Big Ten Football Top 150 Players: No. 100, Christian Bryant, Ohio State S

No. 100: Christian Bryant, #2, S, Ohio State
2011 Stats: 67 tackles, 8 passes broken up, 1 forced fumble

Strengths

Bryant is both athletic and aggressive, which a defensive-minded coach like Urban Meyer is going to need to see from his safeties. Brant was third in tackles for Ohio State last year with 67, and his eight pass breakups last led the team. It makes sense; Bryant was recruited as a cornerback (and has cornerback size at 5'10" and 190 pounds), but he's still a major factor in run support too. 

Weaknesses

Bryant's aggression comes at a cost. On Rex Burkhead's game-tying touchdown in Nebraska's comeback victory over Ohio State last year, that's Bryant flying past Burkhead—who doesn't exactly have world-class agility—when the initial catch is made. If Bryant plays that right, it's at best a loss of a yard.

Moreover, though Bryant came in as a cornerback, his pass-playing skills aren't as great as you'd expect. He still doesn't have an interception to his name (unless the spring game counts), and Ohio State's pass defense was jarringly average in 2011, 53rd in the nation, per the NCAA. Bryant needs to be a bigger factor here.

2012 Prediction

Bryant's still growing into his role at safety, and while Ohio State should certainly hope he's not the third-leading tackler again, 67 tackles is certainly not insurmountable. He needs to cut down on the bad reads and mistakes, because there's not a lot of polish to his game at this point, and it's painfully evident at times. But he's got as bright a future as nearly any defensive back in the conference.