Preseason Big Ten All-Conference |Â First-team defense
Are there any surprises in our Big Ten All-Conference first-team defense?
EDGE: George Karlaftis, Purdue
One of our first-team All-American defensive end, George Karlaftis takes his rightful place on the Big Ten All-Conference team. Despite not playing football until the eighth grade and only playing three games last fall, the gargantuan Greek defensive lineman has been one of the most dominant pass rushers in America since arriving at Purdue in 2019.
Karlaftis racked up frankly insane numbers as a true freshman, registering 17 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. However, his play transcends the terrific tackle numbers. Versatile, athletic, and strong, expect a return to 2019 form to solidify his reputation as one of the best defensive ends in the 2022 NFL Draft class.
EDGE: Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan
If everything had gone according to plan, Aidan Hutchinson would have joined teammate Kwity Paye as a 2021 NFL Draft selection. During his 2019 campaign, the Michigan defensive end racked up 10 tackles for loss and 3 sacks while leading the team with 3 forced fumbles. Hutchinson began the 2020 season in impressive style, logging 15 tackles before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
As a result, Hutchinson returns to the Wolverines for his senior season as one of the best defensive ends in the Big Ten. Although his career numbers are impressive, his play has transcended the statistics. Yes, he can get after the passer. However, he does some of his best work against the run, and when you face multiple potent rushing offenses, the importance of that ability can’t be understated.
Defensive Tackle: Haskell Garrett, Ohio State
Speaking of players that transcend the box score, Ohio State’s Garrett earns first-team Big Ten All-Conference honors at defensive tackle. Even during last season’s breakout campaign for the Buckeyes, his 20 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks won’t excite box score scouts. However, dig beneath the surface of the numbers, and there lays an athletic, strong, and technically savvy soldier in the trenches.
As remarkable as his play in 2020, Garrett achieved a career year despite being shot in the face before the season. With an entire, uninterrupted preseason to prepare, there’s every reason to believe that the Ohio State defensive tackle’s upward college career trajectory can culminate in him being one of the best interior defensive linemen in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Defensive Tackle: Ben Stille, Nebraska
The Nebraska defensive lineman has been a consistently productive contributor for the Cornhuskers since making his first start in 2017. Stille has amassed 107 tackles, 23.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, and 1 forced fumble. Although he was named to the 2017 Big Ten Freshman Team and had academic honors in all four seasons, Stille’s performances last season earned him his first All-Conference honorable mention.
Stille uses his size — 6’5″ and 295 pounds — and impressive strength to be a dominant force against the run. Despite lacking a tremendous athletic profile, the Nebraska defensive lineman has shown that he can be impactful as a pass rusher. His return for his super-senior season was a massive boost for the Cornhuskers, and you can expect him to continue his development into one of the best linemen in the Big Ten.
Linebacker: Jack Sanborn, Wisconsin
Rushing offense and solid defense, that’s what Wisconsin does, baby! The Badgers led the conference in total defense in 2020, and Jack Sanborn was once again a critical component of that success. An all-around influencer, the junior linebacker registered 52 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack, an interception, and 1 forced fumble during a seven-game campaign.
Sanborn gives our first-team Big Ten All-Conference team an air of physicality, tackling prowess, and football intelligence. During his Wisconsin career, he has accumulated 139 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles. A threat at the line of scrimmage and in the open field, Sanborn also boasts 4 career interceptions. He’ll be the heartbeat of the Badgers’ defense again this fall.
Linebacker: Micah McFadden, Indiana
McFadden earns his spot on the first team of our Big Ten All-Conference after a phenomenal junior season. The Hoosiers’ linebacker led the conference in sacks, the first Indiana player to achieve that feat since 2007. Furthermore, he ranked third in the conference with 10.5 tackles for loss, averaging 1.31 TFL per game. Only the Northwestern duo of Paddy Fisher and Blake Gallagher had more solo tackles than McFadden last fall.
An under-the-radar, understated superstar in the Indiana defense, McFadden has been highly regarded within the program since his arrival in 2018. However, with an ascending career trajectory, he should also receive national recognition as one of the best defensive players in the conference and the whole of college football this season.
Linebacker: Olakunle Fatukasi, Rutgers
Greg Schiano is overseeing a renaissance on his return to Rutgers. They might not reach the highs of 2006 anytime soon, but there’s been a noticeable upturn in results and recruiting in “The Birthplace.” However, the Rutgers on-field resurgence is led by a linebacker who puts the “super” into “super senior” this upcoming season. Fatukasi showed signs of promise in 2019 but broke out as one of the best defensive players in the conference amongst the disruption of the 2020 campaign.
Disruption is the perfect word to describe Fatukasi’s impact. The Rutgers linebacker led the conference last season with 101 tackles while averaging 11.2 tackles per game. Not only did those per game numbers lead the Big Ten, but they ranked in the top 10 nationally. In unheard-of territory for recent Scarlet Knights, his 11 tackles for loss tied the most all time for the program. There’s no reason to expect a drop-off in production in 2021. As a result, you can expect Fatukasi to earn first-team Big Ten All-Conference honors again this fall.
Cornerback: Tiawan Mullen, Indiana
As he heads into his junior season, Mullen has already embedded himself into Indiana folklore. The program’s only first-team All-American cornerback and just the second Hoosier at the position to earn any form of All-American accolade, Mullen has been remarkable during his first two seasons. To say he’s comfortably the best cornerback in the conference is possibly an understatement.
Adept at forcing turnovers in multiple ways, the Indiana cornerback has 3 career interceptions and 3 forced fumbles. Meanwhile, his 8 tackles for loss and 3 sacks speak volumes about his ability to be impactful all over the field. No other Big Ten cornerback was as productive in the backfield as Mullen. With Indiana projected to be the biggest challenger to Ohio State’s dominance in the Big Ten, expect him to earn All-Conference and All-American honors again in the upcoming season.
Cornerback: Sevyn Banks, Ohio State
Banks’ star has been ascending since he arrived in the Big Ten in 2018. After a freshman season where he made a minimal impact, he’s become more productive with every season. Last year he logged 23 tackles, doubled his pass deflections from the previous season, and snagged an interception in the CFB Playoffs victory over Clemson.
The Buckeyes playmaker has all the potential to carry on the Ohio State heritage of exceptional cornerback play translating to NFL Draft stock. He’s got the size, speed, and change-of-direction skills to mix it up with any receivers in the conference this fall. That said, his performances this season could be dictated by an undisclosed injury which has hampered his ability to participate through the spring.
Cornerback: Avery Young, Rutgers
Despite logging 30 starts in his three years at Rutgers, Young still appears to be under the radar and heavily underrated. Granted, his productivity in terms of interceptions doesn’t quite match up to some of the cornerback elite. However, as we routinely point out, production doesn’t always match with potential and ability. Furthermore, Young may only have 1 interception, but he has logged 17 pass deflections, including 10 as a true freshman.
The Rutgers cornerback is firmly on our radar as a first-team Big Ten All-Conference honoree. Young has all the skills to become one of the top cornerbacks in the entire nation. He’s versatile and athletic while having the size and football intelligence to succeed at the next level. In addition to his coverage ability, he plays cornerback with the swaggy physicality that has become emblematic of the position.
Safety: Brandon Joseph, Northwestern
If you cast your eyes over Northwestern defensive tape this offseason, two players likely commanded your attention. One of them was Greg Newsome, a first-round NFL Draft selection of the Cleveland Browns. The other would have been Brandon Joseph, quite possibly one of the best safeties in the nation. Joseph led the Big Ten in interceptions last season, making him a shoo-in for our All-Conference first-team.
Of course, you shouldn’t be swayed by statistics. However, the Northwestern safety backs up the numbers with his tape. Incredibly athletic, possessing insane levels of football intelligence, and with ball skills to match, Joseph earned Big Ten Newcomer of the Year honors last fall. As one of the defensive leaders in just his redshirt-sophomore season, he is primed to receive even greater recognition this season.
Safety: Jaquan Brisker, Penn State
Brisker truly emerged on the college football scene last season as a tough-tackling safety who could also make plays in coverage. That emergence has been a long time coming for the Penn State standout. He left Gateway Senior High School at the end of 2016 and has beaten a path through Lackawanna Community College to make his first FBS start during his senior season.
Brisker’s development, particularly towards the end of last season, was impressive. Through December, he achieved his first career game with multiple pass breakups with 2 against Rutgers. Furthermore, he set career-high tackle numbers (9) while snagging a third career interception against Michigan State. The Penn State safety had the opportunity to declare for the 2021 NFL Draft but instead returns with the potential to become one of the better safeties in college football this fall.
Flex: Leo Chenal, Wisconsin
With Ohio State losing their entire linebacker group to the NFL, there isn’t a better linebacker duo in the Big Ten than Sanborn and Chenal at Wisconsin. After a nervy freshman season, Chenal came on leaps and bounds as a sophomore in 2020. Although he showed early signs with a first career sack and interception in the win over Michigan, the Wisconsin linebacker’s crowning moment came against Minnesota.
Chenal racked up 13 tackles, 5 of which were for loss, with 2 sacks and a forced fumble as the Badgers won in overtime. The performance earned him the Bednarik Award Player of the Week as the best defensive player in college football. At 6’2″ and 250 pounds, the Wisconsin linebacker has the old school downhill thumper mentality and is a dangerous threat as a pass rusher. You can expect a career year in 2021.
Preseason Big Ten All-Conference Second-Team
Although these players didn’t quite make the first-team Big Ten All-Conference, the second-team has plenty of playmakers on its roster.
Offense
QB: Tanner Morgan, Minnesota
RB: Master Teague, Ohio State
RB: Noah Cain, Penn State
WR: Ty Fryfogle, Indiana
WR: Jahan Dotson, Penn State
WR: Bo Melton, Rutgers
TE: Peyton Hendershot, Indiana
OT: Blaise Andries, Minnesota
OG: Mike Miranda, Penn State
OC: Doug Kramer, Illinois
OG: Spencer Holstege, Purdue
OT: Thayer Munford, Ohio State
FLEX: Aron Cruickshank, Rutgers
Defense
EDGE: Tyreke Smith, Ohio State
EDGE: Boye Mafe, Minnesota
DT: P.J. Mustipher, Penn State
DT: Keeanu Benton, Wisconsin
LB: JoJo Domann, Nebraska
LB: Jake Hansen, Illinois
LB: Brandon Smith, Penn State
CB: Cam Taylor-Britt, Nebraska
CB: Tarheeb Still, Maryland
CB: Riley Moss, Iowa
S: Daxton Hill, Michigan
S: Nick Cross, Maryland
FLEX: Christian Izien, Rutgers
Preseason Big Ten All-Conference Honorable Mention
Who are some of the top remaining players in the Big Ten this fall?
Offense
QB: Brandon Peters, Illinois
RB: Isaih Pacheco, Rutgers
RB: Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State
WR: Chris Autman-Bell, Minnesota
WR: Ronnie Bell, Michigan
WR: Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
TE: Sam LaPorta, Iowa
OT: Peter Skoronski, Northwestern
OG: Dylan Powell, Indiana
OC: John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
OG: John Seltzner, Wisconsin
OT: Jaelyn Duncan, Maryland
FLEX: Jalen Nailor, Michigan State
Defense
EDGE:Â Jacub Panasiuk, Michigan State
EDGE: Zach Harrison, Ohio State
DT: Ifeanyi Maijeh, Rutgers
DT: Mosiah Nasili-Kite, Maryland
LB: Cam Jones, Indiana
LB: Tyshon Fogg, Rutgers
LB: Chance Campbell, Maryland
CB: Coney Durr, Minnesota
CB: Cameron Mitchell, Northwestern
CB: Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
S: Brad Hawkins, Michigan
S: Jack Koerner, Iowa
FLEX: Zach VanValkenburg, Iowa
[su_button url=”https://www.profootballnetwork.com/2022-nfl-draft-big-board-top-50-prospects/” style=”flat” background=”#540008″ color=”#ffffff” size=”5″ wide=”yes” center=”yes” text_shadow=”0px 0px 0px #000000″]Keep Reading! 2022 NFL Draft Big Board: Early top 50 prospect rankings[/su_button]
Want 2022 NFL Draft prospect news? Want to do your own mock draft?
Dive into PFN’s Free NFL Mock Draft Simulator and test your own drafting acumen. Continue to visit Pro Football Network for NFL news and in-depth analysis. Also, be sure to follow us on Twitter (@PFN365) to stay in the loop on all things college football and the NFL Draft landscape.
Oliver Hodgkinson is an NFL Draft Analyst for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter at @ojhodgkinson.
