Big Ten Football: Ranking the Top 15 Players Heading into 2015
Despite already being the home of the reigning national champion and first-ever winner of the College Football Playoff, the Big Ten is only looking to continue to improve its reputation heading into the 2015 season.
After being much-maligned for the better part of the past decade, the conference now appears to be on an upswing, thanks to Ohio State's 2014 postseason run, consecutive major bowl wins from Michigan State, a steady stream of success at Wisconsin, and Michigan and Penn State programs that appear to be on the rise.
While there's now plenty of star power to be found on the Big Ten sidelines in terms of head coaches, the players aren't too shabby either, as the conference will return an abundance of talent in the upcoming season.
With that in mind, here's a look at the top 15 players who will call the Big Ten home in 2015, chosen based on the player's overall impact on the rest of the league, with position, value to team and pro potential each taken into consideration.
15. Jabrill Peppers, Michigan
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Admittedly a pick based mostly on potential, Jabrill Peppers saw injuries rob him of what was one of the Big Ten's most anticipated freshman seasons in 2014. A former 5-star prospect, Peppers cracked the Wolverines' starting lineup as a nickelback on opening day, but he only appeared in three games after enduring an ankle injury that would lead to the New Jersey native obtaining a medical redshirt for the rest of the year.
Now back at full strength, Peppers appears poised for a breakout season after a strong spring in which he moved to safety. New Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has had nothing but praise for the highly touted Peppers, issuing him an "A-plus" grade for the Wolverines' spring session.
“That ‘it factor’ being a good football player," Harbaugh said while describing Peppers after the spring game. "Yeah, he’s a good football player."
14. Darron Lee, Ohio State
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After arriving at Ohio State as an unheralded prospect who played quarterback in high school, Darron Lee burst onto the scene in 2014 as a redshirt freshman and one of the league's top linebackers. Filling in for 2014 first-round pick Ryan Shazier, Lee recorded 81 tackles in his debut season, 16.5 of which came for a loss, and 7.5 sacks.
Perhaps more impressively, Lee played his best ball at the end of the year, earning Sugar Bowl defensive MVP honors after recording seven tackles and two sacks against Alabama in the playoff semifinal. That performance was enough for him to gain the attention of NFL scouts heading into his redshirt sophomore season, with ESPN's Todd McShay projecting him to be selected with the 30th pick in next year's draft.
13. William Likely, Maryland
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Despite measuring in at just 5'7" and 175 pounds, Maryland's William Likely was one of the Big Ten's best two-way players last season, starring on both defense and special teams.
As a cornerback, Likely received All-Big Ten honors, recording 83 tackles, a Big Ten-best six interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The Belle Glade, Florida, native also defended 15 passes on the year as a sophomore, the most of any player in the Big Ten.
As a return man, Likely proved almost equally effective, finishing fourth in the conference with a kick return average of 31 yards, including a 100-yard return for a touchdown against Stanford in the Foster Farms Bowl. Whether it be on defense of special teams, look for Likely to continue to look like one of the Big Ten's best in 2015.
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12. DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State
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While Leonte Carroo might be the most established wide receiver returning to the Big Ten, DaeSean Hamilton could be the league's most talented after proving to be a suitable replacement for Allen Robinson at Penn State in just one season. In his freshman campaign, Hamilton tallied 82 catches for 899 yards and two touchdowns en route to being named a second-team All-Big Ten selection.
With the Nittany Lions' increase in scholarship players expected to create an offensive jump in 2015, the 6'1", 203-pounder's numbers should only get better in his sophomore season. Ideally, Hamilton would find the end zone on a more consistent basis, as the Fredericksburg, Virginia, native will have to play a key role in quarterback Christian Hackenberg enjoying a bounce-back season.
11. Leonte Carroo, Rutgers
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The top returning receiver in the Big Ten, Rutgers' Leonte Carroo opted to bypass the 2015 NFL draft after tallying 55 catches for 1,086 yards and 10 touchdowns in his junior campaign. The Scarlet Knights will be breaking in a new quarterback following the departure of Gary Nova, but the presence of the 6'1", 205-pound Carroo should help make things easier for the new Rutgers signal-caller.
A first-team All-Big Ten selection a year ago, Carroo is currently projected by WalterFootball.com to land somewhere between the fourth and sixth round of next year's NFL draft. But another big year would likely move him up draft boards, as the Scarlet Knights look to build on their 8-5 debut season in the Big Ten.
10. Anthony Zettel, Penn State
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Despite playing on the interior of the Penn State defensive line at defensive tackle, Anthony Zettel put up numbers in 2014 that resembled that of a defensive end. In 13 games, the 6'4", 274-pounder recorded 42 tackles, 17 of which came for a loss, eight sacks and three interceptions.
Returning to help anchor a unit that lost a pair of starting defensive ends in Deion Barnes and C.J. Olaniyan, Zettel should serve as a focal point of the Nittany Lions defense in coach James Franklin's second season in State College. His versatility should provide Penn State with plenty of options as the first-team All-Big Ten selection has already proved to be one of the more talented defenders in all of the conference.
9. Taylor Decker, Ohio State
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A second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2014, Ohio State's Taylor Decker served as the anchor on a Buckeyes offensive line that went from inexperienced at the start of the season to paving the way for running back Ezekiel Elliott's and Ohio State's run to the national title. After opting to return to Columbus for his senior season, Decker will reprise his role as the Buckeyes' left tackle and one of the undisputed leaders of the reigning national champions.
At 6'7" and 315 pounds, Decker—like many of his Ohio State teammates—enters 2015 in the mix to be selected in the first round of the 2016 NFL draft. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller currently slots the Vandalia, Ohio, native as being taken with the No. 25 pick, while McShay pegs him at the No. 11 pick.
But regardless of where he ends up in 2016, it's a safe bet that the blind side of the Buckeyes quarterback—whoever it is—will be in good hands in 2015.
8. Christian Hackenberg, Penn State
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Based on pro potential, there may not be a better player in the Big Ten than Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, whom McShay currently projects to be the first overall pick in next year's draft.
But while the strong-armed 6'4", 234-pounder is dripping with pro potential, he'll first need to bounce back from a sophomore season that saw his numbers slip following an impressive freshman campaign.
Playing behind a depleted offensive line for most of 2014, Hackenberg saw both his completion percentage and touchdown total drop, while his interceptions rose from 10 as a freshman to 15 as a sophomore.
Now with a full roster of scholarship players around, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin is confident Hackenberg will return to his freshman form in 2015 after he was sacked the second most of any quarterback in all of college football a year ago.
"Last year, Christian spent most of his time solving problems, running from problems, taking a lot of criticism, which I'm really, really defensive about," Franklin said during spring practice. "I think in the long run, the adversity that he went through physically and emotionally in getting through those things is really going to help him."
7. Jack Conklin, Michigan State
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From walk-on to potential first-rounder, Jack Conklin has proved to be one of the Big Ten's best offensive linemen in just two seasons at Michigan State. A second-team All-Big Ten selection in 2014, Conklin led the Spartans with 104.5 knockdowns, including nine dominators, according to the team's official website.
Already slated by Miller to be taken with the No. 17 overall pick in next year's draft, the 6'6", 303-pound Conklin enters 2015 clearly on the radar of NFL teams. And with another strong season, especially against the Big Ten's top defensive linemen, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the junior left tackle shoot up team's draft boards in 2016.
6. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
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If it's not Cardale Jones who returns to the role of Ohio State's starting quarterback, J.T. Barrett is the next best bet to be the Buckeyes' No. 1 signal-caller after the best statistical season at the position in school history.
Despite seeing his freshman campaign cut short in the regular season finale thanks to a broken ankle, Barrett managed to break both Ohio State's single-season total offense record and the Big Ten's total touchdown mark. The Wichita Falls, Texas, native was expected to miss all of spring practice as he recovered from his injury, but proved capable of participating in seven-on-seven and goal-line drills.
Ahead of schedule in his return to full strength, Barrett could push Jones for the starting job this summer, as each will also have to fend off two-time Big Ten MVP Braxton Miller. But with Miller coming off of a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder, he appears to be a distant third in the Buckeyes' quarterback conundrum, should he not ultimately use his ability as a graduate transfer to play elsewhere.
5. Cardale Jones, Ohio State
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There's no guarantee he'll walk away from this summer as the winner of Ohio State's unprecedented quarterback controversy, but at the moment, Cardale Jones is the front-runner to start for the Buckeyes, thanks to both his health and the momentum he's taking from the 2014 season.
Called on to start the first game of his career in the Big Ten Championship Game, Jones rose to the occasion, leading Ohio State to three consecutive postseason wins en route to the school's eighth national title in program history. In the three starts of his college career thus far, the 6'5", 250-pound Jones showcased a cannon-like arm, tallying a combined 742 passing yards and five touchdown passes.
Despite most projecting him to be a first-round pick a year from now, Jones enters the summer having yet to build a firm lead over either of Ohio State's two other qualified quarterbacks, each of whom is returning from injury. In Urban Meyer's system, the signal-caller usually shines, and right now it's Jones who has the inside track to do just that.
4. Shilique Calhoun, Michigan State
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Having tallied a combined 15.5 sacks and 26.5 tackles for a loss in the past two seasons, Shilique Calhoun could have likely entered the 2015 NFL draft and been taken in the selection show's first round. But like Connor Cook, the defensive end opted to return to Michigan State for his senior season after having already proved himself as one of the Big Ten's top players at his position.
As the Spartans aim to put together a third consecutive successful season, Calhoun will have to continue his dominance in order to help make up for the loss of defensive end Marcus Rush and middle linebacker Taiwan Jones. Arguably Michigan State's best defender in each of the past two seasons, the 6'5", 256-pound Calhoun has the talent to establish himself as a top-10 pick with a strong senior season.
3. Connor Cook, Michigan State
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While he may rank third in the Big Ten in terms of being a pro prospect at his position, there isn't a more accomplished quarterback in the conference than Connor Cook. After leading Michigan State to a Rose Bowl victory to end the 2013 season, Cook helped anchor an 11-2 campaign in 2014, which included a win over Baylor in the Cotton Bowl and losses to only the two teams who played for the national title.
Currently one of three Big Ten signal-callers projected to be a first-round pick in 2016, the second-team All-Big Ten selection threw for 3,214 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior before opting to return to East Lansing for his senior season. With a strong 2015, Cook could potentially improve his draft stock as he and the Spartans attempt to make a run at the College Football Playoff.
2. Ezekiel Elliott, Ohio State
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Although Ohio State's quarterback situation is still unsettled, there remain few questions about the identity of the Buckeyes offense heading into the 2015 season.
That's because as Meyer's team showed during its run to the national title, it may not matter who's taking snaps behind center for the Buckeyes, as long as they're handing the ball off to Ezekiel Elliott. The MVP of both the Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff title game, Elliott put together a remarkable postseason stretch, totaling 696 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in the final three games of his sophomore season.
Despite sitting out spring practice after undergoing offseason wrist surgery, Elliott enters his junior season as the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy. Whether he'll be able to maintain his momentum from 2014 remains to be seen, but with an experienced offensive line returning in front of him, there doesn't appear to be a better offensive player in all of the Big Ten—if not the country.
1. Joey Bosa, Ohio State
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Projected by most to be a top-five—and perhaps the first overall—pick in the 2016 NFL draft, Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa has already established a reputation as one of college football's top players. A unanimous All-American selection as a sophomore, Bosa recorded 55 tackles in 2014, including 21 for a loss and 13.5 sacks.
Heading into his junior season, Bosa will serve as the anchor of the Buckeyes defense in Ohio State's quest to defend its national title. With defensive tackle Michael Bennett now in the NFL, opposing offensive lines will be afforded the opportunity to increase the attention that they pay to the 6'6", 278-pounder, but that should only open up lanes for an Ohio State defense that possesses no shortage of playmakers.
While Elliott may be the Heisman Trophy front-runner—Bosa playing on defense, let alone the defensive line makes him an unlikely candidate for the award—there isn't a player in the Big Ten, or perhaps even the country, capable of making a bigger impact in 2015 than Bosa.
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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