2018 Heisman Trophy Odds: Bryce Love, Jonathan Taylor Betting Favorites

Stanford Cardinal running back Bryce Love is the early favorite to win the 2018 Heisman Trophy with 5-1 preseason odds.

On Friday, David Purdum of ESPN.com reported Love is followed by Wisconsin Badgers running back Jonathan Taylor (7-1), Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (10-1), Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jake Fromm (14-1), Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (14-1) and Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate (14-1) at the Westgate SuperBook in Las Vegas.

The 20-year-old Stanford playmaker finished second to Baker Mayfield, who starred for the Oklahoma Sooners before getting selected by the Cleveland Browns with the first overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft, in last year's Heisman voting.

Love finished his junior campaign with 263 carries for 2,118 yards and 19 touchdowns across 13 games.

Bryce Love Takes It to the House for the First Score of the Game

He opted not to enter the draft despite the breakout campaign, though.

"It was more so what I wanted to do than anything else," he told reporters in April. "Obviously going to the NFL is a dream of mine, it's something that I aspire to do and the Lord willing I have to the opportunity to do at the end of this year. But I just felt like I had so much more to do at Stanford."

The oddsmakers believe his fiercest competition for college football's top individual honor will come from a fellow rusher.

Taylor enjoyed a tremendous freshman season at Wisconsin. He tallied 1,977 yards on 299 attempts and found the end zone 13 times in 14 appearances.

The rest of the players at the top of the initial betting list are quarterbacks.

That doesn't come as a surprise. The last 20 Heisman winners have been either a QB or RB since cornerback Charles Woodson took home the award in 1997.