Quarterbacks as Heisman favorites? That’s old news. This season, the buzz belongs to the Whiskers of West Texas: Jacob Rodriguez. He holds the strongest Heisman odds of any defensive player in the race. Still skeptical? Fox Sports isn’t.

Gus Johnson has officially added the Texas Tech star to his exclusive “GOT IT” list. And while Rodriguez’s Heisman buzz surged after his pose against UCF, the numbers still paint him as a long shot: his +12500 odds rank ninth-shortest at BetMGM, far behind QB favorites Fernando Mendoza (-155) and Julian Sayin (+255). But Johnson isn’t buying the gap. Fox Sports even dropped a highlight clip declaring, “In Week 12, Jacob Rodriguez let the whole world know he’s a Heisman contender who has GOT IT 💪😤. Gus Johnson names the @TexasTechFB LB the newest member of the GOT IT Team 🔴⚫️” as Johnson welcomed the Red Raider linebacker to the GOT IT Team.

And if defensive players have a hard time cracking the Heisman race? Joey McGuire and Jacob Rodriguez had a solution for that, too. In a bold move against UCF, on second-and-goal from the 2-yard line, McGuire inserted Rodriguez into the backfield, and then he powered into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season. McGuire even clarified his intentions behind this move, making it clear that he wants to strengthen Rodriguez’s Heisman odds, knowing defensive players often struggle to get a spot. “Everybody is talking about QBs for Heisman,” McGuire said. “So we put him in at QB.”

This isn’t the first time Rodriguez has delivered a Heisman-worthy performance. Against BYU, he recorded 14 tackles and two takeaways. Which also caught the attention of three-time Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, as he attended his former team’s game during the Chiefs’ bye week and hyped Rodriguez, saying, “Get him to New York! @HeismanTrophy.”

Rodriguez’s elite production shows why Joey McGuire is rooting for him. Against UCF, he recorded nine tackles, one interception, and one pass deflection with one offensive TD on a carry for two yards. And with that, his season stats are at 97 tackles, one sack, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six pass deflections, and four interceptions. But even with his exceptional showing, the concern is still the same. For now, QBs Mendoza, Sayin, and Simpson are leading the way, which makes his chances razor-thin.

Joey McGuire gets real on Rodriguez’s Heisman odds

Everyone knows getting a defensive player into the Heisman finalist list is not that straightforward. The only reason Travis Hunter smacked it last season was because of his dual-threat ability at both the WR and CB positions. This made him only the second player, after Charles Woodson, to win the Heisman since 2016.

And even history goes against Jacob Rodriguez Heisman buzz, as no full-time linebacker has ever won the Heisman since it was started in 1936. This makes his case even weaker. The closest linebacker to win it was Notre Dame’s Manti Te’o in 2012, when he came second to Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel. That year, he received 321 first-place votes to Manziel’s 474.

But Joey McGuire believes that Rodriguez’s production will help him just like Te’o. “The one linebacker [Te’o] that was considered and got to New York, our numbers are better than his,” McGuire said. “… I kind of made the joke we let him play quarterback today, so maybe that helps him out since they want to bring quarterbacks.” Now, the real test is whether these comparisons and strategic pushes can actually move the needle in a QB-dominated race.