Wisconsin's 2018 football season is right around the corner, so BadgerBlitz.com contributors Jon McNamara, John Veldhuis, Jon Gorman and Jonathan Mills ranked the Top 30 players who we think are the keys to success for Paul Chryst's squad this year.

Playing time, past performance and positional depth all factored in to our individual rankings, which were combined into a final score.

30: CHRIS JAMES / 29: ANTHONY LOTTI / 28: JAKE FERGUSON / 27: ALEC INGOLD / 26: BRYSON WILLIAMS / 25: MADISON CONE / 24: RAFAEL GAGLIANONE / 23: BEAU BENZSCHAWEL

If we're all being honest, the Badgers probably weren't expecting redshirt freshman defensive end Aaron Vopal to have to shoulder a starter's workload in 2018. At the end of spring camp Vopal looked like a developmental piece - someone who could play on the second team and give the defense valuable reps while spelling the starters.

But a lot can change during offseason conditioning. With junior defensive end Garrett Rand reportedly out for the season with an achilles injury and redshirt sophomore Isaiahh Loudermilk expected to miss at least part of the season with a recurring knee injury, Vopal might be getting a kind of battlefield promotion from the second team to the starting lineup.

That's a lot to ask of a player who has yet to play in a game for the Badgers, but Vopal had a good spring and was working hard to earn more playing time in the fall. With Rand out for the year and Loudermilk's timetable up in the air, the Badgers will need Vopal to become Mr. Reliable in the trenches - and hope that another one of their defensive ends is ready to step up as well.

Another redshirt freshman, this player wowed practice watchers during spring camp and seems like a safe bet to earn a starting spot in the fall.

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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.