We set out on the annual impossible task of projecting the 100 best players in college football ahead of the upcoming season. In constructing our rankings, the most important factor we assess is how significantly each player’s production will impact his team’s success this season—not how good he was last year, where he sat on 2017 statistical leaderboards or what type of NFL draft prospect he is (although those other things often have a way of lining up). Put another way, this list is forward-looking, but not too forward-looking. If you don’t see your team’s rising star on this list, check out our breakdown of this year’s toughest snubs before you head for our mentions.

Revisiting SI's 2017 Ranking of the Top 100 College Football Players: Who Did We Get Wrong?