Early Preview of Big Ten Football's Top 2016 NFL Draft Prospects
With the 2015 college football season in the books, many of the sport's now-former stars find themselves preparing for their professional careers. This weekend will mark the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which will be followed by the NFL Scouting Combine and eventually pro days and team workout sessions.
By the time the first round of the draft arrives on April 28, its prospects will have been dissected for months. The Big Ten will have a heavy presence throughout the process as well, with no shortage of highly touted players from the conference prepared to begin their pro careers.
Many of those prospects will hail from Ohio State, which has a legitimate shot to tie or break the NFL draft's record for players from one school (6, ) selected in the first round. But the entirety of the draft will feature plenty of Big Ten flavor, including major prospects from both Michigan State and Penn State.
With that in mind, let's take an early look at the Big Ten's top prospects in the upcoming draft.
Penn State Quarterback Christian Hackenberg
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Arguably the most polarizing prospect in the draft, Christian Hackenberg has showed all the tools necessary for becoming a franchise quarterback at the next level.
The only problem is that the former Penn State signal-caller did so often as a true freshman, and then very sparingly over the remainder of his college career.
After winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors in 2013 while playing in head coach Bill O'Brien's pro-style system, the 6'4", 228-pounder seemingly regressed under the direction of head coach James Franklin in 2014 and 2015. Hackenberg never matched the 20 touchdowns he threw as a freshman throughout the rest of his time in Happy Valley, and he threw more interceptions (15) than touchdowns (12) as a sophomore in 2014.
Nevertheless, Hackenberg's physical ability—as well as what he was able to do under O'Brien—makes him an intriguing prospect. Bleacher Report NFL Draft Lead Writer Matt Miller ranked the Palmyra, Virginia, native as his No. 58 player and fourth overall quarterback prospect in his most recent rankings.
With a ceiling that would seem to indicate the late first round of the draft and a floor that could move him to the front end of the draft's third day, much of Hackenberg's final draft stock will depend on how he fares throughout the upcoming draft process. Perhaps a reunion with O'Brien could be in order, as his Houston Texans are certainly in the market to add a signal-caller to their roster.
Penn State Defensive Lineman Austin Johnson
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While Carl Nassib may have grabbed the headlines and the awards, Austin Johnson was the Penn State defensive lineman who caught the attention of the NFL in 2015.
An early entrant in this year's draft, the 6'4", 323-pound defensive tackle recorded 78 tackles in his junior season, 15 of which came for a loss, to go along with 6.5 sacks. That type of playmaking ability on the defensive line is valued heavily in the NFL and makes Johnson a player to watch throughout the draft process.
As it currently stands, Miller ranks Johnson as his No. 7 defensive lineman and No. 47 overall prospect in the upcoming draft. The Galloway, New Jersey, native will have the opportunity to improve his stock in the coming months, particularly at the combine, where his strength testing could move him up teams' draft boards.
At this point, it's hard to imagine Johnson sliding out of the second round, especially considering the premium placed on defensive linemen in the professional ranks. That line of thinking could also ultimately move him into the back end of the first round depending on how he performs throughout the process in the coming months.
Michigan State Defensive End Shilique Calhoun
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After bypassing the opportunity to enter the 2015 NFL draft, where he very well could have been a first-round selection, Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun now finds himself preparing for the draft process following a remarkable career in East Lansing.
But with more time on the field in college, the more scouts have been able to pick apart the 6'5", 250-pounder, whose status as a first-round pick remains very much in doubt heading into what some call the "silly season."
After recording career highs of 49 tackles, 15 of which came for a loss, and 10.5 sacks while helping lead the Spartans to the College Football Playoff, Calhoun finds himself ranked as Miller's No. 7 edge-rusher and No. 44 overall prospect in the upcoming draft. A wrist injury will prevent the Middletown, New Jersey, native from participating in this weekend's Senior Bowl, which would have served as an opportunity to showcase his versatility, as he's currently viewed as a tweener defensive end/outside linebacker.
"We were hoping he would come because he wants to play outside linebacker and he’s been a defensive end at Michigan State," Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage said, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
That means come the combine and pro day after that, Calhoun will need to prove that he's capable of playing multiple positions and dropping into coverage on a consistent basis. That could prove to be a tall task, but the three-time All-Big Ten performer's resume makes it highly unlikely he'd slip past the draft's second round.
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Ohio State Linebacker Joshua Perry
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Turning in one of the more productive careers of any linebacker in Ohio State history, Joshua Perry enters the draft as a player with plenty to prove throughout the draft process.
While his numbers (229 total tackles, 16 of which came for a loss, and 6.5 sacks in the past two seasons) would seem to indicate a first-round talent, the Galena, Ohio, native finds himself on the fringe of the early half of the second round. Miller currently ranks Perry as his No. 6 linebacker and No. 39 overall prospect heading into the draft process.
At 6'4" and 252 pounds, Perry possesses solid size and the ability to be used as an edge-rusher, something the Buckeyes toyed with throughout the 2015 season. Forced to withdraw from Senior Bowl due to a groin injury, Perry was hoping to prove that he's capable in coverage and can be used as an every-down linebacker in any defensive scheme.
"Perry looks like a DeMeco Ryans clone, only slightly bigger," wrote NJ.com's Eliot Shorr-Parks from Mobile. "Projected to go in the second round, but helped himself at the weigh-in.
Right now, Perry seems likely to land in the draft's second round. But he could also prove to be a workout warrior and sneak into the back end of the first round in the coming months.
Ohio State Safety Vonn Bell
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A former 5-star prospect, it'd be tough to argue that Vonn Bell didn't live up to the hype throughout his three seasons at Ohio State. The Rossville, Georgia, native was a key cog on the Buckeyes' national championship defense in 2014 and earned first-team All-Big Ten honors as a junior in 2015.
As a result, Bell finds himself as Miller's top-ranked strong safety prospect and No. 32 overall prospect in the upcoming draft. In his most recent mock draft, Miller pegs Bell to be a first-round selection, taken No. 28 overall by the Cincinnati Bengals.
"Given his ability to lock up tight ends and stuff the run," Miller wrote of Bell, "he's a fantastic fit in the Bengals secondary."
Whether or not Bell will find himself picked in the draft's first round or have to wait until Round 2 to hear his name called remains to be seen. While he may not play a premium position, Bell has the size (5'11", 200 pounds) and playmaking ability (nine career interceptions) to make him a first-round pick.
Ohio State Linebacker Darron Lee
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Three years ago, Darron Lee arrived at Ohio State as a former high school quarterback who had to earn his scholarship offer from the Buckeyes on the summer camp circuit.
Today, the New Albany, Ohio, product finds himself as a potential first-round pick and arguably the outside linebacker who possesses the most upside in the upcoming draft.
After his breakout season in 2014 coincided with a run to the College Football Playoff National Championship and a strong showing in his sophomore season, the 6'2", 228-pound Lee is one of nine early entrants from Ohio State in this year's draft. Lee could be one of the first Buckeyes off the board this April as well, with Miller ranking him as his No. 4 linebacker and No. 27 overall prospect in the draft.
In his most recent mock draft, Miller projected Lee to be taken by the Atlanta Falcons with the draft's No. 17 pick.
"Lee's best fit is likely as a sub-package linebacker who can rush the quarterback, cover tight ends and attack in space," Miller wrote. "He's fast, energetic and a playmaker on defense."
Lee's smaller size could cause questions, but it never seemed to be an issue for the onetime safety during Big Ten or postseason play. The second-team All-Big Ten selection compares favorably to former Buckeye Ryan Shazier, who has gone on to star with the Pittsburgh Steelers since they selected him with the No. 15 pick of the 2014 draft.
Ohio State Cornerback Eli Apple
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Like Lee, Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple emerged as a redshirt freshman to help lead the Buckeyes to a national championship in 2014.
And also like Lee, Apple could very well find himself a first-round selection in the upcoming draft.
After defending seven passes and recording an interception as a sophomore in 2015, Apple ranks as Miller's No. 4 cornerback and No. 26 overall prospect in the 2016 draft. In his most recent mock draft, Miller slots the New Jersey native as the No. 18 pick, selected by the Indianapolis Colts, who already possess star cornerback and fellow Big Ten alum Vontae Davis in their secondary.
"Fixing a big hole in the secondary with a long, speedy, man-coverage specialist in Eli Apple will give the Colts a one-two punch at cornerback that allows them to compete with the best teams in the league," Miller writes.
Playing a premium position, Apple could hear his name called even sooner should a run on cornerbacks occur earlier in the draft. His size (6'1", 198 pounds) makes him an intriguing prospect given his ability to match up with several different types of receivers.
Ohio State Offensive Tackle Taylor Decker
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A three-year starter on Ohio State's offensive line, Taylor Decker could have opted to enter last year's draft, but instead decided to return to Columbus for his senior season.
It proved to be a savvy move for the 6'7", 315-pound left tackle, who now founds himself a likely first-round pick in the upcoming draft.
Ranked by Miller as his No. 25 overall prospect and the No. 4 offensive tackle, it's unlikely that Decker will escape the draft's first round. Miller currently projects the Buffalo Bills to take Decker with the draft's No. 19 pick.
"He's long, physical, powerful and well-coached coming out of the Buckeyes offense," Miller writes of Decker.
With the ability to play both tackle positions, Decker is one of the draft's more versatile offensive line prospects. He may have had to wait a year, but the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year's decision to return to school appears to already be paying dividends as far as his draft stock is concerned.
Michigan State Offensive Tackle Jack Conklin
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While Decker is one of the draft's top offensive line prospects, he may not even be the best in all of the Big Ten. That distinction could belong to Michigan State left tackle Jack Conklin, a former walk-on who now finds himself in line to be a first-round selection in the upcoming draft.
Miller's No. 3 offensive tackle prospect and 24th-ranked overall prospect in the 2016 draft, the 6'6", 325-pound Conklin was one of the lone bright spots for the Spartans in their 38-0 loss to Alabama in the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal. In his most recent mock draft, Miller projected Conklin to stay in-state and be selected by the Detroit Lions with the draft's No. 16 pick.
"The best left tackle prospect on the board is Michigan State's Jack Conklin," writes Miller. "He's a big, strong, smart, no-nonsense blocker."
Injuries plagued Conklin's junior season, and he'll spend the draft process attempting to prove that he's not only at full strength, but the draft's top offensive tackle prospect. That could prove to be a tall task, but Conklin's already made a habit of overcoming the odds.
Ohio State Wide Receiver Michael Thomas
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The nephew of former NFL star Keyshawn Johnson, it's highly unlikely that Michael Thomas will follow in his uncle's footsteps and become the top pick of his draft class, like Johnson was in 1996.
But there won't be any shortage of teams hoping to pick the Ohio State wide receiver and "give him the damn ball."
After recording 56 receptions for 781 yards and nine touchdowns in 2015, the 6'3", 209-pound Thomas ranks as Miller's No. 3 wide receiver and No. 17 overall prospect in the upcoming draft. In his most recent mock draft, Miller projects the Minnesota Vikings to take the Los Angeles, California, native with the draft's No. 27 pick.
"Adding a big playmaker at receiver opens things up," writes Miller. "And Michael Thomas is exactly the kind of big body that will attack the ball and help his quarterback out."
While Thomas' 2015 numbers may seem underwhelming, much of that can be blamed on the Buckeyes' inconsistent quarterback situation. His size and ability, however, should offer too much for Thomas to escape the draft's first round.
Ohio State Running Back Ezekiel Elliott
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While he may not have maintained his status as the Heisman Trophy front-runner, Ezekiel Elliott escaped 2015 as the NFL draft's top running back prospect, according to Miller. B/R's NFL Draft Lead Writer also pegs the St. Louis, Missouri, native as his No. 15 overall prospect, projecting the Houston Texas to select him with the draft's No. 26 pick.
"He's a true three-down running back with excellent inside-outside running skills, good hands and the best pass-protecting skills of any running back in this draft class," Miller writes.
Running back makes for a tricky position to project in the draft, especially as far as the first round is concerned. In 2014, no players at the position were selected in the first round, while last season, just two were taken.
But if there's one running back who has the potential to be picked in this year's first round, it's Elliott, who rushed for 1,821 yards and 27 touchdowns in 2015. It may be a matter of need that determines where Elliott is picked, but the 6'0", 225-pounder should be the first player at his position to come off the board this April.
Ohio State Defensive End Joey Bosa
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Miller's top-ranked edge-rusher and No. 3 overall prospect, Joey Bosa won't have to wait long to hear his name called during the first round of the 2016 draft.
In fact, he may not have to wait at all.
While Miller currently pegs Bosa to stay in-state and be selected by the Cleveland Browns with the draft's second pick, it wouldn't be a shock to see the Tennessee Titans take the Big Ten Defensive Lineman of the Year first overall. The 6'5", 278-pounder's numbers may have dipped in 2015 due to an increase in double-teams—and sometimes triple-teams—but he's remained highly thought of in NFL draft circles. As Miller writes:
"He’s arguably the best player in this draft class, and over the past two seasons he has shown the kind of production and potential to be worthy of a top overall selection. He’s a mix of Chris Long and Greg Hardy, even if some people want to compare him to J.J. Watt, and has an expert understanding of using his strength, quickness and length to impact the game.
If you want an impact player in Year 1, then you want Bosa.
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Whether the Titans will opt for that or put it in the Browns' hands to take Bosa remains to be seen. But Bosa is as close to a lock to be a top-five pick as you'll get in this year's draft.
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
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