Oklahoma QB Spencer Rattler is the early favorite for 2021 Heisman

The Sooners didn't have a Heisman finalist this year for the first time since 2015, but multiple bookmakers says next year's smart money is on OU's strong-armed sophomore

John E. Hoover | Jan 5, 2021

It’s never too early for Lincoln Riley to start planning his annual December trip to New York City.

After back-to-back Heisman winners in 2017 and 2018, having the runner-up in 2019 and sending someone to the Big Apple as a Heisman finalist for four straight years, Oklahoma got the year off in 2020 — and not because the Coronavirus pandemic forced this year's ceremony to go virtual.

But according to BetOnline.ag, Riley can start mapping out his return next winter.

Although the 2020 Heisman Trophy has yet to be awarded tonight, Spencer Rattler is the early betting favorite in 2021 by both BetOnline.ag. and MyBookie.ag.

Rattler, OU’s redshirt freshman quarterback who was named Big 12 Conference player of the year by Pro Football Focus and earned numerous other accolades this season, is +500, per BetOnline’s futures odds.

That means if Rattler wins next year’s Heisman, anyone who wagers $100 on him would win $500 back.

Others who might be considered frontrunners include Clemson quarterback D.J. Uiaglelei (+700) and North Carolina quarterback Sam Howell (+700).

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young (who hasn’t won the starting job yet) is +1200, along with Miami quarterback D’Eriq King (coming off a knee injury in the bowl game), Georgia quarterback J.T. Daniels (who just announced Tuesday he’s returning to Athens next year) and USC quarterback Kedon Slovis.

Other Big 12 players listed include Iowa State running back Breece Hall (+1400), Texas running back Bijan Robinson (+1600), Iowa State quarterback Brock Purdy (+1600) and Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn (+1800).

According to MyBookie.ag, Rattler is +450, which puts him ahead of Howell (+550), Uiaglelei (+600) and Slovis (+700).

Published Jan 5, 2021

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.