Jeremiah Smith may be the runaway favorite in the Heisman race, but Darian Mensah is the name to watch if you’re focused on who can still carve out a trip to New York.
The current FanDuel odds make the gap clear. Smith sits at -210, while Mensah is next at +1000.
If that separation keeps growing, the award could end up going to a non-quarterback for the third time this decade. For now, though, the more realistic goal for Mensah is simpler: stay firmly in the finalist mix.
A strong showing against FSU would help a lot. If Mensah helps the Miami Hurricanes put up big numbers against the Seminoles, that would go a long way toward making him a finalist lock. And yes, there’s also the added appeal of lighting up Florida State’s defense in Mike Norvell’s final game.
Here’s how the top of the current Heisman board looks:
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith -210
Miami QB Darian Mensah +1000
Notre Dame QB CJ Carr +1200
Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss +1300
Georgia QB Gunner Stockton +1400
Alabama QB Keelon Russell +2000
Ohio State QB Julian Sayin +4000
Oklahoma State QB Drew Mestemaker +4000
Indiana QB Josh Hoover +5500
Miami WR Malachi Toney +6500
Eight of the top 10 names are quarterbacks, so the position still dominates the race. This just happens to be a year when a wide receiver is clearly the best player in college football, and nobody can argue with the way Smith has separated himself.
It’s also worth noting that Malachi Toney remains in the top 10. As I said before, there are no legitimate reasons why Toney's odds have fallen so much.
As for the finalist field, it probably won’t be a big one. More than four would surprise me, and it could be as small as three. When the favorite has such a massive edge, there isn’t much reason to invite five finalists unless the race for the spots behind him is tightly packed.
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
The preseason favorites have mostly faded. Texas’ Arch Manning was still in the conversation last week, but after the loss to Oklahoma, his odds have slipped to +10000.
Oregon’s Dante Moore, who opened as a top-five Heisman favorite, is now off the board entirely. Mississippi State’s Kamario Taylor (+8000) had a fast rise and an equally quick fall after the Bulldogs lost to Alabama.
If there’s a dark horse still worth tracking, it’s Missouri’s Austin Simmons (+10000). His numbers against Texas A&M weren’t eye-catching - 14-of-28, 147 yards, TD/INT - but he still has Ole Miss, Texas, and Georgia left on the schedule. That gives him plenty of chances to make noise with a breakout game and force his way into the New York conversation.
In Other News...
Darian Mensah Is Keeping Miami In A Huge 2027 Draft Conversation
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Duke finished first with 861 points and 45 first-place votes, a nod to both its returning core and another wave of five-star recruits, but Miami has reasons to feel it belongs in that same conversation. Lucas has already landed highly rated prospects Shelton Henderson and Caleb Gaskins, while also bringing in eight transfers, and that mix gives the Hurricanes a different kind of buzz than a preseason ranking can fully capture. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Secondary Suddenly Has An FSU Twist Fans Should Notice
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Rynn Mack and Dylan Day have emerged as new contributors, giving Miami more options as it prepares for the next stretch of games. With Xavier Lucas and Damari Brown back in the mix, the Hurricanes are expecting to lean into more varied defensive packages, a sign that this group may look a little different than it did a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]