Who will be the best players in college football in 2017?

To determine this, ESPN formed a panel of writers, reporters, analysts and Insiders to rank the top 50, which we'll count down from No. 50 to No. 1 over two days.

To compile CFBRank, we collaborated with Microsoft Research and The Wharton School, and polled 19 ESPN experts who voted in thousands of head-to-head matchups. After five days of voting, we have our results.

Here's a look at players 50-26.

Tarvarus McFadden

Florida State

Junior | Defensive Back

McFadden overcame a rocky start to last season to emerge as one of the best cornerbacks in the country. He recorded eight interceptions, tied for the most in the country and second most in school history. After sitting out the spring with a shoulder injury, McFadden is healthy for fall and looking for an even bigger season.

Josh Sweat

Florida State

Junior | Defensive End

Banged up early last season, Sweat finished with seven sacks in the final eight weeks of the season, leading many to believe this would be his best season yet. Finally fully healthy, there will be plenty of opportunities to emerge as the team's sack leader with Demarcus Walker gone.

Nick Chubb

Georgia

Senior | Running Back

If you were wondering how Chubb's leg would hold up after that vicious injury as a sophomore, worry no more. He definitely shook off the rust as a junior, rushing for 1,130 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

Nick Chubb came back from a brutal ACL injury to rush for more than 1,100 yards in 2016. Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports

Jarrett Stidham

Auburn

Sophomore | Quarterback

Let the Heisman buzz begin. After a year in exile, the former Baylor QB landed at Auburn where he could be the ultimate weapon in Gus Malzahn's offense -- an accurate, strong-armed passer with the mobility to escape the pocket.

Josh Allen

Wyoming

Junior | Quarterback

Two years ago, he had trouble finding a FBS scholarship offer, but now Allen is prominently on the radar of NFL scouts. Games against Iowa and Oregon will give him a chance to prove himself against Power 5 competition.

James Washington

Oklahoma State

Senior | Wide Receiver

Washington, who is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons, has already produced a dozen 100-yard receiving outings in his career.

Arden Key

LSU

Junior | Defensive End

While Key has to answer questions off the field given his absence from spring practice, no one doubts what he's capable of with his hand in the dirt rushing the passer. With Myles Garrett gone, Key could lead the league in sacks.

LSU's Arden Key was one of the game's fiercest pass-rushers last night, recording 12 sacks on the year. Gerald Herbert/AP, File

Calvin Ridley

Alabama

Junior | Wide Receiver

Think of Ridley as Amari Cooper's clone. They're both the same size, and were equally productive in their first two seasons at Alabama. Entering his junior year, Ridley already has 161 catches, 1,184 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Dexter Lawrence

Clemson

Sophomore | Defensive Tackle

The ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year last season is in line for an even bigger season in 2017, after he broke the school freshman record with seven sacks. Lawrence also had a whopping 79 tackles as an interior lineman. Though the 6-foot-5, 340-pounder brings strength and size, his athleticism is also striking for a tackle and is a big reason why he is such a big presence on the Clemson defense.

Josh Rosen

UCLA

Junior | Quarterback

He's undoubtedly one of the most talented quarterbacks in college football and a top NFL draft prospect. Is this the year that talent helps result in team success?

Harold Landry

Boston College

Senior | Defensive End

Landry led the nation last season with seven forced fumbles and 16.5 sacks and returns for his senior season with one major goal: prove that he can play both defensive end and outside linebacker.

Jake Browning

Washington

Junior | Quarterback

After winning the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year award while leading Washington to the College Football Playoff, what will Browning do for an encore?

Jake Browning will need to be even better than he was last season if the Huskies are to make a return trip to the College Football Playoff. Jennifer Buchanan/USA TODAY Sports

J.T. Barrett

Ohio State

Senior | Quarterback

With 100 career touchdowns already behind him and the promise of a revamped offense ahead of him, Barrett should be primed for another big season -- and possibly another trip to the College Football Playoff.

Mason Rudolph

Oklahoma State

Senior | Quarterback

Rudolph was one of just eight 4,000-yard passers last season, and of the eight, he threw the fewest interceptions with only four.

Deondre Francois

Florida State

Sophomore | Quarterback

Perhaps the most impressive part about his debut season was the way he kept getting up after taking one punishing hit after the next. Then when you look at the stats -- 3,350 yards passing, 20 touchdowns -- they look even more impressive. With Dalvin Cook off to the NFL, all eyes will be on Francois to lead a team with championship aspirations.

Trace McSorley

Penn State

Senior | Quarterback

Penn State's offense transformed into a juggernaut when the coaching staff started using McSorley in the run game last season. His arm (12 passing touchdowns in the Nittany Lions' past three games) isn't bad either.

Ed Oliver

Houston

Sophomore | Defensive Tackle

Oliver was arguably the top true freshman defender in the country in 2016, earning first-team All-American honors while racking up 47 solo tackles, second-most of any defensive lineman.

Ed Oliver was so good this year he had no trouble chasing down Heisman favorite Lamar Jackson in the Cougars big win over Louisville. Eric Christian Smith/AP Photo

Christian Wilkins

Clemson

Junior | Defensive Lineman

Back at his natural position on the interior of the defensive line, Wilkins believes he has not yet reached his full potential. That's a scary proposition for defenses, considering Wilkins wreaked havoc at the end last year with 13 tackles for loss and 20 quarterback pressures.

Minkah Fitzpatrick

Alabama

Junior | Defensive Back

He can play cornerback, safety and nickel. And he can play them all at an All-American level. In two seasons, the DB has 111 tackles and eight interceptions. What's more, he has scored four touchdowns on defense.

Lamar Jackson

Louisville

Junior | Quarterback

The reigning Heisman Trophy winner has put on 10 pounds and spent the entire offseason working on a new repertoire that he believes will make him better: snaps from under center, making checks and calls at the line, and maintaining a pocket presence.

Derrius Guice

LSU

Junior | Running Back

If you need to replace Leonard Fournette, it's good to have someone like Guice around. The Baton Rouge native stepped in for an injured Fournette and shined last season, rushing for 1,385 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Saquon Barkley

Penn State

Junior | Running Back

One of the country's most freakish running backs will be the centerpiece for one of the country's most entertaining offenses in 2017. Barkley is hoping to bring State College its first Heisman since 1973.

Baker Mayfield

Oklahoma

Senior | Quarterback

Mayfield, who owns 27 career wins as a starting QB, could become the second player since the 1940s to finish in the top four of the Heisman voting three times.

After back-to-back top-four Heisman finishes, can Baker Mayfield take the trophy home in 2017? Photo by Brett Deering/Getty Images

Sam Darnold

USC

Sophomore | Quarterback

Darnold capped his redshirt freshman year with one of the all-time great performances in the Rose Bowl and is the main reason USC is a legitimate national title contender.

Derwin James

Florida State

Junior | Defensive Back

Perhaps the most versatile player in college football, expectations for James are skyrocketing after an offseason spent rehabbing his knee and learning nearly every position on defense. Expect him to line up at his usual safety spot, while also playing cornerback, linebacker and some defensive end.

Voters: Andrea Adelson, Kyle Bonagura, Heather Dinich, Brad Edwards, Chris Fallica, David Hale, Sam Khan Jr., Chris Low, Ivan Maisel, Ryan McGee, Dan Murphy, Adam Rittenberg, Alex Scarborough, Mark Schlabach, Mitch Sherman, Phil Steele, Jake Trotter, Tom vanHaaren and Seth Walder.