Notre Dame's Brandon Wimbush Cracks Opening 2017 Heisman Trophy Odds
Brandon Wimbush has yet to take a snap as a starter at Notre Dame, but the junior quarterback already has the attention of Las Vegas oddsmakers.
The 6-foot-1, 226-pounder is listed with 60-to-1 odds to win the Heisman Trophy, according to Westgate Las Vegas Superbook.
Wimbush is the only Notre Dame player listed among the top 23 of the odds. He appeared in two games as a freshman in 2015, completing three of five passes for 17 yards. He also ran for 96 yards on seven attempts, including a 58-yard touchdown.
Notre Dame is tied with Ohio State for the most all-time Heisman trophies won (seven). Tim Brown (1987) is the last Notre Dame player to win the award.
In 2012, former Irish linebacker Manti Te'o was Notre Dame's first Heisman Trophy finalist since quarterback Brady Quinn in 2006. Quinn finished third in that year's voting. Te’o’s second-place finish to Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel was the highest for a Notre Dame player since 1990, when receiver Raghib Ismail was runner-up to BYU quarterback Ty Detmer.
Last season, quarterbacks DeShone Kizer and Malik Zaire were both listed at 28/1 to win the Heisman. NFL.com analyst Daniel Jeremiah was particularly high on Kizer, picking the junior to win the Heisman. Kizer struggled in leading the Irish to a 4-8 finish before declaring for the NFL Draft.
In 2015, Zaire was 50/1 to win the Heisman. In 2014, former quarterback Everett Golson was 16/1.
Southern Cal quarterback San Darnold leads the country with 5/1 odds, followed by Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield at 7/1 and reigning Heisman winner Lamar Jackson at 8/1.
The first non-quarterback on the list was Penn State running back Saquon Barkley at 20/1. Fourteen of the 23 players listed are quarterbacks. Nine of the past 10 Heisman winners have been quarterbacks.
Alabama, Auburn, Florida State, Ohio State, Penn State and Washington each have two players apiece in the top 23 of the odds.
In addition to Darnold, Notre Dame will face just one other player this season with Heisman odds: Georgia running back Nick Chubb.
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