Corey Wootton could make a name for himself this fall. And not just for feeling players faces like a blind guy.
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We’ve told you about the teams. We’ve told you about the conferences, and the coaches, and the championship games, but any head man worth his weight in Gordon Bombay coaching loafers will tell you that it’s easy to look good when you’ve got the right players. So here they are, the 15 athletes you have to know this season conference-by-conference.
We’ve got the five best each league has to offer. The stars, the frontmen, the cover boys. These are the guys that you’ve already heard of, and they’re likely to wallow in the limelight for at least one final season before rocketing to the NFL.
Then there are the shoe-fillers. The players who might be stepping up into the role of a guy who fit in the first category last season. When one star departs, it’s up to these athletes to stop the gap and keep the wins coming. They may be the most pivotal of the young men listed here. It’s the stars that will get the glory, but these are the players who will create the subtle differences between 9-3 and 12-0.
And finally, just because we’re such seers, we’ve gone ahead and listed five players likely to live on the tongues of every pundit around by the end of the year. The players who either flashed just enough potential as freshman, or are heading into a perfect collegiate situation with a deadly blend of talent and opportunity.
Today, we take a look at the Big Ten’s 15 Players to Know. So go ahead, and you know, know them.
The Best:
1.) Arrelious Benn, WR, Illinois — This was a bit of a tough call here. Statistically, Benn hasn’t been worthy of being named the best player in the Big Ten, but you can’t find a corner that honestly wants to cover this guy. He’s got great size at 6-02 220, reportedly runs in the 4.4 range, has great body control, and is a load to take down. He’s got insane elusiveness in the open field, and he’s been on the field since his freshman year. Put it this way, if he had a more consistent quarterback, we’d be talking about a guy with Crabtree numbers. So, if you’re looking for the best football player in the conference, regardless of nice, quantifiable stats, it’s got to be Benn. Even though he’s managed only five receiving TDs in two years. I can’t fathom a scenario in which he doesn’t break out this fall.
2.) Darryl Clark, QB, Penn State — The model of efficiency and big game leadership. Remember Troy Smith? Here he is part II. Anyone who thinks Penn State comes close to having that two-loss season last year without Clark is drinking something nutty. Like the coffee in Austin Powers 2. All of those talented receivers had gone to waste until Clark found a way to make NFL draft picks out of two of them. His 19-6 TD-INT ration helped him earn a 143.3 QB rating and a trip to the Rose Bowl. While Evan Royster will be needed in the backfield, it’s hard to imagine Penn State receiving this kind of preseason love without Clark piloting the offense. Doesn’t hurt that he added 10 scores on the ground.
3.) Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State — He may be slightly higher on this list by the end of the 2009 season. The legend of Terrelle only grew when he leapt into the air on a dry desert night to grab a TD pass from Todd Boeckman in the almost-won Fiesta Bowl. But it was his replacement of Boeckman earlier in the year that kept the Buckeyes’ BCS hopes alive. After getting smashed by USC in Los Angeles, Pryor was handed the gig full-time, and for a freshman he impressed. From that point on, Pryor compiled an 8-2 record with 12 TDs throught the air, a 146 QB rating, and six scores on the ground. Now he’s got the offense all to himself, and he’s looking to prove he can be the focus, not just the impetus.
4.) Brandon Graham, DE, Michigan — Again, this is one of the more underrated players in the country. Graham slid under the radar last season while the Wolverines struggled through their worst season ever. All anyone could talk about was the ineffective nature of the offense, while the defense actually played some decent football once or twice. Graham was one of the reasons why. Think Robert Ayers with more production. He’s a stalwart 6-02 263, and he’s racked up 18 sacks over the last two seasons (including two three-sack outings against Michigan State and Wisconsin last season). With one final push before the NFL Draft, expect Graham to continue his rise in the QB takedown category.
5.) Evan Royster, RB, Penn State — Shonn Greene grabbed plenty of headlines last season. And why not, he was the only back to go over 100 yards in every single game. And Beanie Wells was a returning star who began the season as a Heisman contender. But Royster may have been the most crucial to his team’s success. The previously unknown junior had a whale of a sophomore season. His 1236 rushing yards and 12 TDs were second only to QB Clark’s performance in importance to the teams success, and without his presence on the ground, it’s likely that the receivers wouldn’t have been so damn open. He’ll be leaned on even more in 2009 with a green corps of pass-catchers, but with a solid frame at 6-01 209, he should be up for the challenge of a possible 250+ carry season. We’ll have to see if his 6.5 ypc average holds up.
The Shoe-Fillers (AKA The Guys Who Must Step-Up):
1.) Juice Williams, QB, Illinois — I’ll try not to take up too much time with these guys, because every single one of them has a pretty simple task. For Williams, it’s finding some consistency. It’s about getting the ball into the hands of the best receiver in the country talent-wise, and it’s about quarterbacking an offense with the potential to be the Big Ten’s best. Juice tossed 22 TDs a year ago, but he coupled his scores with 16 INTs. Doesn’t take a genius to figure out the fact that 16 is too many. He’s got great legs, and a strong arm, now it’s time to settle down and be a true senior playmaker.
2.) Jewel Hampton, RB, Iowa — Shonn Greene was the Iowa offense last season. Simple as that. Is there anyone in the entire state who really wants to enter the season with the offensive hopes hanging on quarterback Richard Stanzi? Didn’t think so. Hampton is being touted as the next big thing for the Hawkeyes at running back, and he should have a nice start behind a potentially elite offensive line. He has to provide a consistent threat on the ground for this offense to go. Stanzi could be successful in small doses with a rushing attack to steal attention, but the Hawkeyes will crumble if they have to lean on their QB full-time.
3.) Adrian Clayborn, DE, Iowa — Again, we’re in Iowa. But this time it’s not one player who has to be replaced, it’s an entire facet of the defense that has to be found. Iowa was absolutely awful at getting to the quarterback last season. They managed a measly 19 sacks all year, and Mitch King, the guy responsible for four of them, is gone. So here’s the deal Adrian, you’ve got to find a way to improve upon your total of two if this defense wants to be anywhere near as good as everyone is making them out to be. Like I said, the offense could sputter some early on, so the defense will have to find a route into the opponents backfield.
4.) Greg Middleton, DE, Indiana — Middleton is facing a similar task. Touted as a possible first day draft pick after his sophomore season that included 16 sacks and 51 tackles, Middleton completely fell off the map, eeking his way to 18 tackles and only three sacks. Indiana suffered as well. I know he missed four games and never really got healthy, but that’s part of it. Middleton has to be on the field for this defense if they want any hope of shocking the world yet again and returning to the postseason. We all know he can do it, now it’s time to see him actually do it for one more fall.
5.) Adam Weber, QB, Minnesota — Interesting pick here if you ask me, and I should know since I wrote the article. Minnesota started off red-hot last season going 7-1 through their first eight games, then they proceeded to lose their final five. Not good, Gophers. During the winning period, Weber was an efficient passer with a TD-INT ratio of 10-3. During the losing streak he became painfully pedestrian throwing five picks and five scores. If the Golden Gophers want to finish strong against another round of late-season stalwarts, Weber will have to hold on, and play with more consistency down the stretch. He’s got a great receiver in Eric Decker, he just has to learn to find him in the last five games, a period in which Decker managed only two scores.
The Next Superstars:
1.) Corey Wootton, DE, Northwestern — Wootton should be a star already. He’s 6-07 270, plays for a team without many big defensive names, and put up 10 sacks last season. But if Northwestern ends up being the bowl team that many (not including myself) are predicting them to become, it will be largely due to Wootton’s success, and that success will earn him a little time in the spotlight. Not to mention the fact that he should be a water cooler hero come NFL Draft time with size and production like that. He’s a 3-4 coordinator’s wet dream at 5-tech.
2.) Greg Jones, LB, Michigan State — If you follow football very closely, then you probably already know about Jones. The announcers during the Capital One Bowl mentioned his name nearly 100 times. And not because he didn’t deserve it. Jones made 12 stops in the loss to Georgia, but that wasn’t the really impressive part. What should really have your eyes popping and your adrenaline running (if you’re a Sparty fan) is the scintillating season finish Jones capped. Over the last seven games, Jones put up 10+ tackles every single Saturday. In fact, he had 88 of his 127 over that span. Not a bad way to get the hype machine rolling for 2009.
3.) Jared Odrick, DT, Penn State — Odrick is another guy who looks like he has a chance to become a big name in the NFL Draft community. He’s got the size (6-05 306), his stats are improving (he’s doubled his sack total every season so far), and he won’t have to deal with Aaron Maybin and Maurice Evans stealing the limelight. Of course, without those two on the outside, Odrick stands to face more attention, but he’ll be ready for it, and with that kind of girth, he should be a nice brick in the middle against the run. This defense will need him to hold blockers at the line so the talented linebackers can roam free.
4.) Garrett Graham, TE, Wisconsin — If you go to Wisconsin and you play tight end, chances are you’ll do more for your state than any of the kids from That 70’s Show. Yes, even more than Mila Kunis, though not by much. Travis Beckum was banged up last season, and while he was supposed to be the headlining act in the Badger passing game, his absence opened the door for Graham. Graham walked through with 540 yards and five touchdowns. With Beckum off to the NFL and a new passer stepping up looking for a large safety net, expect Graham to garner all-conference consideration at the TE spot.
5.) John Clay, RB, Wisconsin — And here’s the final Badger on the list. I’ve heard more people blab about John Clay being the most pro-suited running back to ever wear a Wisconsin uniform. And that’s saying something considering Ron Dayne and Michael Bennett were drafted in the first round. He’s certainly got the frame to take an NFL pounding at 6-02 247, and he’s deceptively fat fast. Running in PJ Hill’s shadow, Clay still managed 884 yards and nine touchdowns with a 5.7 ypc average. Now that Hill is gone from Madison, Clay will be the man in an offense that always seems to produce a stellar ground game.
