Heisman Power Rankings: Haskins ascends, Tua pulls away from the pack

We're three weeks into the college football season and Heisman Trophy favorites are beginning to emerge.

While a few defensive players, such as Houston's Ed Olive and Ohio State's Nick Bosa, will be in contention, 2018 appears to once again be the year of the quarterback.

Here are the top five Heisman candidates after Week 3's slate of games:

5. Jonathan Taylor, RB - Wisconsin

Taylor takes a bit of a tumble in this week's rankings, but his fall isn't necessarily due to poor play. The star running back rushed for 117 yards against BYU - good for 4.5 yards per carry - but the Badgers suffered a heartbreaking upset at the hands of the Cougars. Taylor remains college football's top ball carrier, but he's going to have to put up eye-popping numbers to supplant the nation's top quarterbacks in the Heisman Trophy race.

4. Will Grier, QB - West Virginia

Grier and the Mountaineers didn't play Saturday as their game was canceled due to Hurricane Florence. The productive passer will have a chance to pad his stats over the next month with matchups against Kansas State, Texas Tech, Kansas, and Baylor. After that, the senior will end his campaign at Texas, versus TCU, at Oklahoma State, and versus Oklahoma. If Grier can lead West Virginia to key wins during that stretch, he may emerge as the favorite to claim college football's top individual honor.

3. Kyler Murray, QB - Oklahoma

Murray continued his assault on opposing defenses Saturday against Iowa State, throwing for 348 yards and three touchdowns, adding 77 yards on the ground. Through three games, the redshirt junior has shown impressive accuracy while displaying some of the best wheels of any quarterback in the country. Murray has lifted Oklahoma into early-season playoff contention and will be a mainstay in the Heisman Trophy race if his ridiculous production continues. All that's missing is a strong performance in a big game. He'll get his first two shots in October, versus Texas and at TCU.

2. Dwayne Haskins, QB - Ohio State

Ohio State cruised past Oregon State and Rutgers in its first two games this season, so many were wondering how Haskins would fare against a tougher, ranked TCU squad. The Buckeyes quarterback passed the test with flying colors, asserting himself as a Heisman favorite. Haskins threw for 344 yards and scored three touchdowns (two through the air, one on the ground) against the Horned Frogs, and his night could have been even bigger if it weren't for some dropped passes. The redshirt sophomore also faced the best pass rush of his young career and handled it like a veteran. Ohio State may run the table and its strong-armed pivot is set to reap the rewards in the process.

1. Tua Tagovailoa, QB - Alabama

One of these weeks, Tagovailoa will be forced to play extensively in the second half. We're scared to imagine his production in those games. For now, though, the sophomore continues to dominate when on the field. The lefty led Alabama to a victory over Ole Miss on Saturday, pushing his season totals to nine touchdowns, no interceptions, and a 72 percent completion rate. If there's one thing in the way of the quarterback's claim to the Heisman throne, it's that his raw numbers won't match up to his peers due to the Crimson Tide's dominance. But Tagovailoa is the best player on the nation's top team, so the odds remain in his favor.