Big Ten Football: Predicting 2015 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year

In a year when the Big Ten is projected to compete for numerous national awards, it's easy to overlook the conference's annual honors. With players across the league expected to remain in the running for the Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Doak Walker Award, Lombardi Award and Bronko Nagurski Award, among others, until the end of the season, the Big Ten's own awards seem like mere formalities in 2015.

Nevertheless, the league's annual honors should serve as historical markings for what could very well be a historical year for the Big Ten. The conference's individual awards should essentially serve as qualifiers for the national awards this season, with the league expected to be at the forefront of the college football scene.

With that in mind, here's a look at my predictions for the winners of the Big Ten's top two individual awards in 2015.

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year: Ezekiel Elliott

Joe Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

If there's one argument to make against Ezekiel Elliott's candidacy for the Big Ten's Graham–George Offensive Player of the Year, it would be that there are simply too many touches to go around in the Ohio State offense for the Buckeyes running back to put up the eye-popping numbers expected of the league's top offensive player.

But that hasn't stopped Las Vegas from proclaiming Elliott the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy, with Bovada (via Odds Shark) listing the junior as a 6-1 favorite to win college football's most prestigious award.

If Elliott merely remains in the running for the Heisman, as expected, it's a safe bet that he will have done so by running through the Big Ten, maintaining the momentum he gained during Ohio State's run to the national title. In three postseason games, Elliott tallied 696 yards and eight touchdowns, higher rushing totals than both Wake Forest and Washington State had on the entire season.

And while it is true that there will be plenty of touches to go around in what should be one of head coach Urban Meyer's most explosive offenses, Elliott remains both the Buckeyes' priority and top option out of the backfield. Whether it's Cardale Jones, J.T. Barrett or Braxton Miller taking snaps at quarterback, expect a large portion of their Saturdays in the fall to be spent handing the ball to the St. Louis native.

Also aiding Elliott's Offensive Player of the Year—and Heisman Trophy—arguments will be the return of four starters to what at the end of last season was one of the country's top offensive lines. It's also worth noting that Elliott's historic run came while the 6'0" 225-pounder wasn't at full strength, with offseason wrist surgery now allowing him to carry the ball in both hands.

The Big Ten will be full of plenty of offensive threats—including some who are Elliott's own teammates—but for now, the Big Ten Offensive Player award is his to lose. With a record-breaking performance behind him and a relatively soft schedule ahead, look for Elliott to pick right up where he left off on college football's biggest stage.

Other contenders: Ohio State quarterback Cardale Jones, Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett, Wisconsin running back Corey Clement, Rutgers wide receiver Leonte Carroo, Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg, Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook.

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year: Joey Bosa

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Perhaps indicative of just how strong this year's Ohio State roster is expected to be, Joey Bosa's top competition—much like Elliott's on the other side of the ball—for the Big Ten Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year could come from inside his own locker room.

The Buckeyes defense is loaded with plenty of young talent, but no player on the revived "Silver Bullets" stands out quite like Bosa. Already projected by some to be the top pick in the 2016 NFL draft, the junior defensive end has already emerged as one of the faces of college football, thanks to both his dominant ability and signature shrug celebration.

Last season, the 6'6" 275-pounder broke out the shrug more than a dozen times, tallying 13.5 sacks to go along with 21 tackles for a loss and 55 total tackles. With opposing offenses shifting their attention to the unanimous All-American at the end of the season, Bosa opened up lanes for big games from a number of his teammates during Ohio State's postseason run.

That could potentially be the biggest threat to Bosa winning the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award for the second straight season, as Buckeyes linebackers Darron Lee and Joshua Perry have each proven capable of putting up eye-popping numbers with Bosa playing in front of them. Adolphus Washington is also one of the best pass-rushing defensive tackles in the country, and the defensive end opposite Bosa will also possess plenty of talent, whether it be Tyquan Lewis, Sam Hubbard or Jalyn Holmes.

And then there's the question of whether or not Bosa's status will work against him in 2015, as it did when Jadeveon Clowney spent 2013 as an obvious NFL prospect stuck in the college game. Bosa, for his part, has insisted he won't spend his junior season protecting his perceived draft stock, instead focusing on improving his overall game.

"I can't really pick one spot in my game that I can get better at because I think I can improve at every part of my game," Bosa said during spring practice. "That's the plan—not just getting better at one thing but improving in every aspect of my game."

As opposed to Elliott, there seem to be more reasons to pick apart Bosa's award chances, as a defensive end can have a greater impact on a game without filling up a stat sheet than a running back can. But as he sets out to defend his title as the Big Ten's top defender from a season ago, it's tough to bet against Bosa, who might not just be his conference's but the country's best player.

For those wondering, the last time the Buckeyes swept both the Big Ten's Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year awards came in 2012, when Braxton Miller and John Simon took home the respective honors.

Other candidates: Ohio State linebacker Darron Lee, Michigan State defensive end Shilique Calhoun, Ohio State safety Vonn Bell, Maryland cornerback William Likely, Penn State defensive tackle Anthony Zettel, Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers, Nebraska defensive tackle Maliek Collins, Minnesota defensive end Theiren Cockran, Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple.

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.