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The conference boasts two potential top-10 picks in Nebraska's Randy Gregory and Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun. Don't discount Ohio State's Noah Spence or Michigan's Frank Clark, either.
The key NFL Draft storyline of every college football season is the development of quarterbacks.
Every draft is judged by whether or not there are quality quarterbacks available. Next year's draft took something of a blow following the season-ending shoulder injury to Ohio State quarterback Braxton Miller.
We don't know if Miller was going to develop into a top prospect. But his natural talent should give Miller's potential development the benefit of the doubt. But after tearing his labrum, Miller announced that he'll return to Ohio State for another season.
In the Big Ten, the attention at quarterback turns to Michigan State's Connor Cook. In 2013, his first year as a starter, Cook was solid but rocky. He threw his fair share of bad passes and struggled to place some fades. By the end of the season against OSU and Stanford in the Rose Bowl, Cook looked like a much better player. The junior is cool and poised in the pocket and possesses a speedy delivery. Cook may not be a high first-round pick, but he's somewhat similar to a player like Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Bengals.
Still, for all those plaudits Cook will, frankly, throw some stupid passes.
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The main focus of NFL talent in the Big Ten, however, is at those players who sack the quarterback. The conference boasts potentially two top-10 picks in Nebraska's Randy Gregory and Michigan State's Shilique Calhoun.
By all reports, Calhoun didn't give a lot of consideration to entering this year's draft. From an NFL standpoint, it was a peculiar decision because Calhoun may have been the second-best 4-3 pass rusher after Jadeveon Clowney. Calhoun is a flexible athlete who can dip around the corner with ease. He may have only had 7.5 sacks last season, but his burst and fluidity will make him an attractive pick early in the first round.
While Calhoun can be fine as a pass rusher, he needs to show a boost in power. Against the run, Calhoun doesn't always control the line and hold his spot. Although playing the run won't always lead to big splash plays, holding the edge will allow MSU's linebackers to come up and tackle the running back.
Spartans cornerback Trae Waynes could be poised for a big leap as a junior. As MSU's top corner, Waynes is being moved from the field to the boundary. There, Waynes won't have a deep safety help to bail him out. He can handle the pressure too. At 6'1 and 182 pounds, Waynes is a long corner who can hold up well in man situations. The Spartans also feature safety Kurtis Drummond in the secondary. He should be a Day 3 pick in the draft
Gregory has the talent to be the top overall pick in the draft. He has the potential to be that good. Gregory can be a 4-3 end, or a 3-4 outside linebacker. Gregory possesses a lot of the things that made Barkevious Mingo a high draft pick out of LSU. He had 10.5 sacks last season and has the speed to chase a play down.
There can be some bad with Gregory. He can at times struggle to get off blocks. Like here, for instance:
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At times in 2013, there were glimpses of how good Buckeyes cornerback Doran Grant could be. In a strangely bad secondary that sent three players to the NFL, Grant had a few standout moments. Now a senior, Grant will need to have a complete season of consistent play to boost his draft status into the top 100 picks.
The real strength of Ohio State's defense -- and where they are loaded with NFL talent -- is along the defensive line. Tackle Michael Bennett is a disruptive player in the middle because he can quickly get off blocks and find the ball. He plays much bigger than his listed 288 pounds suggests (bonus: Bennett is an excellent follow on Twitter). Pass rusher Noah Spence broke out last season with 14.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. Spence could be one of the breakout players this season and find himself in the same draft range as Calhoun and Gregory.
Michigan has a few good prospects as well. The best one is arguably Devin Funchess. After being designated as a tight end, Michigan now considers Funchess a wide receiver. It's fitting because Funchess mostly lined up wide for Michigan last season. Listed at 6'5, Funchess can create mismatches. Not only is Funchess big, but he's a good athlete who can go up and pull down difficult passes. Funchess' hands are inconsistent, though, and he'll drop easy passes.
Wolverines quarterback Devin Gardner is in dire need of a bounce back. Heading into last season, Gardner was often compared to Ryan Tannehill. Gardner was inconsistent, though, thanks to shoddy mechanics head to toe. There is first-round potential in Gardner, but he'll only get there if his pocket presence improves and he can routinely deliver challenging throws with pressure around him.
To keep with the pass rusher theme, Michigan has one of its own in Frank Clark. The senior defensive end had 12 tackles for loss last season and plays a lot like former Wolverine Brandon Graham. Clark isn't a speedy fast blitzer, but he hustles and can get off blockers.
One Michigan player to really keep an eye on is linebacker Jake Ryan. He didn't play until October last season after tearing his ACL in spring practice. If he can stay healthy, Ryan has a future at the inside or the outside. Ryan is a read-and-react linebacker who finds the ball in a hurry. Ryan could get picked in the first three rounds of the draft if he can show he can stay healthy.
So who gets to try and block all of these pass rushers?
That list starts with Iowa left tackle Brandon Scherff. The powerhouse blind side protector could have gone pro, and likely been taken in the first round, but decided to return for what should be an excellent senior year. The former guard looked like a natural at tackle and plays with good technique and footwork. Scherff is a player you can see projecting to anywhere but center in the NFL. He should be a lock in the top 15 unless he gets hit by an injury. The Hawkeyes also feature Carl Davis, a brute of a defensive tackle who makes a living occupying multiple blocks and clogging the middle.
In Penn State, junior left tackle Donovan Smith is already entering his third year as a starter. Smith has good footwork to mirror blockers as they work the edge. If he can get better bend and handle bull rushers better, Smith could be one of the surprise prospects of the season.
Wisconsin's Tyler Marz, also a junior left tackle, is an aggressive blocker in the run game and has the strength to move defenders around. The pieces are all there for Marz -- he just has to learn how to play faster. If he does, Wisconsin will have yet another top lineman in the NFL soon. At the right side for the Badgers is senior Rob Havenstein, a mountainous player who could excel at guard at the next level.
Kaleb Johnson has seemingly been in college for a decade. He's bounced from position to position in his first three years starting for Rutgers. That versatility should make him attractive to teams in the middle of the draft.
There are some playmakers in a conference dominated by play up front. Maryland, the conference's newest addition, features wide receiver Stefon Diggs. If he can stay healthy, Diggs is a dynamic playmaker who can get deep. He's a top return man who is shifty with the ball in his hands. Prepare yourself for DeSean Jackson comparisons. Fellow Terrapins wide receiver Deon Long could be a late-round pick if he stays healthy.
Wisconsin's Melvin Gordon looked NFL ready as a redshirt sophomore last season, rushing for 1,609 yards and 12 touchdowns. Gordon is a great combination of size, power and shiftiness. He could break 2,000 this season because he can makes plays like this look so effortless:
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In Nebraska, Ameer Abdullah is arguably the top senior running back in the country. Abdullah isn't an overly powerful back, but he gets up to speed in a hurry and can make quick cuts. He's a top running back who will slip in the draft because of position value and could possibly be a steal thanks to his versatility and toughness. Much of the same can be said for Michigan State's Jeremy Langford.
Know the name
Jihad Ward may not begin the season as a starter for Illinois, but don't be surprised if he ends there. The junior college transfer is a 6'6, 295-pound junior who has coaches raving. In high school, Ward was a wide receiver and safety -- imagine what he can do up front.
Top conference game for prospects
Nebraska at Wisconsin, Nov. 15: You were expecting some Ohio State/Michigan or Michigan State game here, weren't you? The Nebraska/Wisconsin game will go a long way in determining where Gregory falls in the draft. Wisconsin's line is good, and the Badgers' run game is on point. If Gregory struggles getting off blocks and can contain Gordon, NFL scouts will be salivating. If not, they'll be wondering just how good he can be at the next level.