College Football 2011: Jared Crick and 10 Most Draftable Big Ten Athletes

The Big Ten is filled with potentially NFL-ready prospects.

And with the addition of Nebraska, the conference's overall talent has expanded.

The NFL is no stranger to the Big Ten—current players such as Drew Brees, Charles Woodson and Tom Brady are just a few examples of the many players from the power conference.

The college football season is approaching. Let's take a look at the best players from the Big Ten for the 2011-12 season, and who has the best draft value.

Lavonte David, MLB

Lavonte David dominated the Big 12 last season with 153 tackles (15 for a loss) and six sacks.

He could be one of the first players to be the best linebacker in two conferences during his career.

David transferred to Nebraska from Fort Scott Community College in 2010, accumulating 13 tackles in a 49-10 win over Western Kentucky in his FBS debut.

He then went and broke the Nebraska single-season tackles record and was named the Big 12 Defensive Newcomer of the Year, first-team All-Big 12 and the Nebraska Defensive MVP over 2011 NFL first-round draft pick Prince Amukamara.

And he still has another year left.

He is immediately predicted to be an impact player for the Big Ten conference in 2011—and will only get better with a league that is known for developing NFL linebackers.

David stands at 6'1" and 220 pounds—smaller than the average middle linebacker in the NFL. His size may play against him in the draft, but don't sleep on him.

He's already proved what he can do on the field.

Ricky Wagner, RT

Ricky Wagner is a 6'6", 325-pound monster and has high draft value for one reason: He plays O-line for the Wisconsin Badgers.

Wisconsin currently has eight offensive linemen playing in the NFL. The Badgers pride themselves on a strong line year in and out.

Wagner will be earning his third varsity letter for Wisconsin this season. He was named honorable mention All-Big Ten last year and will look to exceed that award in 2011-12. Wagner will be a huge asset to the running game and will improve his draft stock throughout the season.

He will be a junior this season, but odds are he will enter the 2012 NFL draft.

DeVier Posey, WR

DeVier Posey is suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season and will be without QB Terrelle Pryor when he returns.

But this isn't going to stop him from being a dynamic receiver heading into the NFL draft.

Vertically, Posey has an explosive element to add to the game. He plays fast and it seems like he's always at top speed.

Posey does a good job securing the football after catching it and can adjust to a bad throw with ease. He keeps good body control and utilizes this to make outstanding plays on the field.

The Buckeye has 124 receptions for 1,793 yards and 16 touchdowns so far in his college career.

Kirk Cousins, QB

Cousins is frequently overlooked despite being one of the best passing quarterbacks in the Big Ten.

His 2,825 yards were third in the conference behind Indiana’s Ben Chappell (3,295) and Iowa’s Ricky Stanzi (3,004).

But his 66.9 percent completion rate and overall QB rating (150.7) were ranked in the top 20 of all quarterbacks in college football last season.

The 6'3", 202-pound senior quarterback led Michigan State to 11 wins last season—the most wins in school history. The Spartans shared the Big Ten title.

And he's got a great chance to do it all again, with the possibility of winning the Legends division.

Cousins has a quick release and high football I.Q.—two huge qualities NFL scouts look for when searching for a quarterback. His intelligence gives him the ability to quickly process through reads and his arm strength combined with accuracy and quick release work to his advantage.

However, he needs to prove he can throw the ball downfield before considering himself an elite NFL prospect.

And he will do so in 2011.

Baker Steinkuhler, DT

Baker Steinkuhler started all 13 regular-season games alongside Jared Crick last fall. Both return to what should be one of the nation's best defenses in 2011.

Steinkuhler executed 46 tackles in his first season as a starter, adding 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss.

The 6'6", 290-pound defensive lineman earned an honorable mention All-Big 12 from the coaches throughout the conference.

According to Walterfootball.com, Steinkuhler is projected to go to the Philadelphia Eagles as the No. 57 overall selection in the second round—that is, if he declares for the draft.

Mike Adams, LT

Mike Adams is a 6'8", 300-pound burly left tackle for the Ohio State Buckeyes.

His exceptional technique makes him one of the best offensive linemen in the conference. Adams is an extremely hard-working athlete that strives on making himself better on and off the field. He has excellent footing and has rare athleticism for his size—a treat for NFL scouts.

Adams is heading into his senior season with the Bucks and hopes to improve his already commendable draft stock.

Michael Brewster, C

Size and experience will be Brewster's advantage for 2011.

He played 10 games as a freshman and has started every game since. He enters his senior season with three years worth of starting experience (36 starts), which is a huge accomplishment for an Ohio State center.

Brewster sits at 6'5" and 295 pounds—perfect for an NFL center.

He's the glue for the Buckeyes offensive line and he continues to improve. The first-team All-Big Ten athlete was a Rimington Trophy finalist this season and will enter the fall as the leading candidate to win it this year.

Riley Reiff, LT

Riley Reiff has started for the Hawkeyes offensive line 21 games in a row.

He will once again lead the way on Iowa’s physical O-line this season.

After earning second-team All-Big Ten honors for his play in 2010 as a sophomore, Reiff has expectations to be one of the best tackle prospects in the Big Ten this year.

And in the country.

If the 6'6", 300-pound left tackle decides to head for the draft following the 2011-12 season, he should expect to be a high pick.

Jerel Worthy, DT

Michigan State defensive tackle Jerel Worthy is going to be an early draft pick in 2012.

The expectation is that Worthy will go in the first round. Many writers even project him to crack the top 10, and ESPN.com's Todd McShay and Fox Sports' Peter Schrager both have him selected at No. 5 overall.

The 6'3", 305-pound Worthy has authorized himself as an interior threat for the Spartans. After redshirting in 2008, he has racked up 77 tackles (17 for loss) and 8.5 sacks.

Domata Peko was the last defensive tackle to be drafted out of Michigan State. The Cincinnati Bengals selected him in the fourth round of the 2006 draft.

The Minnesota Vikings selected Dimitrius Underwood No. 29 overall in 1999—he was the last Spartan defensive tackle to be taken in the first round.

Alfonzo Dennard, CB

Alfonzo Dennard will no longer have to share the spotlight with Prince Amukamara.

Dennard is one of the best corners in his draft class. He is an extremely physical DB that does an excellent job of jamming at the line of scrimmage, turning and running with the receiver and locating the ball in the air with ease.

He's an exciting player to watch—his 4.49 second 40-yard dash helped produce 30 total tackles (18 solo), four interceptions (one TD) and a forced fumble in 2010.

The 5'10", 200-pound Cornhusker will be torturing offensive coordinators throughout the 2011 campaign, continuing to rise in the 2012 mock draft.

Jared Crick, DT

Jared Crick is undoubtedly one of the best defensive linemen heading into the 2011-12 college football season.

He has ideal size for the NFL at either an interior 4-3 defensive tackle or 3-4 end. Crick owns a large wingspan which aids him to swat passes at the line of scrimmage. He has great upper body strength, and his height (6'6") is a huge advantage.

Crick has decent speed and lateral ability to make tackles in the box—this contributes to his outstanding capability to get to the quarterback. 

He surpassed all expectations in 2010—Crick finished with 70 tackles, 9.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

The Cornhusker is an extremely tough competitor who has been steady in his focus for success by staying in school for his senior year. He's a high-character guy with his head on straight.

Crick was blessed with rare athleticism and length for a defensive tackle. He has received much praise from former teammate Ndamukong Suh—the NFL's Defensive Player of the Year.

He is a high-class draft pick and will be a steal for whichever team takes him in the 2012 NFL draft.