Oklahoma Sooners Football: Baker Mayfield Is the Favorite to Win the 2017 Heisman Trophy

According to Bovada, Baker Mayfield is the odds-on favorite to win the 2017 Heisman Trophy. The Oklahoma quarterback opened at 11/2 odds, leading Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett (6/1), Louisville’s Lamar Jackson (7/1) and USC’s Sam Darnold 9/1.

Mayfield is coming off of one of the best seasons for a quarterback in college football history, finishing the 2016 season with highest passer rating in FBS history. The offense’s biggest weapons from 2016 — Dede Westbrook, Samaje Perine and Joe Mixon — won’t be there to help him in 2017, but all five of his offensive linemen will return to protect him. As well as Oklahoma has historically been able to reload at the skill positions, the hype seems justified. Mayfield will put up some big numbers in 2017, and he’ll have a chance to impress the nation early when Oklahoma travels to Columbus. If he beats Ohio State or impresses in a close defeat, another Big 12 Championship and/or CFB berth will likely be enough to win him the trophy.