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 43 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 2015 season.
Full player rankings:
1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50 | 51-60 | 61-70 | 71-80 | 81-90 | 91-100
21. Shawn Oakman
Baylor Bears
Senior | Defensive end
Score: 8.05
He looks big, talks big and plays big. At 6-foot-9, 280 pounds, few players can match the physical presence of Baylor's monster of a man. As a junior, Oakman was consistently disruptive with 19.5 tackles for loss and only three games without a tackle for loss during the 13-game season. He could be even better in 2015 after spurning the NFL to return to Waco for his senior season.
22. Deshaun Watson
Clemson Tigers
Sophomore | Quarterback
Score: 8.00
Watson didn't win the starting QB job out of camp last season, but it didn't take long for the true freshman to announce he was one of the best in the ACC. He nearly toppled Florida State in September, threw six touchdowns in his first start against UNC and ended the year by helping Clemson upend South Carolina for the first time since 2008. Watson's only flaw was a trio of injuries, including a torn ACL that required surgery at year's end.
23. Derrick Henry
Alabama Crimson Tide
Junior | Running back
Score: 7.98
Henry shared carries with T.J. Yeldon for the last two seasons, but even with Kenyan Drake's return from injury, this should be the year where Henry emerges as Alabama's lead back. The junior rushed for 990 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, and there were times when he seemed unstoppable. One example: the Ohio State game where he rushed for 95 yards, caught two passes for 54 yards and averaged 9.9 yards per touch.
24. Myles Garrett
Texas A&M Aggies
Sophomore | Defensive end
Score: 7.93
All Garrett did in his first season at Texas A&M was set a new SEC record for freshmen with 11.5 sacks. The former five-star prospect was an immediate force and should only continue to improve as he gains experience against the talented offensive tackles he'll face in the SEC. With new defensive coordinator John Chavis on board, Garrett and the A&M defense should be on the rise.
T-25. Su'a Cravens
USC Trojans
Junior | Linebacker
Score: 7.91
Whether he's at linebacker (his primary position) or at safety (his more natural fit), Cravens is the difference-maker on a talented Trojans defense. He moved to outside linebacker in 2014, with impressive results, after earning freshman All-American honors in 2013 playing strong safety. Consider this: Cravens led the Trojans in tackles for loss (17) and interceptions (three). The junior is a first-round talent headed into what will likely be his final year of college football.
T-25. Jaylon Smith
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Junior | Linebacker
Score: 7.91
The former five-star prospect has done nothing but live up to the hype since arriving at South Bend. Smith has started all 26 games through two years, tallying 179 total tackles -- including a team-best 112 last year -- with 15 of those stops coming behind the line of scrimmage. He cross-trained at both outside linebacker spots this spring, and his versatility should give a deep Irish linebacking corps plenty of options.
T-25. Laquon Treadwell
Ole Miss Rebels
Junior | Wide receiver
Score: 7.91
Although he suffered an ugly season-ending injury in Ole Miss' 2014 loss to Auburn, Treadwell should be ready when the Rebels open the season. That's great news, because the Rebels were not the same team without their star receiver in the lineup. Treadwell led the team with 48 receptions in 2014 despite appearing in just nine games. Expect him to finish with far more than last season's 632 receiving yards if he remains healthy.
28. Taylor Decker
Ohio State Buckeyes
Senior | Offensive tackle
Score: 7.88
Ohio State's deluge of points and yards during its national championship run last year wouldn't have been possible without Decker paving the way from his left tackle position. One of the strongest, toughest and most durable players on the team, the 6-8, 315-pound Decker quite literally leads the Buckeyes in many ways.
T-29. J.T. Barrett
Ohio State Buckeyes
Sophomore | Quarterback
Score: 7.86
As a virtual last-minute replacement for the injured Braxton Miller at quarterback last year, Barrett more than held down the fort. He set 19 school and Big Ten records during a season in which he produced 45 total touchdowns before breaking his ankle in the regular-season finale against Michigan. Ohio State is so ridiculously loaded at quarterback that Barrett -- No. 5 in last year's Heisman voting -- may not start this season.
T-29. Tyler Boyd
Pittsburgh Panthers
Junior | Wide receiver
Score: 7.86
That Boyd posted 78 catches, 1,261 receiving yards and eight touchdowns would be enough to warrant the hype, but that he did it as effectively Pitt's only weapon in the passing game is even more amazing. Boyd accounted for 52.2 percent of the Panthers' receiving yards -- by far the highest tally in the country. He's also a star on special teams, and Boyd is the only receiver returning for 2015 coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons.
Voters: Andrea Adelson, Dane Beavers, Brian Bennett, Kyle Bonagura, Ryan Canner-O'Mealy, Brandon Chatmon, David Ching, Chris Cotter, Jeremy Crabtree, Heather Dinich, Brad Edwards, Chris Fallica, Matt Fortuna, Kevin Gemmell, Travis Haney, Brock Huard, Chantel Jennings, KC Joyner, Sharon Katz, Sam Khan, David Lombardi, Chris Low, Greg McElroy, Erik McKinney, Ted Miller, Josh Moyer, Dan Murphy, Conor Nevins, Max Olson, Greg Ostendorf, Adam Rittenberg, Alex Scarborough, Joe Schad, Mark Schlabach, Jared Shanker, Mitch Sherman, Phil Steele, Joe Tessitore, Jake Trotter, Derek Tyson, Tom VanHaaren, Austin Ward, Jeremy Willis