2012 Big Ten Preview: Montee Ball and the Top Ten Big Ten Players

With college football only three months away, the discussion over the best Big Ten players is rapidly brewing.  I have composed a list of the top ten players in the conference that will have the biggest impact on the direction of their respective team's season.

Wisconsin and Michigan State are the only teams on the list with multiple players in the top ten, which is not surprising because they are two of the best teams in the conference.

10. Jonathan Brown—LB, Illinois

Illinois had one of the best defenses in the Big Ten and Jonathan Brown had a large impact on that ranking.  Although the Illini had a disappointing season capped off with a bowl win, Brown thrived in Vic Koenning's defensive system.

Brown had an outstanding sophomore campaign, leading the Illini in tackles with 108 and was second in the Big Ten in tackles for loss with 19.5.  He also accumulated six sacks for Illinois.

For the Illini to have any success this year, even though it is going to be a transition year, Brown needs to come up big.  He has outstanding talent and he will have to be the leader on defense in the upcoming season.

9. Le'Veon Bell—RB, Michigan State

After being in the shadows of teammate and fellow running back Edwin Baker in his freshman campaign, Le'Veon Bell had a breakout 2011 season for the Spartans as a sophomore.

Bell rushed for 948 yards and averaged nearly six yards per carry with 13 touchdowns on the season.  He also proved that he can catch out of the backfield, racking up 267 yards receiving.

Le'Veon Bell is known for his devastating spin moves and his 6'2", 237-pound frame that punishes opponents. He will need to punish even more opponents this season to give the young Spartan offense a strong running attack.

8. Kawann Short—DT, Purdue

Purdue, although not one of the strongest teams in the conference, has a defensive gem in Kawann Short. 

The 6'3", 310-pound defensive tackle was a force on the Boilermaker defense last season, tallying 54 tackles and 6.5 sacks.  He has plenty of room for improvement but also has plenty of potential. 

He is easily one of the conference's best all-around defensive lineman.

7. Denard Robinson—QB, Michigan

Yes, Denard Robinson does not have the best throwing arm in the conference; in fact, that is his weak spot, but he is one of the most athletic players in the country.

Denard Robinson, or "Shoelace", has made a name for himself by showing his explosiveness for a quarterback.  He has broken many quarterback rushing records and it's not hard to see why.

The explosive Wolverine had just 2,200 yards passing last season, but he also accumulated 1,200 yards rushing, which was down almost 600 yards from his previous season.  The Wolverine offense will need him to do well because the Michigan offense runs as Denard runs—literally.

6. Gerald Hodges—LB, Penn State

The Nittany Lions encountered tragedy last season with the passing of great coach Joe Paterno.  Gerald Hodges seemed to bottle his team's frustrations into a dominant season.

Hodges is at the right school because Penn State is known for their great linebackers and he is just one more on a long list.  He had 97 tackles last season and also 4.5 sacks.

He is a force to be reckoned with and not many teams will be able to get past the line of scrimmage because he seems to find the hole and plug it with his 6'2", 234-pound frame.  Penn State will rely on him to deliver this season which will most likely be a tougher season for the team searching for an identity.

5. Chris Borland—LB, Wisconsin

Wisconsin had a great 2011 season, making it to the Rose Bowl for the second consecutive year.  Chris Borland made sure that Wisconsin's defense was strong enough to get them there.

He has the talent to dominate opponents and take over football games from the defensive side of the ball.  He is on the watch list for the Butkus Award that goes to the nation's best linebacker.

In 2011, he had 143 tackles and 2.5 sacks, while also intercepting two passes.  He has proved his talent throughout his college career, being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2009 and being named to First Team All-Big Ten in 2011.

He will be forced to lead the Badger defense in 2012 and will look to have the same success he had in 2011.

4. William Gholston—DE, Michigan State

William Gholston is a beast.  It's as simple as that.  He is a modest 6'7", 280 pounds of pure muscle and easily one of the best draft prospects in 2012. 

He came to East Lansing two years ago having high expectations.  In his sophomore season he emerged as one of the stars of the Spartan defense.  He recorded 67 tackles and five sacks last season, even having missed two games.

He had a rough game against the Michigan Wolverines last year when he lost his composure and racked up the personal fouls but if he can keep his cool this year he should be the force that keeps Michigan State's engine running.

3. Rex Burkhead—RB, Nebraska

Rex Burkhead is simply underrated.  It seemed as if Nebraska's transition into Big Ten play would be difficult, but Burkhead showed that he belonged in the conference and he flourished.

Burkhead set new personal records in rushing attempts, yards rushing and rushing touchdowns in 2011.  He rushed for over 1,300 yards and had seven games of at least 100 rushing yards.

Although he doesn't break into many long runs, he is a tank in the Nebraska's offense and shows he can carry a heavy workload and gain positive yardage.  Look for him to have a huge season for the Cornhuskers in 2012.

2. John Simon—DE, Ohio State

John Simon is your typical Big Ten defensive end.  He's rough and tough and plays the game the right way.  He has made a splash on an otherwise unsettled Columbus campus. 

He finished the 2011 season with 53 tackles and seven sacks.  He is quick off the ball and requires a lot of attention from the offensive line. 

He had a few too many off-games last season and he will need to be more consistent in 2012 if he wants to lead Urban Meyer's Buckeyes to a possible Big Ten Championship.  He has plenty of potential that Meyer will most likely put to good use in the fall.

1. Montee Ball—RB, Wisconsin

If you don't know about Montee Ball, then you simply haven't been paying attention to college football.  He was one of the Heisman Trophy finalists in the 2011 season and was a touchdown machine.

Ball racked up 39 total touchdowns last season.  He scored 33 of his touchdowns on the ground to go along with 1,923 rushing yards.  He was the epitome of a workhorse for the Big Ten champion Badgers.

If he can put up anywhere near the same numbers he put up in the 2011 season, Ball will be considered a Heisman favorite and it would not surprise anyone if he took the trophy home.  There is no panic in Madison over the loss of quarterback Russell Wilson because this man can put Wisconsin on the scoreboard with regularity.