony Richardson | Florida | QB | +4000 |
| Jaxon Smith-Njigba | Ohio State | WR | +4800 |
| Will Anderson | Alabama | LB | +4900 |
| JT Daniels | West Virginia | QB | +5000 |
| Taulia Tagovailoa | Maryland | QB | +5000 |
| Sam Hartman | Wake Forest | QB | +5000 |
| Quinn Ewers | Texas | QB | +5000 |
2022 Early Heisman Trophy favorites
Heisman Trophy favorite: C.J. Stroud, QB, Ohio State (+280)
Stroud closed last season with a 573-yard, six-TD performance in the Rose Bowl victory against Utah. He is a second-year starter for the Buckeyes, and he leads an offense that has put up over 40 points per game every year since 2017. Stroud ranked second among all FBS quarterbacks with 10.1 yards per attempt last season, and there are big-ticket home games to start and end the season against Notre Dame and Michigan, respectively. Troy Smith (2006) is Ohio State's last Heisman Trophy winner.
Last year's winner: Bryce Young, QB, Alabama (+285)
Young became the first Alabama quarterback to win the Heisman last season; an award he clinched after passing for 421 yards and three TDs against Georgia in the SEC championship game. The Bulldogs got their revenge in the CFP championship game, and Young has a new supporting cast at receiver to work with. Still, Young has the opportunity to become the first two-time Heisman winner since Ohio State's Archie Griffin 1974-75. The last three quarterbacks to try to repeat were Texas A&M's Johnny Manziel (2012), Florida State's Jameis Winston (2013) and Louisville's Lamar Jackson (2016). Jackson finished the highest in the voting following season in third place. It's tough to repeat.
Top transfer QB: Caleb Williams, QB, USC (+800)
Williams was briefly in the conversation when he took over as the starter at Oklahoma last season. Now, he follows Lincoln Riley to USC. Williams has the talent to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in two seasons, and he can make unfair throws on the run. Williams averaged 9.2 yards per passing attempt and 5.6 yards per carry last season. He has the potential to put up the statistics Heisman voters cannot ignore, but he needs to do it for a full season in the Pac-12 spotlight. Oregon's Marcus Mariota (2014) is the last Pac-12 player to win the Heisman. It's going to take that kind of effort.
MORE: Williams will accelerate USC's rebuild
Top running back: Bijan Robinson, RB, Texas (+3200)
Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers (+5000) is among those with favorable odds despite the fact he hasn't thrown a pass in the FBS yet. If Ewers wins the job, then it could actually boost Robinson's campaign. The junior running back had 1,422 yards from scrimmage and 15 total TDs last season. He averages 6.5 yards per carry in two seasons. Robinson is the kind of dynamic back that could put up huge numbers. Could he become Texas' first Heisman winner since Ricky Williams in 1998? Stay tuned.
Top receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR, Ohio State (+4800)
DeVonta Smith won the Heisman Trophy in 2020. Could Smith-Njigba become the second receiver to do it in three years? Smith-Njigba is a unicorn talent at the position with incredible route-running skills. He closed last season with five games of 100 yards or more, including a 347-yard, three-TD effort in the Rose Bowl. Smith had 1,856 yards and 23 TDs for Alabama when he won the award. Those are numbers Smith-Njigba could approach if he gets enough targets.
Top defensive player: Will Anderson, LB, Alabama (+4900)
There's a strong belief Anderson should have been a Heisman Trophy finalist last year. He led the nation in sacks (17.5) and tackles for loss (34.5). He's a good bet to be the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and there's no questioning his edge-rushing talent. The hard part will be duplicating those numbers. How do you get more attention? Find a way to break Derrick Thomas' unofficial sacks record of 27, set at Alabama in 1988.
Top longshot: Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama (+6000)
Gibbs showed off his speed with a 75-yard TD run in the Alabama spring game, and he's an exciting all-around back that will fit in well with the Crimson Tide. Gibbs ranked third in the FBS in all-purpose yards last season with 150.4 yards per game. He had 746 rushing yards, 470 receiving yards and 589 return yards. That's the kind of highlight-reel mix that Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy with in 2005 before later vacating the award.
