Super Seven Heisman Contenders in 2018

Not one college football player has taken a snap from scrimmage, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get a jump on the Heisman Trophy betting at a sportsbook near you. Let’s discuss the top 10 Heisman candidates and the accompanying odds.

1. Bryce Love (RB Stanford) +700 – The only rusher with more yardage last season than Bryce Love was San Diego State’s Rashaad Penny, who was chosen by the Seattle Seahawks in the first-round of April’s draft. Love elected to return to Stanford for his senior year after finishing second behind Baker Mayfield in the Heisman voting, and if things go according to plan Love will not only have a Heisman Trophy on his mantle but a paycheck becoming of a top-five pick in the draft.
2. Tua Tagovailoa (QB Alabama) +750 – There is an alleged quarterback competition (some might say controversy) swirling in Tuscaloosa but a quick check over at Sportsbook Review, a sports bettors best friend, tells us that the best online sportsbooks in the world are declaring that it’s already a done deal. Sophomore Tua Tagovailoa, a mop-up man for starter Jalen Hurts throughout the 2017 season, sparkled in relief of the struggling Hurts when it counted and led the Tide to another national championship. For what it’s worth, Alabama has only had two Heisman winners (2015 Derick Henry and 2009 Mark Ingram) in its illustrious history and neither was a quarterback.
3. Jonathan Taylor (RB Wisconsin) +850 – The running back from Stanford may be the odds-on-favorite to win the Heisman, but Wisconsin’s Jonathan Taylor may have something to say about it. The sophomore had a stellar freshman campaign with over 1,800 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns during the regular season. If a running back does win the Heisman this year, Taylor could be that guy.
4. Jake Fromm (QB Georgia) +1500 – The Bulldogs may not be thrilled that their two lead running backs from last season, Sony Michel and Nick Chubb, are now professionals, but their absence could pave the way for a more prolific year out of sophomore QB Jake Fromm. As a freshman, the Georgia native tossed for over 2,600 yards with 24 touchdown passes and only seven picks. The red flag is that he did break his non-throwing hand in a boating accident in the offseason, but this isn’t a rowing contest and at 15/1, he could reap big dividends.
5. Khalil Tate (QB Arizona) +1550 – Khalil Tate is an elusive runner (set FBS single-game rushing mark for a QB) and shredded defenses to the tune of over 1,400 yards and a dozen touchdowns. When he wasn’t running he was throwing strikes which accounted for 1591 yards and 14 touchdowns. The downside is that Heisman quarterbacks are generally rewarded for their golden arms, not their fleet feet. Tate will also have to contend with a team around him that is not in the rarified air of other teams with talented passers.
6. Dwayne Haskins (QB Ohio State) +1650 – It might be a bit premature to anoint Haskins as a legitimate Heisman candidate, particularly when he played second fiddle to JT Barrett last season. In addition, there is another Buckeye with Heisman aspirations who could steal the spotlight as he’s breaking the plane of the end zone. Here’s looking at you K. Dobbins.
7. Will Grier (QB West Virginia) +1800 – If you’re looking for a guaranteed starter with a bona fide resume then look no further than West Virginia’s Will Grier. He played just 10 full games and still posted eye-popping numbers with 34 touchdown passes and nearly 3500 yards through the air. West Virginia has never had a Heisman Trophy winner, but If you’re looking for a long shot then look no further than this Mountaineer.

The More You Know

• Quarterbacks have won seven of the last eight Heisman Trophies.
• Receivers have only won the Heisman three times, with the last being Desmond Howard in 1991.
• There are 10 Heisman hopeful running backs led by Love and Taylor but since the turn of the century only three running backs have won the coveted award.
• If you play defense then don’t plan on winning the Heisman. Charles Woodson was the only solely defensive player to win the award back in 1997 and the other was Ernie Davis, who also played halfback, in 1961.