Amidst the NCAA investigation surrounding him, Johnny Manziel is no longer the front runner for the Heisman Trophy. In fact, according to one sportsbook, he's not even in the top five.
The Bovada sportsbook lists last year's Heisman winner as the player with the ninth best odds for the Heisman Trophy this season at 15/1. Not only are there eight players in front of him, but of those eight, five of them are quarterbacks. The list:
Ohio State QB Braxton Miller 9/2
South Carolina DE Jadeveon Clowney 6/1
Louisville QB Teddy Bridgewater, 9/1
Alabama QB AJ McCarron, 10/1
Oregon QB Marcus Mariota, 12/1
Georgia QB Aaron Murray, 14/1
Alabama RB TJ Yeldon 14/1
Clemson QB Tajh Boyd 14/1
Just behind Manziel are Oregon RB De'Anthony Thomas and Miami RB Duke Johnson at 16/1. Those odds mean that if you bet $1 (legally) on Manziel, you would win $15 if he repeated as Heisman Trophy winner. (Bovada's Over/Under for Clowney's sack total is 18.5. He had 13 last year and may attract even more blocking attention this season. The under seems like a good bet there.)
Manziel is currently being investigated by the NCAA amid reports that he accepted money for autograph signings, an NCAA violation. If Manziel is found by the NCAA to have accepted money for his autograph, he'll be ineligible. Individual odds are currently listed for the five quarterbacks ahead of Manziel. Per a Bovada spokesperson, Manziel's prop bets will be set when more information comes out about his playing status.
With the season opener against Rice just two weeks away, all indications are that Manziel will take the field -- at least at the beginning of the season. In 2010, then-Auburn QB Cam Newton was investigated for pay-for-play allegations during his recruitment. The NCAA ruled there was no wrongdoing in Newton's case and he won the Heisman in his only Division 1 season.
No player has won the Heisman multiple times besides Ohio State RB Archie Griffin in 1974 and 1975.
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