The Five Highest Risers In The Heisman Trophy Odds To Start The College Football Season

There are still plenty of twists and turns to take place during the 2025 college football season. But the race for the Heisman Trophy is already beginning to take shape.

Several big games and stunning upsets have highlighted the earlier season, and, in the process, a number of star players have tossed their hats into the ring for the prestigious award.

While many of these Heisman Trophy campaigns will fall to the wayside as the season progresses, some may prove to be a sign of what’s to come.

Highest Risers In The Race For The 2025 Heisman Trophy

To begin the season, the usual suspects highlight the Heisman Trophy odds. Texas quarterback Arch Manning topped the odds, followed by fellow star quarterbacks such as Garrett Nussmeier of LSU, Cade Klubnik of Clemson, and Drew Allar of Penn State.

Each of those players still remains at or toward the top of the odds. But the following five players, all of whom are quarterbacks, have announced their presence so far in 2025 and could be a real threat to list the trophy come December.

5) Dante Moore – Oregon

Dante Moore was a five-star quarterback in the class of 2023. So it shouldn’t be a surprise to see him on this list. But Moore took a roundabout path to get where he is now.

The Michigan native committed to Chip Kelly and UCLA out of high school and started as a true freshman for the Bruins, struggling mightily. He then transferred to Oregon, where he sat behind Dillon Gabriel in 2024.

Moore entered the 2025 season as the Ducks’ starter, although with longshot Heisman odds at +2500.

Through two games, albeit against inferior competition, Moore has been flawless. He’s completed 77.3 percent of his passes for 479 yards, six touchdowns, and no interceptions in blowout wins over Montana State and Oklahoma State.

In the process, Moore’s Heisman Trophy odds have dropped to +1300, just outside the top favorites.

4) Beau Pribula – Missouri

While the aforementioned Drew Allar still sits highly on the list of Heisman Trophy frontrunners, he could soon find himself behind an unlikely foe – former teammate Beau Pribula.

Pribula served as the backup to Allar last season for Penn State, helping lead the Nittany Lions to a key road victory against Wisconsin when Allar went down injured.

He then hit the transfer portal in January and landed at Missouri, where he won the starting job over Sam Horn. Through two games, Pribula has been excellent. The dual-threat QB had completed nearly 80 percent of his passes for 617 yards, five touchdowns, and no interceptions to go along with a pair of rushing touchdowns.

In doing so, Pribula’s Heisman odds have dropped from +10000 to +6000. Pribula is still a long shot, but if he keeps playing this well as Missouri enters SEC play, he won’t stay that way.

3) Jayden Maiava – USC

When Jayden Maiava transferred to USC from UNLV prior to the 2024 season, many college football fans were perplexed. Maiava was solid at UNLV, but at USC, he’d have to compete with Miller Moss for the starting job.

Moss did win the job out of camp, but by the end of the season, Maiava took the job and never looked back. After a strong showing in the Las Vegas Bowl against Texas A&M, Maiava hasn’t looked back in 2025.

The redshirt junior has thrown for 707 yards and six touchdowns in two blowout victories for USC and head coach Lincoln Riley. In the process, his Heisman Trophy odds have halved from +6000 to +3000.

Like Pribula, if Maiava can carry that strong play into the conference season, that number will continue to shrink.

2) Devon Dampier – Utah

Unlike Maiava, Dampier’s move from New Mexico and the Mountain West to Utah in the Big 12 made plenty of sense. Dampier lit it up in the air and on the ground for the Lobos, combining for 3,932 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2024.

This year, he leads a Utah program looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2024 showing. Through two games, Dampier has been everything promised and more, leading the Utes to a pair of victories with 510 combined yards and six touchdowns.

Utah is now the odds-on favorite to win the Big 12 at +400, and Dampier’s Heisman Odds have gone from +6000 in the preseason to just +1900 after two weeks.

1) Thomas Castellanos – Florida State

Nothing Thomas Castellanos did in his time at UCF or Boston College would lead you to believe that he could play at a Heisman Trophy level.

But Castellanos bet on him and transferred to Florida State in the offseason, and through two weeks, he’s been the revelation of the college football world.

The 5-foot-11 (generously) dual-threat QB led the ‘Noles to a stunning upset of Alabama in Week 1 and then dominated in Week 1 against an overmatched East Texas A&M.

Through two weeks, Castellanos has 474 total yards and four touchdowns. But more importantly, he has Florida State back in the national discussion, which is why his Heisman Trophy odds have gone from +10000 to start the year to just +2500 in two weeks of play.

Given a soft ACC schedule and how offensive quarterback Gus Malzahn has fared with dual-threat quarterbacks in the past, Castellanos might just find himself in New York City for the Heisman Trophy ceremony come December.