The Big Ten looks to be as strong as anyone this year in college football. They are loaded with talent from top to bottom and will stand toe to toe with anyone. Here’s the pre-season All-Big Ten team.
First-Team Offense
QB C.J. Stroud, Ohio State
RB Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
RB TreVeyon Henderson, Ohio State
WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
WR Jayden Reed, Michigan State
WR Marvin Harrison Jr., Ohio State
TE Sam LaPorta, Iowa
OL Joe Tippman, Wisconsin
OL Paris Johnson, Ohio State
OL Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
OL Dawand Jones, Ohio State
OL John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
When it comes to offense in the Big Ten, images of Ohio State slinging it in the Rose Bowl are still dominating the thoughts of football fans nationwide. Look for Braelon Allen and TreVeyon Henderson to remind folks that the Big Ten is still a running conference. Just look at the offensive linemen. I know I have two centers here, but for my money these are the top five linemen in the conference.
First-Team Defense
DL Zach Harrison, Ohio State
DL Tyleik Williams, Ohio State
DL P.J. Mustipher, Penn State
DL Jacob Slade, Michigan State
LB Jack Campbell, Iowa
LB Nick Herbig, Wisconsin
LB Garrett Nelson, Nebraska
DB Denzel Burke, Ohio State
DB Riley Moss, Iowa
DB Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State
DB Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
The most important two players for Ohio State this year aren’t Jaxon Smith-Njigba and C.J. Stroud but Zach Harrison and Tyleik Williams on defense. As they go, so will the entire Buckeye team on both offense and defense. Watch out for heavy hitters and Jack Campbell of Iowa and Nick Herbig of Wisconsin. They are old school linebackers who love to hit. Joey Porter Jr., and Riley Moss are a pair of lockdown, island corners from Penn State and Iowa.
First-Team Specialists
K Noah Ruggles, Ohio State
P Adam Korsak, Rutgers
KR Emeka Egbuka, Ohio State
PR Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Jayden Reed is a player who you have to get more touches because he can help a team that much when given more chances and he can command what defenses must do to slow him down and open up opportunities for his teammates.
Second-Team Offense
QB Taulia Tagovailoa, Maryland
RB Blake Corum, TTUN
RB Mohamed Ibrahim, Minnesota
WR Parker Washington, Penn State
WR Omar Manning, Nebraska
WR Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
TE Payne Durham, Purdue
OL Luke Wypler, Ohio State
OL J.D. Duplain, Michigan State
OL Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland
OL Teddy Prochazka, Nebraska
OL Juice Scruggs, Penn State
The fact that Blake Corum and Mohamed Ibrahim are on my second team all-Big Ten shows just how stacked the conference is at that position this year. Corum and Ibrahim will carry the Wolverines and Minnesota and their success will be intertwined to their running backs, which is just the way they like it in Ann Arbor and Minneapolis.
Second-Team Defense
DL Ochaun Mathis, Nebraska
DL Jack Sawyer, Ohio State
DL Adetomiwa Adebawore, Northwestern
DL JT Tuimoloau, Ohio State
LB Seth Benson, Iowa
LB Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State
LB Luke Reimer, Nebraska
DB Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern
DB Tiawan Mullen, Indiana
DB Xavier Henderson, Michigan State
DB Josh Proctor, Ohio State
Linebackers Luke Reimer out of Nebraska and Tommy Eichenberg out of Ohio State are guys you can not sleep on. Watch out for Northwestern Stalwarts Adebawore and Mitchell as they look to lead the Wildcats in their pursuit of another Big Ten West title.
Second-Team Specialists
K Charles Campbell, Indiana
P Tory Taylor, Iowa
KR/PR Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers
Aron Cruickshank is the do it all player for the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. Even more than Reed at MSU, Rutgers will need to find creative ways to get the ball in the hands of their best player, and that’s Cruickshank.
