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

The nose tackle position is the lynchpin of Wisconsin's 3-4 defensive scheme. If you don't have someone who can demand a double-team block up the middle, it's going to be hard for your outside linebackers and other pass rushers to get the matchups they are looking for when rushing the quarterback.Fortunately for the Badgers they have a solid starter at nose tackle in Olive Sagapolu, who will be entering his senior year in 2018 after starting during each of the last three seasons. He's been a reliable force for UW up the middle - but he's not going to be on campus forever.

That's where Bryson Williams comes in to the picture. A key part of UW's 2018 recruiting class, Williams enrolled early at UW for spring camp and is already physically ready to compete in the trenches at the college level. As long as Sagapolu stays healthy Williams will be able to work on the second team and give Sagapolu a breather every now and then, learning from the upperclassman how to be the man in the middle for the Badgers.

Now is the time for Williams to start growing in to a larger role - because this time next year there will be a changing of the guard at nose tackle, and the Badgers will need Williams to be ready.

This true sophomore could have redshirted in 2017, but earned valuable experience during his freshman season and could contend for a starting job in 2018.

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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.