College Sports

Two Miami Hurricanes Projected as Early Heisman Favorites After Spring Games

The Miami Hurricanes will enter the season likely as a top-five team in the country. They have everything in place to run it back to a National Championship game and cross over the finish line. Moreover, the Canes have two players who could get them their Heisman Trophy winners.

Malachi Toney and Darian Mensah are two Hurricanes who are heavily favored to win the Heisman Trophy. Both will battle it out and win as some of the best players in the country.

2026 Heisman trophy odds per DraftKings

  • QB Arch Manning: +700
  • QB CJ Carr: +750
  • QB Dante Moore: +1200
  • QB Trinidad Chambliss: +950
  • QB Julian Sayin: +1000
  • QB Josh Hoover: +1200
  • WR Jeremiah Smith: +1300
  • QB Darian Mensah: +1500
  • QB Gunner Stockton: +1600
  • QB Sam Leavitt: +1800
  • QB Brendan Sorsby: +1800
  • QB Marcel Reed: +2200
  • QB Jayden Maiava: +2500
  • QB John Mateer: +2800
  • QB Bryce Underwood: +3500
  • QB LaNorris Sellers: +4000
  • QB Austin Mack: +4000
  • WR Malachi Toney: +4000

Toney is the best wide receiver not named Jeremiah Smith, while Mensah has the chance to show he is the best quarterback in the country with a new logo on his helmet.

Both highlighted those skills during Miami's Spring Game, even if one was helping out more than the other.

"They wanted to play," Head coach Mario Cristobal said on holding out some players during the spring game. "That's the kind of people that they are. They tried to sneak in."

Mensah was light out, throwing the football. His connection with Cooper Barkate was raved about when both entered the portal and went to Miami, but it might be more underrated than some are expecting.

This all happened with Toney on the field, throwing a touchdown to him and an over-the-middle, right-in-the-bucket pass. Mensah was eliete, only adding to the fact that Toney could be even better than what his freshman seaosn had to offer.

This also helps both Heisman odds. With a new logo on Mensah, it brings more attention to who he is. He was a highly touted quarterback coming out of Tulane and led the Duke Blue Devils to an ACC Championship. If he can do that with the Hurricanes and a favorable schedule, who knows where his popularity could skyrocket, too.

Miami's 2026 Football Schedule

Sept. 4 - at Stanford

Sept. 10 - vs. Florida A&M

Sept. 18 - at Wake Forest

Sept. 26 - vs. Central Michigan

Oct. 3 - at Clemson

Oct. 10 - Off Week

Oct. 17 - vs. Florida State

Oct. 24 - vs. Pittsburgh

Oct. 31 - at North Carolina

Nov. 7 - at Notre Dame

Nov. 14 - vs. Duke

Nov. 20 - vs. Virginia Tech

Nov. 28 - vs. Boston College


Follow all social media platforms to stay up to date with everything Miami Hurricanes-related: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube,and BlueSky.



This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/miami as Two Miami Hurricanes Projected as Early Heisman Favorites After Spring Games.

Copyright ABG-SI LLC. SPORTS ILLUSTRATED is a registered trademark of ABG-SI LLC. All Rights Reserved.

This story was originally published April 22, 2026 at 12:54 PM.

Sports Pass is your ticket to Miami sports
#ReadLocal

Get in-depth, sideline coverage of Miami area sports - only $1 a month

VIEW OFFER