Heisman favorites can be a fickle thing in college football. One minute, a player is the can’t-miss front-runner, a la Texas quarterback Arch Manning, but one subpar week and he’s cast to the side.
At the beginning of the 2025 season, Manning, along with Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik and LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, were the top three betting favorites to win the Heisman, according to ESPN. While all three will certainly remain in the conversation, here are three more players whose fast starts have put the nation on notice.
Tommy Castellanos | Florida State quarterback
Castellanos (preseason odds: 100-1, current: +2500) transferred from Boston College and immediately grabbed the nation’s attention, engineering a 31-17 win over No. 8 Alabama. Winning the Heisman requires a signature win or two, and Castellanos already has one with opportunities against No. 5 Miami (Oct. 4) and No. 12 Clemson (Nov. 8) ahead.
Castellanos doesn’t have a large body of work through two games, but he’s 17-of-25 for 389 yards and three touchdowns. Against Alabama, he rushed for a team-high 78 yards and a score. He’s averaging an astounding 22.8 yards per completion and has the ‘Noles ranked 10th in the country after a 2-10 season last year.
