The 2026 college football season kicks off on Saturday, August 29, as the Bill Belichick-led North Carolina Tar Heels have a date with Sonny Dykes’ TCU Horned Frogs at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
Below, I'll touch upon my top three contenders to hoist the Heisman Trophy heading into the new season. I'll also highlight a long shot value pick listed further down the odds board.
So, here's Heisman Trophy picks, predictions and futures for the 2026 college football season.
Heisman Trophy Picks
Notre Dame QB CJ Carr (+700)
After leading the Fighting Irish to a 10-2 overall record in 2025 as a freshman, CJ Carr heads into the new season as the outright favorite (+700) to win the 2026 Heisman Trophy.
The sky is the limit for Notre Dame this season, with the Irish listed as the second-favorite to win the National Championship in 2026, trailing just Ohio State.
In his first year under center, Carr looked very impressive, finishing with 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns through the air. He also ranked inside the top-five nationally in both passer rating and yards per attempt.
Given that both of Notre Dame’s tailbacks from last season — Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price — are currently in the NFL, Carr will need to carry far more weight for this offense in 2026.
Notre Dame brings back both of its No. 1 wide receivers in Jordan Faison and Jaden Greathouse, who missed the majority of last season with a severe right hamstring strain.
I'm about as high on Notre Dame heading into the season as anyone, and I'm currently holding a +700 futures ticket on the Irish to win the National Championship. Carr should obviously be a huge part of that.
Carr's stats should improve substantially this season, with a projected increase in pass attempts in Mike Denbrock’s scheme.
The sophomore would be the first Notre Dame player to hoist the Heisman Trophy since 1987, and he's surrounded by the offensive weapons required for him to do so.
Miami QB Darian Mensah (+1000)
Another player amongst my contenders to hoist the trophy is Darian Mensah (+1000), who was arguably the top transfer portal acquisition this offseason.
While some have doubts regarding Mensah’s ability to transition into a more complex offense (like Mario Cristobal's), I don't share the same concerns. The 21-year-old has played for three different programs, with the quarterback putting up big numbers for Tulane as a true freshman.
Mensah had an incredible season for the Blue Devils in 2025, throwing for 3,973 yards along with 34 touchdown passes. Given that the Canes' offensive unit has remarkable athleticism, the transfer will have a far higher ceiling statistically than in years past.
While the Canes lost some key contributors on the defensive side of the football — namely Rueben Bain Jr. — Cristobal’s offensive weapons return in full force. Star WR Malachi Toney is projected as Mensah’s premier target following a record-setting freshman campaign.
In addition to Toney, Mensah's top target from last season — WR Cooper Barkate — made the move to Coral Gables this offseason, adding some more familiarity to a new environment.
With JoJo Trader and Cam Vaughn gone, I expect Toney and Barkate to slide in nicely for Mensah.
Miami's offense will be loaded with playmakers, especially with starting running back Mark Fletcher Jr. also returning.
Given that the majority of the offensive line is also back, Mensah will be adequately protected in the pocket and is a strong wager to win this award.
Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith (+1500)
Across his first two collegiate seasons, Jeremiah Smith has caught 163 passes for a collective 2,558 total yards. He's found the back of the end zone an incredible 29 times, including two rushing touchdowns.
Most scouts consider the youngster to be a generational talent at the WR position, as he boasts a rare combination of elite size, ball skills and tremendous athleticism.
Those traits could help him become Ohio State’s all-time leading wide receiver across several statistical categories.
This carries a ton of weight for a program that's consistently produced elite receiver prospects over the last two decades, including the likes of Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr, amongst a few others.
Besides DeVonta Smith (who became the first wideout to win the Heisman Trophy since Desmond Howard), Ohio State's Smith is the most talented receiver in quite some time. That's proven by the fact that he's No. 1 on a lot of 2027 NFL Draft boards entering the season.
Given that Carnell Tate — who recorded more yards than Smith in each of the last two seasons — was drafted by the Titans this past April, Smith will have an extremely high statistical campaign in 2026.
For an offense that returns its quarterback from last year in Julian Sayin, the sky is the limit for Smith.
While it'll likely require a triple crown to hoist the trophy, Smith is capable of becoming the first to do so since DeVonta in 2021.
Heisman Trophy Long-Shot Pick
Washington QB Demond Williams Jr. (+5000)
Junior Demond Williams Jr. enters the season as an explosive dual-threat dark horse to hoist the trophy.
He's coming off a phenomenal sophomore campaign, throwing for an impressive 3,065 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Williams ranks among the top dual-threat signal-callers in the sport, having rushed for over 600 yards and six touchdowns in 2025. In his first full year as a starter, Williams completed 69.5% of his pass attempts while recording an exceptional 161.0 passer rating.
While it often takes time for players to develop comfort in new systems in the current transfer portal era, Washington head coach Jedd Fisch enters his third season with his young quarterback.
Williams' remarkably versatile skill set has led to Fisch dialing up some intricate offensive schemes that are tailored to his strengths.
His Heisman upside is evident through his stellar athleticism and uncanny ability to go off for monster performances. For example, Williams had an insane 400-yard passing and 100-yard rushing stat line last season against Rutgers.
While his actual Heisman Trophy equity is directly tied to Washington’s overall record, the Huskies have quite a favorable schedule this season, hosting several of their major conference opponents (Indiana, Penn State, Iowa, Indiana) in Seattle.
Though Williams is certainly a long shot to cash, I'm willing to take a shot at 50-to-1, largely due to his existing familiarity with Fisch’s offensive system and his overall elite prowess as a dual threat.
