We're taking a look at the 25 college football programs with the most NFL-caliber talent heading into the 2016 season.
Here are the teams ranked Nos. 6-10.
6. Michigan
Players to watch: TE Jake Butt, DE Taco Charlton, WR Jehu Chesson, CB Jeremy Clark, C Mason Cole, WR Amara Darboh, OG Kyle Kalis, CB Jourdan Lewis, OT Erik Magnuson, S Jabrill Peppers, RB De'Veon Smith, DL Chris Wormley
The outlook: Jim Harbaugh has wasted no time turning the Wolverines into a recruiting power, but he also has helped veterans reach their potential. Wormley, Charlton, Maurice Hurst and Ryan Glasgow make up a strong defensive line, which will only make the talented cornerback duo of Lewis and Clark better. Peppers has looked the part of a top-five national recruit so far, starring on offense, defense and special teams. If Houston transfer QB John O'Korn performs as well as Jake Rudock did last season under Harbaugh's tutelage, then Chesson and Butt will have career years.
Newcomer in the spotlight: DT Rashan Gary -- The guy everyone wanted last spring ended up signing with Harbaugh. His strength and athleticism will make him a tough sit this season, as a lot of upperclassmen don't have the skills of this 6-foot-5, 290-pound lineman. Gary can play any spot on the line, making him a valuable swing player as a freshman.
7. Ohio State
Players to watch: QB J.T. Barrett, C Pat Elflein, DE Sam Hubbard, DE Tyquan Lewis, MLB Raekwon McMillan, OG Billy Price, RB Curtis Samuel
The outlook: The Buckeyes return just five starters from last year's team, and lost stars in running back Ezekiel Elliott and Joey Bosa. But Urban Meyer usually has a few tricks up his sleeve, as well as a wealth of talent from his annual top-five recruiting hauls. Barrett is among the top QBs to watch in CFB, and he could post huge numbers. The run game should be fine, thanks in part to the presence of Elflein (who is moving to center) and Price, and young linemen like Jamarco Jones, who are ready to step up. McMillan's the leader of the defense, which needs one badly considering the lack of experience in the back seven. I expect LB Dante Booker, S Cam Burrows and others to show that they are the next generation of excellent Buckeyes defenders, which will push OSU back toward the top of this list for 2017.
Newcomer in the spotlight: DE Nick Bosa -- Hubbard and Lewis are expected to start at defensive end, but Bosa is a clone of his All-American brother, Joey. Expectations will be high for him, and he'll likely find the field more each game as the season unfolds. However, if Bosa can't come back fully from the torn ACL he suffered in high school, then all eyes will be on freshman offensive tackle Michael Jordan and freshman running back Mike Weber to be the next great Buckeyes at those spots.
8. Notre Dame
Players to watch: RB Josh Adams, RB Tarean Folston, WR Torii Hunter Jr., QB DeShone Kizer, DT Jarron Jones, CB Cole Luke, OT Mike McGlinchey, DE Isaac Rochell, DE Andrew Trumbetti, QB Malik Zaire
The outlook:Â They have a fascinating quarterback competition between Kizer and Zaire, as well as a strong duo in the backfield in Adams and Folston. Add in Hunter, and you're looking at a dangerous offense ... if McGlinchey can lead an inexperienced line. Coach Brian Kelly has to replace difference-makers on defense this year. Rochell and Trumbetti are strong on the edge, and Jones hopes to return to his dominant form after a knee injury sidelined him last year. Look for young talents like LB Nyles Morgan and CB Nick Watkins to step up, as well.
Newcomer in the spotlight: LB Asmar Bilal -- With Jaylon Smith moving on, the Irish need a new playmaker on the second level of the defense. Bilal is an athletic, quick defender who earned enough points in practices to take the Scout Team Defensive Player of the Year award. Now he's looking to make the next step.
9. Texas A&M
Players to watch: S Justin Evans, DE Myles Garrett, OT Avery Gennesy, DE Daeshon Hall, WR Christian Kirk, DT Daylon Mack, WR Speedy Noil, WR Josh Reynolds, WR Ricky Seals-Jones, S Armani Watts
The outlook: Kevin Sumlin has made College Station a destination for NFL scouts with outstanding recruiting classes in the past four years. Offensive line coaches like heading to campus, as well, because the Aggies produced first-round talents in the last four drafts: Luke Joeckel, Jake Matthews, Cedric Ogbuehi and Germain Ifedi. Gennesy was a junior-college transfer, giving Sumlin the luxury of playing Ifedi on the right side in 2015. TAMU has one of the best defensive lines in the country, with Garrett, Hall and the irrepressible Mack terrorizing offenses across the SEC. Add in transfers like quarterback Trevor Knight, running back Keith Ford and cornerback Priest Willis, and Sumlin's accumulated talent from just about every place imaginable.
Newcomer in the spotlight: DE Justin Madubuike -- This Texas native figures to take the helm from Hall in 2017, but should find his way onto the field this year as part of a rotation to keep the veterans fresh. While he's not as tall as Garrett or Hall, Madubuike's motor and get-off will serve his new school well.
10. Louisville
Players to watch: DT DeAngelo Brown, DE Devonte Fields, S/LB Josh Harvey-Clemons, TE Cole Hikutini, QB Lamar Jackson, LB Keith Kelsey, WR James Quick, WR Jamari Staples, TE Keith Towbridge, CB Trumaine Washington, CB Shaq Wiggins
The outlook: Under Charlie Strong and Bobby Petrino, the Cardinals have been a true conference power on the gridiron. The Cardinals had the second-most players drafted over the past two years (Florida State, 11; Louisville, 10). Transfers have played a major role, with Fields returning to the dominant form he had at TCU, Harvey-Clemons (Georgia) working as a safety/linebacker, Wiggins (Georgia) locking down one side of the field and Staples starting to fulfill the potential that UAB saw in him before it shut down the program. Jackson played very well in his freshman year, and should be even better with all of that receiving talent around him.
Newcomer in the spotlight: K/P Austin Johnson -- With the Cardinals needing to replace both their kicker and punter in 2016, Johnson has the ability to perform both tasks. His brother, Ryan, was the team's punter from 2012 to 2014, and his father was an all-conference punter at Eastern Kentucky. Johnson's contributions on special teams will be crucial.
Follow Chad Reuter on Twitter _@chadreuter_.
