10 Big Ten Players Primed to Be the Stars of the Spring

The 2015 season may have seemingly just ended, but spring practice for the 2016 campaign is right around the corner.

In fact, one Big Ten team has already hit the practice field, with Northwestern beginning its spring practice session Tuesday.

Next week, Michigan will begin its much-publicized spring practice in Florida, and before you know it, the entire league will be working toward their respective spring games. With so much turnover in the league from last season, this will be a big spring for several teams looking to replace key contributors in their respective programs.

That means this spring could see a new crop of breakout stars emerge in the Big Ten and build some much-needed momentum going toward the 2016 season. Spring practice is only half the battle, but strong showings in the next month could go a long way toward setting the tone for the start of fall camp.

Who in the league will emerge as players to watch in the coming weeks? That remains to be seen.

But with spring practice already beginning in the Big Ten, let's take a look at 10 players who are primed to become stars in the conference this spring.

Ohio State Linebacker Dante Booker

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With only three returning starters—including just one linebacker—there will be plenty of attention paid to how the Ohio State defense rebuilds this offseason. The Buckeyes possess one of the most depleted depth charts in the country headed into 2016, but also one of the most loaded rosters thanks to the recruiting prowess of Urban Meyer.

One of the three-time national champion head coach's prized prospects already appears to have emerged in Ohio State's winter conditioning program. According to Raekwon McMillan, the Buckeyes' lone returning starting linebacker, junior Dante Booker is primed to take over the "Will" linebacker position that's been occupied by Joshua Perry for the past three years in Columbus.

"When he gets on the field, he does some stuff that you all haven’t even seen yet in practice," McMillan told reporters of Booker last week. "It’s amazing. One of the fastest guys on defense regardless of position. He just brings that pop."

The state of Ohio's Mr. Football in 2013, Booker was a 4-star prospect from St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio, and a member of Ohio State's 2014 class. Already penciled in as a starter, it now appears to be his time to shine. The spring could ultimately serve as his introduction to the college football world.

Michigan Quarterback John O'Korn

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With Jake Rudock's eligibility in Ann Arbor having expired, the battle to become Jim Harbaugh's next quarterback is officially underway.

The Michigan head coach—and apparent WWE fan—has already set expectations that the fight to be the Wolverines' No. 1 signal-caller will be a nasty one.

"Cage match," Harbaugh said of his QB competition, per MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner. "Let's move from meritocracy to cage match. That's even better."

With early-enrollee freshman Brandon Peters already on campus, it will actually be a five-way dance, with Shane Morris, Wilton Speight and Alex Malzone also fighting for the right to replace Rudock. However, they'll each have to find a way to overcome the early front-runner, Houston transfer John O'Korn, who is officially eligible to play for Michigan entering his junior season.

The 2013 American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, O'Korn possesses the most extensive playing time on his resume of any UM quarterback and, like Rudock, didn't transfer to Ann Arbor with the intent of sitting on the bench. This spring will present the 6'4", 220-pounder with the opportunity to further assert himself as the favorite in a position battle that could ultimately play a big role in shaping the Big Ten title race in 2016.

Whether O'Korn will live up to expectations or wind up as the Wolverines' starter remains to be seen.

But in the meantime, let's get ready to rumble.

Wisconsin Running Back Corey Clement

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A year ago, Corey Clement thought he'd be preparing for the NFL draft at this point. Having already rushed for more than 900 yards as a backup in 2014, the Wisconsin running back was expected to step in seamlessly for Melvin Gordon III before starting his own pro career.

Clement's 2015 campaign, however, didn't quite work out that way.

After injuries and off-field issues resulted in the 5'11", 219-pounder appearing in just four games and rushing for 221 yards and five touchdowns, Clement is back in Madison for his senior season with one last shot to become the Badgers' next great running back. In order to do so, he'll have to fend off talented backs Dare Ogunbowale and Taiwan Deal, who combined for 1,322 yards and 13 touchdowns in his absence last season.

In some ways, Clement is already established; in others, he still has plenty to prove. That makes him a player to watch this spring as he tries to make the most of the final chance in his college career.

Penn State Defensive End Garrett Sickels

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With three of Penn State's four starting defensive linemen from 2015 headed to the NFL, only Garrett Sickels will serve as a familiar face in the Nittany Lions front four in the coming year.

A starter in 12 games last season, Sickels tallied 36 tackles, 5.5 of which came for a loss, and three sacks in 2015. This year, he'll be counted on for both his production and experience, helping to anchor the Penn State defensive line from his defensive end position.

And while former starters Carl Nassib, Anthony Zettel and Austin Johnson may have been bigger names in State College, Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin had plenty of praise for Sickels last season.

"How he works, his motor, that's the thing that's always kind of stood out about him is his motor, how he works at practice, how he competes,'' Franklin said of Sickels last fall, per PennLive.com's Bob Flounders. "He's got a lot of things that you're looking for in terms of the attitude, in terms of the body type, in terms of the athleticism and quickness."

While a jump to the record-breaking numbers that Nassib enjoyed last season might be unrealistic, Sickels has the tools to attract attention and potentially ease the growing pains of his inexperienced teammates. That will start this spring, when Sickels will attempt to get a jump-start on a breakout season of his own.

Michigan State Quarterback Tyler O'Connor

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While Connor Cook faces questions of his own as he prepares for the NFL draft, the question of who will replace the three-year Michigan State quarterback looms just as large over East Lansing this offseason.

Starting this spring, the Spartans are expected to hold a three-man competition to replace the most accomplished quarterback in school history. However, a front-runner has already emerged. While Damion Terry and Messiah deWeaver may each possess more upside, Tyler O'Connor has already taken significant reps in his college career, helping lead Michigan State to a monumental win over Ohio State in Columbus last November while Cook was injured.

"I think who becomes the guy here will be based on who plays well in games," Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio said of his quarterback conundrum in January. "And certainly you have performances leading up to the game."

Although Dantonio downplayed the meaning of last year's game in Columbus as far as this year's quarterback competition is concerned, that type of experience isn't easy to come by. Look for O'Connor to build on his experience as Cook's primary backup last season and gain separation in his perceived lead over Terry and deWeaver heading into the heart of the offseason.

Iowa Cornerback Greg Mabin

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Even with Desmond King returning to Iowa City for his senior season, 2016 remains a big year for Iowa cornerback Greg Mabin.

With little left to prove, King is unlikely to participate much in spring drills. It will therefore be up to the redshirt senior to keep the Hawkeyes secondary as strong as it was in 2015.

A former 3-star prospect, Mabin could be the prototypical Kirk Ferentz recruit—an underrecruited player who blossoms late in his college career. Starting alongside King during Iowa's run to the Big Ten Championship Game, Mabin broke up eight passes and recorded two interceptions last season.

But in order for Iowa to maintain its momentum, Mabin is going to have to take his game to the next level—and that starts with a big spring from the Fort Lauderdale, Florida, native. With King potentially standing on the sideline, the reps should be there as Mabin begins his own senior sendoff with the Hawkeyes.

Michigan Linebacker Devin Bush Jr.

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An early enrollee at Michigan, Hollywood, Florida, native Devin Bush Jr. won't have to wait long to return to the Sunshine State.

With Harbaugh holding the start of the Wolverines' spring practices in Bradenton, Florida, Bush will be back home—and could use his unexpected homecoming to get a head start on a promising college career.

With Michigan losing starters Desmond Morgan and Joe Bolden from last year's team, there will be plenty of opportunities for a young corps of linebackers to get on the field. Bush could very well be in the mix as soon as this spring. A 4-star prospect, Bush has the versatility to play any of the three linebacker positions in the Wolverines defense, but may be best suited to fill the vacancy left by Bolden at middle linebacker.

In order to do that, though, he'll need to make the most out of this spring and his short-lived return to Florida.

It may be too early to heap such expectations on a player who should be preparing to attend his senior prom, but at the very least, the opportunities will be there for Bush to make an instant impact in his college career—as soon as next week.

Minnesota Wide Receiver Rashad Still

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With his MVP performance in the Quick Lane Bowl, quarterback Mitch Leidner enters his senior season with no shortage of momentum at Minnesota.

That said, the player who may ultimately benefit most from the signal-caller's newfound confidence is wide receiver Rashad Still.

After catching 18 balls for 194 yards and three touchdowns as a true freshman, Still could very well be on the verge of a breakout campaign as a sophomore in 2016. With KJ Maye headed to the NFL, Minnesota is left without a true No. 1 receiver, and Still has the potential to be the man for the job.

Still has a lot left to prove, but his freshman season showed plenty of promise, particularly in a six-catch, 41-yard, one-touchdown performance against Ohio State. This coming year will be a big one for the 6'5", 202-pounder, and that starts with this spring, when Still will hope to build on an impressive freshman season and show flashes of what's to come in the future.

Nebraska Defensive Lineman Greg McMullen

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Two years ago it was Randy Gregory.

Last year it was Maliek Collins.

Now it's time for Greg McMullen to be Nebraska's next breakout defensive lineman.

Recording 6.5 tackles for a loss and four sacks in 2015, the 6'5", 300-pounder already enjoyed an impressive season while playing alongside Collins. Now he will be tasked with anchoring the Cornhuskers defensive line on his own in 2016. What's particularly promising about McMullen is that he compiled his numbers playing both defensive end and defensive tackle, which should bode well for both his immediate future and long-term outlook.

"It shows that I am versatile," McMullen told Big Ten Network's Tom Dienhart of his in-season position switch.

Where McMullen will play primarily in 2016 remains to be seen, but make no mistake about it, he'll have plenty of chances to make his presence felt. That will start with a big spring practice from the Akron, Ohio, native, who hopes to help bring the "Blackshirts" back to Lincoln while creating a legacy of his own.

Ohio State Wide Receiver Noah Brown

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While many of the inconsistencies in Ohio State's passing attack in 2015 can be blamed on Meyer's flipping between Cardale Jones and J.T. Barrett—and rightfully so—it also didn't help that Noah Brown's sophomore season came to an end before it ever started.

Already picked by coaches and teammates alike as a breakout player before suffering a broken leg two weeks prior to the start of last season, Brown is expected to resume his role in the Buckeyes offense with a return to full strength in 2016. The responsibility placed on the shoulders of the 6'1", 240-pounder will only increase in Columbus following the departures of wideouts Michael Thomas and Jalin Marshall to the NFL.

"I think a lot of people forgot about Noah Brown," said Barrett, who will be Ohio State's undisputed starter in 2016. "Noah Brown was going to be a big part of our offense going into Virginia Tech until he got hurt." 

With Brown back and Barrett in the lineup, the Buckeyes offense should have an easier time finding the firepower it was lacking last season. If he picks up where he left off the last time he was on the field, Brown could be in for a big spring heading into his second go-round as a sophomore in Columbus.

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.