The biggest game on the biggest stage comes down to which team makes the biggest plays. Here's a list of the top playmakers who could decide Monday's national championship:

11. Clemson tight end Jordan Leggett

Talent: Alabama hasn't seen many 6-5, 255-pound tight ends running like gazelles across the middle of the field. Leggett is a matchup nightmare, and he can move the chains or score TDs in the red zone.

Impact: Leggett has only caught four passes in the last two games, but in a contest where his QB will be under duress and looking to get rid of the ball in a hurry, he might be the perfect bailout option and a big factor in the game plan.

10. Alabama RB Kenyan Drake

Talent: The senior running back has sat behind some pretty good players during his career, but he's got the ability to post big plays. His acceleration and shifty feet make him tough to bring down, and he's most dangerous when he gets to the edge, where he can outrun a defense.

Impact: Drake isn't a workhorse like his starting teammate, but he can be extremely effective as a change-of-pace back. The Crimson Tide will use him in various ways, including the passing game.

9. Clemson LB Ben Boulware

Talent: Not the fastest, not the strongest, Boulware relies on a motor that never quits. He's got strong instincts and seems to be around the ball on just about every play. He reacts well and can get to a QB in a hurry.

Impact: When Clemson's D-line is on its game, passers make bad decisions. Alabama QB Jake Coker will likely give Boulware a chance to make a play, something this guy relishes.

8. Alabama CB/PR Cyrus Jones

Talent: Not the biggest guy on the field, but he'll be one of the toughest. At 5-10, 196 pounds, he'll struggle defending passes against tall receivers, but he's physical and quick, and he had a pick in the Cotton Bowl. When the ball is in his hands, he's got great field vision.

Impact: Clemson runs a lot of screens to receivers like Ray-Ray McCloud and Artavis Scott. If they run it to this guy's side, he can sniff it out in a hurry and is strong enough to level a pass catcher, but his biggest impact could come on punt returns. He's leads the nation with 518 yards on 41 returns and four TDs.

7. Clemson DT Christian Wilkins

Talent: This guy has that in spades. At 6-4, 315 pounds, the freshman has looked like anything but a freshman with his ability to move and get leverage against linemen. Also, he showed off his receiving game on a fake punt catch in the Orange Bowl.

Impact: Don't expect another pass to Wilkins, but Clemson will need a guy like this against Alabama. He can get in the backfield and help hit the Tide's top rusher before he squares his shoulders and runs down hill. This seems like a stage that suits a player ready to make a big name for himself.

6. Alabama LB Reggie Ragland

Talent: A big-time NFL prospect, Ragland is a terrific run stopper. He's technically sound, closes quickly and puts ball carriers on the ground in a hurry using great leverage.

Impact: The excellent, deep Alabama defensive line helps Ragland run around and cause chaos all over the field. He'll be especially critical in defending Clemson's dual-threat quarterback.

5. Clemson RB Wayne Gallman

Talent: Gallman runs high like Adrian Peterson and lowers the boom when needed. He can turn a 1-yard gain into three or four just by lunging with his 6-1 frame forward. Gallman has shown in the last two games that he can take over a game in the second half.

Impact: Against an Alabama defensive line that's being called one of the best ever, running straight up the middle will be a challenge. Gallman will have to show patience and might have get to the outside to find running lanes, like he did at Louisville.

4. Alabama WR Calvin Ridley

Talent: He's probably the best freshman receiver in the country. Ridley can blow by defensive backs and has the shiftiness of a Percy Harvin in traffic. The sky is the limit for this guy's future.

Impact: It's hard to think Clemson can just put Mackensie Alexander on him and be done with it. Ridley lines up in the slot and runs slants and can set up outside and catch balls along the sideline. He's the offense's prime jet-sweep option and pivotal in the screen game as well.

3. Clemson DE Shaq Lawson

Talent: When healthy (he suffered a knee injury in the Orange Bowl), Lawson is one of the best ends in the country. He's got good footwork, plenty of power and uses his hands well to get into the backfield in a hurry.

Impact: Lawson can be just as effective stopping the run as the pass, and his hard hits can leave a ball carrier hurting. He'll go up against one of the best O-lines he's seen all year, but Lawson is a big-game player, and if that knee isn't bothering him too much, he could make life difficult on the Tide.

2. Alabama RB Derrick Henry

Talent: A true beast at the position, the Heisman Trophy winner is a bruiser with speed. His 6-3, 242-pound frame punishes defenders and wears everybody down. Henry is the ultimate tough-guy and the featured skill player in this game.

Impact: A heavy dose of Henry is on the menu for Monday night. Alabama uses him as a battering ram and isn't afraid to give it to him in third-down situations; he's that though to tackle. Henry's an underrated receiver out of the backfield and difficult to defend in on screen passes.

1. Clemson QB Deshaun Watson

Talent: Arguably the best player on the field, Watson finished third to Henry for the Heisman, but he unlike his Alabama buddy, Watson touches the ball every single time. Watson can rush for 100 yards, throw for 300 or both. He makes excellent decisions both before and after the snap.

Impact: Alabama has no plans to let Watson rush for 145 yards like he did in the Orange Bowl. If the Tide scheme to keep him in the pocket and force him to throw, Watson can move the ball with quick throws and deep balls — but he'll have to be accurate. Ultimately, what he does when the play breaks down likely decides Clemson's fate in this game.