Ja’Marr Chase

Ja’Marr Chase Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

Written by on May 19, 2020

The best receiver in college football last year was LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase, and because he wasn’t draft   eligible is back this year. Here are two props available to wager at Mybookie on Chase’s Heisman Trophy chances and LSU’s 2020 college football season – assuming there is one – and an overview.

Ja’Marr Chase Heisman Trophy Odds & Analysis For 2020 Season

Chase was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2018 out of Archbishop Rummel High School in Metairie, Louisiana, which is basically New Orleans. During his career, he had 115 receptions for 2,152 yards and 30 touchdowns. He became the first receiver in the run-heavy school’s history to record 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

Both LSU and Auburn recruited Chase hard. He actually first committed to Kansas in the spring of his junior year. He eventually decommitted and planned to announce his commitment to TCU at Nike’s The Opening, but a scheduling conflict prevented him from making that announcement. Chase then pledged to Florida but decommitted after the Gators fired head coach Jim McElwain.

As a freshman in 2018, Chase played in all 13 games and started seven. He finished tied for second on the team in receptions (23) and was third in receiving yards (313). He caught three TD passes and averaged 13.6 yards a catch. He scored his first career TD on a 9-yard reception from Joe Burrow against Southeastern Louisiana in Week 2.

Last year, Burrow of course won the Heisman and Chase was incredible in winning the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football. He joined Josh Reed (2001) as LSU’s Biletnikoff Award winners. Chase became the first wide receiver and 11th player overall in LSU history to become a unanimous All-American. He set the SEC record for touchdown receptions in a season with 20, breaking the mark with a pair of TD receptions against Clemson in the National Championship Game.

Chase also broke the SEC single-season mark for receiving yards against Clemson, establishing the record of 1,780 (broke Reed’s 2001 record of 1,740). He had nine catches for 221 yards and a pair of TDs in win over Clemson in title game and was the first receiver in LSU history with three 200-yard games in a season and the only player in school history to have two 200-yard games during the regular season.

In addition, Chase joined Burrow, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire and wide receiver Justin Jefferson to make LSU the first team in SEC history with a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and two 1,000-yard receivers in the same season.

Pro Football Focus credited Chase with the most 15+ yard receptions in a single season since 2014. Chase racked up 47 such receptions, which was three more than any other player ever. The 6-foot-1, 200-poundere was invincible when facing off with single coverage, logging a PFF grade of 97.0 (out of 100) in such situations.

It’s rather likely that Chase’s numbers won’t be quite as good this year simply because Burrow is gone. Still, Chase is all but a lock to be a Top 10 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft and should be the first receiver taken.

LSU opens defense of its national title on Sept. 5 against Texas-San Antonio. It’s the first-ever meeting between the schools. It will mark UTSA’s third ever game against a member of the Southeastern Conference.  UTSA will receive $1.4 million for the game. The guaranteed payment will be the largest in program history to that point.

Prior to being named the second head coach in UTSA history, Frank Wilson spent six years as a member of the LSU coaching staff. The New Orleans native was the running backs coach and recruiting coordinator in 2010-15 and also served as associate head coach for his final four seasons with the Tigers.