Heisman Trophy Long Shot Predictions 2025-26: Lagway, Johnson, Raiola Worth Looks

College football is as unpredictable as any sport on the planet.

It's worth making a few Heisman Trophy long shot predictions in hopes of finding a diamond in the preseason rough, with so many talented individuals spread across 136 FBS schools.

Six of the last 12 Heisman Trophy winners had preseason odds of +2500 or longer at the best college football betting sites, including Travis Hunter (+3500) last year, making the Heisman Trophy market arguably the most volatile. 

As such, I've identified three long shots - players with +2000 Heisman Trophy odds or longer - who can shoot up oddsboards as the season progresses, and perhaps even earn an invitation to New York.

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🐊 DJ Lagway

✅ Best odds: +2000 via Caesars ($10 to win $200)

The Heisman Trophy is as much about exposure as it is about on-field play or statistics. Florida has one of the toughest schedules of any team in the country, with seven preseason AP Top 25 teams on its calendar. While this presents a plethora of challenges for the Gators, it also earns them plenty of national television spots.

In other words, Lagway will get a ton of airtime to showcase his skills.

The true freshman appeared in 12 games for Florida last season, splitting the starting duties with Graham Mertz until the latter's season-ending injury against Tennessee. Lagway threw for 1,915 yards, 12 touchdowns, and nine interceptions in his debut season, also picking up trademark wins over No. 22 LSU and No. 9 Ole Miss.

While these stats hardly jump off the page, don't discount the impact some confidence and offseason progression can have on a signal-caller - just ask Joe Burrow. Lagway is one of the most naturally gifted gamers in the country, as he showed throughout his freshman season.

If the Willis, Texas, native can take the next step in his progression, it won't take long for him to ascend into Heisman Trophy talks this season. Get to the window to bet on Lagway before the season begins, or else his value could plummet at the best sports betting apps.

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🟣 Avery Johnson

✅ Best odds: +5000 via FanDuel ($10 to win $500)

Fans and pundits alike had high hopes for Johnson heading into 2024, as he took the reins at Kansas State from Will Howard ahead of his true sophomore season. While a 9-4 season for the Wildcats wasn't poor, more was expected from the dual-threat star.

Johnson had his moments, posting over 3,300 all-purpose yards, 32 total touchdowns, and just 10 interceptions. However, a blowout loss at BYU and a stunning defeat against Houston headlined a four-loss conference campaign that eventually saw Kansas State miss the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.

The Wildcats head into the 2025-26 season as Big 12 championship odds favorites once again. If they manage to top the conference this time around, a playoff berth would do wonders to Johnson's Heisman Trophy odds.

He'll get a rare opportunity in Week 0 to showcase his growth to an international audience, as Kansas State takes on Iowa State in Farmageddon from Dublin, Ireland.

Johnson is one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the country, and he'll undoubtedly stuff the stat sheet even more this season with experience under his belt. To say the Wildcats' playmaker is worth a flier - especially at a +5000 price - is an understatement.

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🌽 Dylan Raiola

✅ Best odds: +7000 via DraftKings ($10 to win $700)

I've already spoken ad nauseam about promising young quarterbacks who are worth a flier to win the Heisman Trophy.

Alas, there is perhaps no more polarizing figure than Dylan Raiola. The premier recruit stepped on campus in Lincoln as a freshman, tasked with bringing Nebraska football back from the dead.

The youngster didn't necessarily deliver in year one, but the Cornhuskers showed signs of life under his stewardship, which is a step in the right direction. He threw for just over 2,800 yards, completed 67.1% of his passes, and tallied a 13:11 touchdown-to-interception ratio.

As much as I like Raiola and believe in him long-term, this bet is more about banking on his coach.

Three things are guaranteed in life: death, taxes, and Matt Rhule-coached teams making their biggest leap in year three. He posted 10-4 and 11-3 seasons with Temple and Baylor during this period, so the writing is on the wall for Nebraska.

If the Cornhuskers are to take the next step and perhaps register their first 10-win season since 2012, Raiola will be critical to that success. He's got the keys to the kingdom, and as an undisputed starter for a promising young team, I believe the best sportsbooks are undervaluing his Heisman Trophy potential with +7000 odds.

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