Heisman Watch 2016: Latest Odds and Predictions in Race for Top Award

Less than a week away, the 2016 Heisman Trophy winner will be announced on Saturday, Dec. 10 on ESPN.

With most of the college football world focused on who made it into the College Football Playoff on Sunday, it's time to refocus on the award that recognizes the best collegiate player of the season. 

This Heisman race will not be as close as last year's competition, where it can be argued that there were at least three legitimate players that were worthy of the award, and if either Deshaun Watson or Christian McCaffrey put up those numbers any other year, they surely would have taken home the distinction of the most outstanding collegiate football player.

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Essentially a two-horse race, this year's Heisman features some interesting candidates that deserve a trip to New York for national recognition. While most players won't receive an invitation to the Big Apple for the official ceremony, Michigan's Jabrill Peppers, Washington's Jake Browning and one of the most overlooked players for the Heisman, Dalvin Cook of Florida State, deserve some type of recognition for their outstanding play. 

Player	Position	School	Odds
Lamar Jackson	QB	Louisville	1-50
Jabrill Peppers	S	Michigan	12-1
Deshaun Watson	QB	Clemson	16-1
J.T. Barrett	QB	Ohio State	25-1
Jake Browning	QB	Washington	40-1

Peppers has been somewhat of a cult hero among college football fans due to his incredible versatility and ability to play any position on the field. No, really, any position on the field. 

An explosive athlete with a high football IQ, Peppers has been getting comparisons to another Michigan Wolverine and Heisman winner, Charles Woodson. While Peppers doesn't do any one thing spectacularly, it's impressive to see a player at that age line up all over the field and help his team out in any way he can.

Unfortunately, versatility doesn't make up for overall production. And if production is what you're looking for in a Heisman candidate, then look no further than the best offensive player in the country. 

Heisman prediction

Lamar Jackson's Heisman candidacy took a bit of a blow as the Louisville Cardinals lost their last two games of the season, including a poor outing against the Kentucky Wildcats where Jackson threw three interceptions, the most he's thrown in one game all year long. 

But Jackson's body of work should make up for a couple games where he showed a lapse in his decision-making skills. 

With 3,390 passing yards, 30 touchdowns and nine interceptions to go along with his 1,538 rushing yards and 21 rushing scores, there is no doubt who the most dynamic offensive player in the country is and yes, that includes Clemson's Watson. 

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Watson carried Clemson on his shoulders against Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship Game, scoring five total touchdowns on the day. Watson's passing numbers are eerily similar to his stats from last season's Heisman-worthy campaign, but his rushing numbers have fallen considerably. 

In 2015, Watson ran for 1,105 yards and scored 12 touchdowns. This season, however, he's only rushed for 529 yards, scoring six touchdowns.

His passing numbers, as previously mentioned, put him in contention for the Heisman for the second year in a row. Completing an impressive 67.6 percent of his passes for 3,914 yards and 37 touchdowns with 15 interceptions, Watson is the life of the Tigers team, and without his stellar play, they would not be in the Fiesta Bowl competing for a spot in the national championship come Jan. 9. 

Overall team success shouldn't factor in so much for an individual award, but the Heisman Trophy is the exception. Louisville's not being in the conversation for a national championship after some tough losses this season puts a damper on Jackson's odds of winning the award, while doing the complete opposite for Watson's resume.

But at the end of the day, Jackson's body of work is far superior than Watson's or any other player in the nation. It would be a surprise if Watson got the nod over Jackson on Saturday night, but it's one of those situations where it's hard to argue against Watson's candidacy for the award if he were to go on and win. Either way, both players have been outstanding this season and deserve as much national spotlight as they can get for the next week.