The penultimate post of our annual Draft the Big Ten/all-conference four-deep series that had no draft. This episode it has no Brian either, since he's in season preview mode.

Previously:

• Quarterback and Running Back
• Receivers and Tight Ends
• Offensive Line
• Defensive Line
• Linebacker

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CORNERBACKS

Ace:

Those CBs up in Ann Arbor are something else pic.twitter.com/PfYzEbUnT9

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 26, 2018

We done?

BiSB: But... uh...Yeah, we're done here.

Seth: By the way I did the Northwestern scouting and I do not think we need to worry about a Gaz from the Nobody Watches it Division.

Ace: Here’s another featuring the now-fourth cornerback.

The returning B1G leaders in YAC allowed pic.twitter.com/Xflske57CB

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 25, 2018

Seth: There are no hoodies left at Wisconsin.

BiSB: The existence of Ojemudia (NTO) on that list does not give me great comfort.

Seth: Iowa cornerback Josh Jackson is in the NFL. Manny Rugamba transferred.

Ace: Did not expect him to the the first guy named after M’s guys.

BiSB: Do we even need to discuss Long and Hill? As in, is there a debate with them as #1 and #2 in some order?

Seth: I mean, is there anything but GOOD AT CORNERBACK that is in those numbers?

Ace: Arguably the best pair of corners in the country, Hill looks marginally better at the moment at playing the ball, both almost never get cleanly beat, uh… Thomas/Watson would probably be a top-three B1G corner pairing? Is that crazy to say?

Seth: Um, top four.

Ace: Fair.

BiSB: Long has a certain Nick Lidstrom thing where he is just always in the right spot.

​

You wanted ball. You do not get ball. [Patrick Barron]

Ace: STILL. I like how you invoked The Perfect Human.

Seth: Brian isn't here because he's in preview week mode but he would want us to mention Hill should play nickel.

Ace: I suspect we’ll see him slide inside a decent amount, especially against spread-y teams with a good slot.

Seth: GIPHY is picking for Brian.

/giphy what do we do about slot fades

​

Ace: Giphy had no idea how to handle that.

BiSB: Looks like Giphy likes Rutgers' nickel package?

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

[After THE JUMP: slackbot thinks that a lot.]

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Oruwariye is from that Stribling mold of long corner [via 247Sports]

Ace: Anyway, other guys: I agree with Athlon(!) that PSU’s Amari Oruwariye and Northwestern’s Montre Hartage are at least the two next-most proven corners.

BiSB: Penn State will actually have a nice pairing with Oruwariye and John Reid.

Ace: Reid I need to be sold on after that injury. I wasn’t quite sold on him before that. Bulldog of a corner but he’s a bit small.

Seth: I am with you on Oruwariye but not Hartage.

Ace: Rutgers has a decent corner!

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

Seth: Rutgers has TWO! Blessuan Austin and Isaiah Wharton.

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

Ace: God that’s right, two real players.

Seth: I wouldn't invoke this lightly but Wharton's an only slightly poor man's Marlin Jackson. Big, excellent tackler, reads the play well, mirrors big receivers. And Austin in 2016 was very good and very avoided on a tire fire of a defense, but lost 2017 to an ACL. I thought Wharton might be moved to safety since they have another corner who emerged last year when Austin was hurt, but it's that other corner who emerged last year, Hayes, they're converting. Anyway Ash has 3/4ths of an honestly good secondary now. They just had to un-transfer the guy about to transfer to FIU for the other safety spot.

BiSB: RUTGERS MAKING A BOWL, Y'ALL...

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

Seth: /giphy quicklanebowlquest

​

BiSB: I think Josiah Scott would have been in the conversation if he was healthy.

​

Weirdly every image on the internet of MSU DBs from last year are from plays where they're burnt crispy but the QB missed.
[Mike Mulholland/MLive]

Ace: MSU’s pass defense was shockingly decent last year and Josiah Scott really held his own for a freshman out there. He could still be back by early Big Ten season.

BiSB: They said 2 months, so the Michigan game looks like sort of the early edge of when he'd be really back.

Seth: MSU's cornerbacks are starting to be MSU cornerbacks again, though Scott is way smaller than the type—he's 5-9 on the roster and rosters lie. The other corner is 6-3 WR convert Justin Layne, and that went way better than "fall convert from WR" is supposed to.

Ace: Agreed, he was much better than I expected given the situation. I think there’s a dropoff after those two, though, certainly in terms of guys who’ve proven much. It’ll be interesting to see who steps up, if anyone, for Scott when he’s out.

BiSB: I KNOW Michigan State people hate it when I talk about this, but their corner numbers may have been aided by the circumstances last year.

Ace: MSU was better than their record in 2016 and worse than their record in 2017, this is a very reasonable take.

Seth: I'm applying circumstances to the safeties; those two corners mostly held up.

Ace: Agreed, circumstances mostly impacted the deep ball. I do not trust Khari Willis. And he’s their best safety. But before that, we should mention Ohio State's Big Three.

Jeffrey Okudah was one of the top players of the 2017 class, got more hype out of Spring than anyone, and is their 3rd stringer because Ohio State can have whatever it wants with no consequences that's how things work. [Eleven Warriors]

Ace: So, yeah, Kendall Sheffield is the former Alabama five-star transfer who’s got all the physical ability in the world, and I think that comes through this year.

Seth: Sheffield also made everyone on their track team feel bad this offseason.

Ace: And Damon Arnette is the guy who’s seen the field but, uh, isn’t fully trusted by their fans. He’s plenty talented too, though.

Seth: They're going to be a three-man rotation again this year again though because SUPER DUPER 5-STAR Jeffrey Okudah ain't staying off the field.

BiSB: Shaun Wade was also a 5-star. God I hate these guys.

Seth: The Sheffield-Arnette situation worked for OSU last year because they could go with the guy who matches the receivers. Arnette is big; Sheffield is fast. If they were to leave one guy on the field this year though I think it's Sheffield.

Ace: I echo Bryan’s sentiment.

Seth: They're all former five stars and they will all go early in the draft for being five stars even though Kollman is ripping on their technique because Ohio State can get raw materials and roll with that.

Ace: We also have to give their secondary coaching credit for the last few years. They’ve just reloaded first-rounders.

Seth: This offseason we learned they can't foist Schiano on Tennessee. He might be there awhile.

BiSB: We didn't really talk about Montre Hartage. Thoughts?

Seth: Athletically limited, smart Cover 2 corner, fair tackler.

Ace: Fair assessment. Solid player on a decent, not great defense. In this year’s Big Ten that’s worthy of consideration.

Seth: He has the least impressive highlight film ever. Staying with MAC and Purdue receivers, picks that are thrown at him instead of the guy he's covering, tackles on guys who boxed him out and got the first down.

At 4:34 they include an all-the-flags PI because he intercepted it. Then they replay it.

BiSB: It's the replay that kills me.

Ace: I’ll defend a lot of that highlight video but, uh, nooooooot that bit.

BiSB: The live shot at least shows a nice return. The replay is just "Hartage has opposable thumbs that can pull on jerseys."

Ace: The ol’ yoink-and-pick. And he would’ve gotten away with it if not for… everybody.

BiSB: 5:15 is also... not terribly encouraging.

Ace: Look, I’d have Ambry Thomas in there if he was gonna start.

Seth: /removes Montre Hardage mask

Ross Taylor-Douglas?

BiSB:

​

Not sure whose highlight reel this was supposed to go on...

Ace: Look, Random Internet Highlight Reel Maker had a 7-minute minimum.

BiSB: LOL THEY REPLAYED THAT ONE TOO

Seth: It goes on the reel that Big XII cornerbacks use to complain about Big Ten secondary stats.

BiSB:

​

Sorry, this is my favorite highlight reel since that special teams high schooler.

Ace: The back half, uh, deteriorates.

Seth: Anyway, Northwestern last year had one of the best safety duos in the country, and that hid some weakness by the corners. They have to play way off.

Ace: True, I loved Igwebuike and he wasn’t their best safety.

I think now we can move on to safeties? I can’t even think of another semi-proven corner.

Seth: We left Minnesota's cornerback/safety/HSP out of the LBs round but Antoine Winfield Jr.

Ace: Whoops.

BiSB: I keep forgetting Minnesota exists.

Ace: Yell louder, PJ.

Seth: Winfield missed last year so he's especially forgettable. He plays all over but I'd call him one of the better somethings in the conference. Nickel?

Ace: I’m not sure I’d go that far. He first got onto the field with a couple very good corners supporting him. And by supporting him I mean allowing him to seamlessly slide in and guard the #3.

BiSB: Thoughts, Brian?

/giphy minnesota corner

​

Seth: Whoof.

BiSB: Brian is unimpressed.

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Safety

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The gypsy isn't a fan of leadership. [Patrick Barron]

Ace: So… D’Cota Dixon and?

Ace: Honestly I think Athlon had to dig pretty deep to not include either Michigan safety. There’s an Illinois guy on here:

​

Seth: Dixon had to do some backflips to get that  6th or 7th or whatever year, but he's the engine of that Wisconsin defense because he can play up in the box and still back out into a Cov2 zone or blitz, so you you never know what the coverage is going to be on that side.

On the other hand he's tiny, and Michigan used that to their advantage by whipsawing him between having to cover Gentry outside or getting forced into an inside gap against Mason Cole or a pulling guard. Jordan Fuller is unfortunately the other #1.

Ace: (sigh)

BiSB: Safety does not look like a strong suit for the B1G this year.

Seth: IU's Jonathan Crawford is back.

BiSB: He is.

Ace: He’s probably on my second team.

BiSB: What that will be worth for them given what they lost is a question, though. He and Marcelino Ball can at least cover a lot of turf.

Ace: Fant and Fields expose some holes but a good player is a good player. Apologies for the awful platitude.

BiSB: Talk about being a "football player," coach.

Seth: Crawford has had quite a run because he was out there long before he was a good player. He's going to leave with every DB record at IU after setting the Big Ten record for most Not His Fault cameos in other peoples' touchdown photos.

Ace: I’m serious, though, Michigan’s guys should be getting attention.

David Dowell covered the slot extremely well last year pic.twitter.com/TB85NHQgRq

— PFF College (@PFF_College) August 24, 2018

They were a relative weakness because the rest of the defense was damn near perfect.

Seth: There's so much on there I want comment about.

Ace: I know you have feelings on David Dowell, Seth.

BiSB: There is also a "jack of all trades, master of none" criticism that is somewhat unfair.

Ace: It’s the mean framing of “boring safety,” which is a good thing! We’ve been over this! Never Forget! Like, Tyree Kinnel is a captain.

Seth: Tyree could have been more boring.

Ace: Indeed. He has a habit of screaming into a play at a slightly untenable speed for the angle.

Seth: He made that one great tackle against Cincy? and after that he was trying to make that tackle instead of putting the offense in a position to get ANOTHER first down.

Ace: Sometimes it’s spectacular, sometimes it’s spectacular the other way. He also got victimized by some inch-perfect slot corners.

Seth: Also the design of the defense makes his job a lot harder.

Ace: Those plays tend to stick even if that’s unfair. That applies doubly to Metellus for That OSU Play.

sorry sorry i’m trying to delete it

BiSB: Dammit Ace.

Seth: I'm behind Metellus, but we're not forgiving that play. Anyway let's go back to that list above because Damon Hayes was a decent cornerback last year and if he's okay at safety it means they can leave Austin and Wharton outside.

BiSB: Is... is Rutgers a top-half-of-the-Big-Ten secondary?

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

Ace: I’m uncomfortable with the amount of Rutger in this post. Are there tiny ‘R’ magnets hiding in this chat?

BiSB: I could make a case for them as Top 5, which... wut?

Ace: Is there a stuffed bear anywhere?

Seth: Chris Ash is a Brady Hoke of DB'ing.

Ace: I… still can’t disagree?

Seth: Remember when OSU's secondary went from terrible to really good in Year 2 of Meyer. Chris Ash does one thing well.

Ace: It does make sense for Ash to get that to be the (most) competent part of the team.

BiSB: So, you're saying...

​

Seth: Also his fourth starter in the secondary, I'll state again, is Kiy Hester, a Miami (YTM) transfer they had to un-transfer from FIU this offseason.

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

Ace:

BiSB: They do lose KJ Gray to Shenanigans.

Ace: Credit card shenanigans. Rutger pulled a dang Florida.

BiSB: No offense, decent defense, credit card shenanigans...

Seth: KJ Gray to Kiy Hester is an upgrade I think, even though Hester was going to FIU because he lost his job to Gray. Gray was very bad. Also they were using the credit cards to refill the RU version of their M-Cards

Ace: Rutgers: Like the SEC, but very bad at it.

slackbot: I think you mean Rutger

Seth: So about David Dowell and Khari Willis.

BiSB: /Jumps out to big lead early in the article, Ryan Nanni shows up in an onion costume, rest of the article goes to shit.

Ace: I know you aren’t huge on Dowell but I think Willis is constantly teetering on disaster. I like Dowell at least in part because I often confuse him for his twin, who’s quite good.

Seth: If you can bear to watch it there's a Dowell vs Michigan video  Willis had a good game, especially in run support.

Dowell just looked like a guy. Also MSU rotated him with Garrett Miller most of last year. True sophomores improve and all, but I'd as soon go with whichever 5-star wins the job in Columbus as Dowell.

BiSB: Michigan State's safety play has been like Michigan's OT play for the last few years. They just CANNOT find guys to keep their crap together.

Ace: #3 defense in isoPPP against last year.

BiSB: They might figure one out at a time, but having two competent guys at the same time is a bridge too far.

Ace: I think there’s a LOT of luck in there but still.

/giphy biblical flood

​

Ace: Monsoons and such only do so much.

Seth:

​

Ace: dangit.

BiSB: Western Michigan had guys running open deep.

BOWLING GREEN had guys running open deep:

Ace: Counterpoint: alternatives?

Are there any?

BiSB: That guy at Illinois.

Whose name I definitely know.

And whose tape I have definitely watched.

Ace: Well.

Seth: You're just saying that because Brian drafts an Illinois safety every year. I got one though.

NAVON MOSLEY, S, PURDUE

PFF Grade: 85.3

One of the best run-supporting safeties in the country, Mosley finished the 2017 season with 65 tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a tackle for loss. Mosley, a junior, ended his second year at Purdue with an 85.3 grade against the run, which ranked 12 nationally among all safeties. Mosley, a three-star prospect in the 2016 class, is entering his third season as a starter.

BiSB: Oh, I do like Mosley.

Seth: You know he played for Ron Bellamy.

Ace: Their run defense was quite good last year and while their pass defense was meh we sure didn’t talk about their corners.

BiSB: Similar situation to Indiana where he might be put in some rough spots this year, but he's a good player.

Seth: You know Bellamy won't drop the fact that Michigan and Michigan State overlooked Mosely, or that Mosely got a pick against Michigan.

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CORNERBACKS

Tm	Seth	Ace	BiSB
1	Lavert Hill, MICH	Lavert Hill, MICH	Lavert Hill, MICH
	David Long, MICH	David Long, MICH	David Long, MICH
2	Kendall Sheffield, OSU	Kendall Sheffield, OSU	Jeffrey Okudah, OSU
	Amani Oruwariye, PSU	Amani Oruwariye, PSU	Amani Oruwariye, PSU
3	Isaiah Wharton, RU	Josiah Scott, MSU	Kendall Sheffield, OSU
	Josiah Scott, MSU	Jeffrey Okudah, OSU	Blessuan Austin, RU
4	Blessuan Austin, RU	Isaiah Wharton, RU	Montre Hartage, NW
	Jeffrey Okudah, OSU	Montre Hartage, NW	John Reid, PSU

Seth: And my next four for no reason

1. Ambry Thomas, MICH
2. Brandon Watson, MICH
3. Justin Layne, MSU
4. Dontye Carriere-Williams, UW

BiSB: Excluded Josiah Scott for health reasons.

FREE SAFETY

Tm	Seth	Ace	BiSB
1	Jordan Fuller, OSU	Jordan Fuller, OSU	Jordan Fuller, OSU
2	Jonathan Crawford, IU	Jonathan Crawford, IU	Tyree Kinnel, MICH
3	Tyree Kinnel, MICH	Tyree Kinnel, MICH	Jonathan Crawford, IU
4	Damon Hayes, RU	Damon Hayes, RU	Bennett Williams, ILL

STRONG SAFETY

Tm	Seth	Ace	BiSB
1	D'Cota Dixon, UW	D'Cota Dixon, UW	D'Cota Dixon, UW
2	Navon Mosley, PU	Josh Metellus, MICH	Navon Mosley, PU
3	Josh Metellus, MICH	Navon Mosley, PU	Josh Metellus, MICH
4	Antoine Winfield Jr, MN	David Dowell, MSU	David Dowell, MSU

Seth: I have three Scarlet Knights in my All-B1G list and just one guy from the S&P #4 secondary against the pass last year because that's how little I believe in MSU's secondary.