Ranking the top 50 players in college football: 40-31

theScore's top 50 players in college football list was voted on by Mike Alessandrini, Dane Belbeck, Alex Chippin, Mike Dickson, and Michael McClymont.

The NFL draft snagged some talent and graduation took a toll, but college football is never short on stars.

Ranking the top 50 players in college football:
50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11, 10-1

40. OT Trey Adams - Washington

The athletic lineman will be returning from a torn ACL suffered last October. If fully recovered, the left tackle could prove pivotal for a Washington offense also welcoming back star quarterback Jake Browning and running back Myles Gaskin.

39. RB David Montgomery - Iowa State

A breakout star in 2017, it'll be interesting to see what Montgomery can do with a target on his back. He's entering his junior year fresh off running through the competition in the Big 12. He led the nation in forced missed tackles.

38. DE Chase Winovich - Michigan

Winovich could have made the leap to the pros, but he elected to return to school for a fifth year to help return Michigan to glory. After a couple of position changes, he's found his niche as a pass-rusher, a distinction that could make him a very rich man at the NFL level if he can replicate his performance from 2017 (77 tackles, 8 sacks).

37. QB Tua Tagovailoa - Alabama

Entering 2018, the biggest storyline centers around Alabama's quarterback battle. Tagovailoa may be severely undervalued on this list if he beats out Jalen Hurts for the starting job and proceeds to show his national title game performance in 2017 was not a mirage.

36. OT David Edwards - Wisconsin

Edwards received All-American consideration after paving the way for Jonathan Taylor from the right side of the line. He's now among the biggest offensive line prospects and an anchor for one of the top running games in the country.

35. WR N'Keal Harry - Arizona State

Harry's name is gaining traction as a future first-round draft pick, and potentially the first receiver to be taken off the board in next year's NFL draft. The 6-foot-4 wideout has two strong seasons under his belt and is looking to recreate the magic with quarterback Manny Wilkins in his junior campaign.

34. RB Myles Gaskin - Washington

Rather than declare for the draft with a loaded group of running backs, Gaskin opted for another year with the Huskies. He nearly notched a third consecutive season of 1,300-plus rushing yards and improved his rushing average to a stunning 6.2 yards per carry. He's looking to get Washington back in the national title conversation.

33. LB Cameron Smith - USC

USC has its defensive captain back as Smith chose to return for his senior season. The Trojans will be beginning anew on the offensive side of the ball without Sam Darnold, but they'll have a familiar face in the middle of their defense.

32. LB Shaq Quarterman - Miami

Shaq is making a strong case to be the next in a long line of vaunted linebackers produced by the U. Quarterman and the Canes' suffocating defense had Miami challenging for a spot in the College Football Playoff. With another year of continuity, he could emerge as one of the country's best defenders.

31. RB J.K. Dobbins - Ohio State

What can he do for an encore? Dobbins ran for nearly 1,400 yards in his freshman season. This year, his production may be lessened by the return of Mike Weber, but as he proved last season, Dobbins doesn't need the ball often to impact a game. He averaged just 13 carries per contest in 2017.

Ranking the top 50 players in college football:
50-41, 40-31, 30-21, 20-11, 10-1

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)