What is #CFBrank?
#CFBrank is the Twitter hashtag to use if you want to get involved in the discussion or just follow along.
How did we rank the players?
We asked 32 of ESPN's college football writers, editors and analysts to rate players on a scale of 0-10 based on their expected contributions for the 2016 season.
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 |50-41 | 40-31 |30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
Jalen Tabor
Florida Gators
Junior | Cornerback
Score: 8.45
Despite the attention All-American Vernon Hargreaves III received last season, there are some around Florida's program who thought Tabor was better and much more consistent all year. Tabor snatched four interceptions in 2015, with two going back for touchdowns, and tied for first in the SEC with 18 passes defended.
Jourdan Lewis
Michigan Wolverines
Senior | Cornerback
Score: 8.46
The senior cornerback might have been a first-round draft pick this spring after setting a school record for pass break-ups (22). Instead, he's back for an encore and his ability to blanket receivers in coverage could be the key to making Michigan's blitz-happy defensive scheme work.
Jamal Adams
LSU Tigers
Junior | Safety
Score: 8.52
Yet another LSU underclassman whose potential has turned pro scouts' heads, Adams looks like a future first-round pick as he enters his junior season. Adams led the Tigers with four interceptions and 10 pass breakups last season, and will once again be a centerpiece of one of the nation's top secondaries.
Raekwon McMillan
Ohio State Buckeyes
Junior | Linebacker
Score: 8.53
The Buckeyes already viewed McMillan as the prototype at middle linebacker as far back as his recruitment. Last season, he started living up to that billing in his first full-time spot in that role, piling up tackles, becoming a vocal leader and laying the foundation to go down as the latest in a long line of stud linebackers from Ohio State.
Derwin James
Florida State Seminoles
Sophomore | Defensive Back
Score: 8.66
As a true sophomore, James has established himself as one of the country's elite players. Labeling him simply as a safety is unfair considering his star quality at cornerback, linebacker and even rush defensive end, too. The five-star talent is expected to leave Florida State as one of its best defensive backs ever.
Jonathan Allen
Alabama Crimson Tide
Senior | Defensive End
Score: 8.76
Talk about your ideal 3-4 defensive end. Allen's 6-foot-3, 294-pound frame is perfect for stopping the run. But his quickness, which resulted in three sacks of Mississippi State's Dak Prescott last season, is underrated. A potential first-round pick last season, Allen returned to spearhead a D-line that could be even better at sacking the quarterback this year.
Calvin Ridley
Alabama Crimson Tide
Sophomore | Wide Receiver
Score: 8.83
And we all thought Alabama would miss Amari Cooper and his Heisman-caliber numbers in 2014. Little did we know that a clone of Cooper -- nearly identical in size, speed and style -- was waiting in the wings. Ridley, who grew up in the same area of South Florida, was an instant-impact freshman last season, breaking the 1,000-yard receiving mark.
JuJu Smith-Schuster
USC Trojans
Junior | Wide Receiver
Score: 8.86
He's built in the prototypical matchup nightmare size: At 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, Smith-Schuster has proven to be a physical terror for small cornerbacks -- his stiff-arm prowess fills many highlight reels. But Smith-Schuster is also a fast and smooth route runner, and that turned into 89 catches, 1,454 yards, and 10 touchdowns last year.
J.T. Barrett
Ohio State Buckeyes
Junior | Quarterback
Score: 8.87
His sophomore season might not have gone entirely as planned, but by the end of it, the dual-threat weapon was once again firmly in control of Ohio State's vaunted attack and piling up touchdowns. Healthy and freed from a quarterback battle, he's poised for another record-breaking campaign.
Nick Chubb
Georgia Bulldogs
Junior | Running Back
Score: 8.90
Despite suffering a horrific knee injury in the middle of last season, Chubb's rehab is reportedly way ahead of schedule. In two seasons, Chubb has rushed for 2,294 yards and 21 touchdowns. Chubb's 9.5 yards per carry outside of the tackles in 2015 was the second most in the Power 5.
100-91 | 90-81 | 80-71 | 70-61 | 60-51 |50-41 | 40-31 |30-21 | 20-11 | 10-1
Voters: Andrea Adelson, Edward Aschoff, Brian Bennett, Kyle Bonagura, David Ching, Heather Dinich, Matt Fortuna, Kevin Gemmell, David Hale, Travis Haney, Brock Huard, Chantel Jennings, Sharon Katz, Sam Khan Jr., David Lombardi, Chris Low, Tom Luginbill, Ivan Maisel, Ryan McGee, Erik McKinney, Ted Miller, Dan Murphy, Max Olson, Greg Ostendorf, Adam Rittenberg, Alex Scarborough, Jared Shanker, Mitch Sherman, Phil Steele, Jake Trotter, Tom VanHaaren, Austin Ward