The Top 81-90 Returning Players in the Big Ten Comment Count

Seth

is what someone says when they’re too polite to admit that they’re writing another

Draftageddon 2017: ASK FOR THE PANDA YOU GET THE PANDA Edition

Four_Horsemen_by_MarkWilkinson1

This is Part IX (the penultimate of this year). We are drafting Big Ten players to give you an overview of the guys and dudes around the conference, and to learn them ourselves. You’re along for the ride, and if you want to get off we use the same lead image every time so you can do that.

THAT WHICH HAS ALREADY OCCURRED

image

image

click to read

BiSB is on the clock and has no outside receivers, so he’ll take another slot.

----------------------------

BiSB: ROUND 21, PICK 1: KJ Hill, WR (OSU)

Off: QB Brandon Peters (UM), QB Clayton Thorson (NW), RB Saquon Barkley (PSU), RB Ty Johnson (MD), WR DJ Moore (MD), WR K.J. Hill (OSU), TE/WR Mike Gesicki (PSU), G/C Billy Price (OSU); G/T Beau Benzschawel (UW), G/T Ryan Bates (PSU), G/T Ben Bredeson (UM)

Def: NT Bryan Mone (UM); DT Conor Sheehy (UW), DE Tyquan Lewis (OSU), DE Chase Winovich (UM), LB Tegray Scales (IU), LB Jason Cabinda (PSU) CB Rashard Fant (IU), CB Derrick Tindal (UW), S Godwin Igwebuike (NW), S D’Cota Dixon (UW)

I'm hitching my wagon to [OSU’s nepotismo WRs coach] Zach Smith. I may have gone mad.

Last year was the first year under Urban Meyer that Ohio State hasn't had at least a relatively reliable and productive traditional receiver; Curtis Samuel had over 900 yards, but no one else had more than Noah Brown's 402. Brown is gone, leaving K.J. Hill as the leading returning wide receiver (not counting TE Marcus Baugh). Hill's small-sample numbers were good; his 10.9 yards per target led the team, as did his 75% success rate. Bill Connelly had him as the 5th best freshman wide receiver in the country.

It's a bit of a crapshoot, as there are a number of talented wide receivers waiting in the wings in Columbus, including Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, and Terry McLaurin. But Hill is a versatile guy who can play outside, in the slot, or at H-back, and he's the most productive guy they've got. Odds are he'll get enough touches to make it worth my while. And if we subscribe to Brian's "Freshman Receivers Suck" theory, Hill is primed for a breakout sophomore campaign.

On the other hand... Zach Smith.

[AFTER THE JUMP: A shutdown fullcast about draftageddon then 11 more picks, then people bitching about draftageddon in the comments. At least this one is guaranteed to get you excited about Michigan football]

----------------------------

BiSB: POINT OF ORDER: Ace, Brian and I have all taken our full allotment of skill players. Seth needs three skill players. Does he need to take them in the next three rounds?

Brian: Good lord, yes.

Ace: Next one needs to be the TE, too.

Brian: He doesn't have to take a TE.

Seth: Seems a little odd to enforce that at the end of the draft.

BiSB: This isn't Nam. There are rules.

MARK IT TIGHT END

Brian: I mean if he doesn't want a tight end that's a valid decision. Like that one year he ran a 3-3-5.

Ace: “valid”

Brian: For a given definition.

Seth: You mean the year I drafted the league leader in sacks and TFLs at this point in the draft?

image

Yup. You guys all drafted Michigan State defensive backs.

BiSB: /giphy greg robinson rubbing a beav... uh... never mind Giphy.

Seth: Ironic the guy with Gesicki is clamoring for me to take a tight end.

Brian: I have a solution: Seth drafts Kemoko Turay as a TE.

Ace:

BiSB: It doesn't matter which skill players you take first, as you are the only one left who will be taking skill players.

Ace: On the other hand, special teams shenanigans. Let’s not overlook one of Draftageddon’s finest traditions.

Seth: Have we ever set an official rule on that? Like he has to have taken a punt in a game, not I saw Eddie McDoom put one 40 yards with good hang time at Elbel once?

Ace: I think “do whatever you want as long as you can remotely justify it” has been the general guiding principle.

BiSB: I took two punters a few years ago because one of them was an Aussie and could therefore presumably kick the ball however we asked.

Ace: Didn’t Heiko once draft Taylor Martinez as a running back?

Seth: Or a right tackle. We never actually nailed him down on who does what.

BiSB:

image
mother of god dot gif

Ace: I have both hands on my head in awe. I’m typing this with my elbows.

BiSB: DeAnthony Arnett and Kyle Prater.

----------------------------

Brian: ROUND 21, PICK 3: Aaron Williams, S, Nebraska

 image

[Francis Gardler/Journal Star, via HuskerExtra]

Off: QB Wilton Speight (M), RB Akrum Wadley (IA), RB LJ Scott(MSU), TE Troy Fumagalli(UW), WR Malik Turner(ILL), WR Kekoa Crawford(M), WR Janarion Grant(RU), OT Mason Cole(M), G Michael Deiter(UW), C James Daniels (IA).

Def: NT Stephen Richardson (Minn), DT Mo Hurst(M), DE Anthony Nelson(IA), DE Jesse Aniebonam(MD) OLB Chris Worley(OSU), ILB Josey Jewell(IA), ILB TJ Edwards(UW), CB Grant Haley(PSU), S Josh Kalu (Neb), S Aaron Williams(Neb)
ST: K Emmitt Carpenter(MN), KR/PR Grant

Williams is another CB/S hybrid currently in the Nebraska secondary, playing safety in base packages and nickel in, uh, nickel. He did exceedingly well at that a year ago:

Per PFF, safety Aaron Williams has allowed the third-lowest quarterback rating in the country by defensive backs lined up in the slot. “Aaron Williams has become really, I think, a proficient guy playing there,” Riley said.

Nebraska's secondary was very good a year ago and it wasn't all Nate Gerry. He looks to be the #1 guy on the depth chart per his new DBs coach...

“Aaron Williams is as smart a player as I’ve ever been around,” Elliott told reporters Tuesday. “He’s grasping things that I never dreamed that a safety could grasp this quickly.”

...and has upside left as a guy entering his true junior season. His run defense was "a mess" per PFF but that's something a true sophomore nickel corner is liable to improve considerably.

----------------------------

Seth: Round 21, Pick 3: Khalid Hill, Impact Fullback/Hammering Panda, Michigan

CuVftORVYAAvgVD

via Ace

Off: QB JT Barrett (OSU), RB Chris Evans (UM), FB/TE Khalid Hill (UM), WR Nick Westbrook (IU), WR Rashad Still (MN), OC Sean Welsh (IA), LT Tariq Cole (RU), LG Ike Boettger (IA), RG Tanner Farmer (NE), RT Brandon Knight (IU)

Def: NT Robert Landers (OSU), DT Kingsley Opara (MD), SDE Nick Bosa (OSU), WDE Jalyn Holmes (OSU), MLB Jack Cichy (UW), WLB Jermaine Carter Jr. (MD), VIPER!!! Khaleke Hudson (UM), S Tyree Kinnel (UM), S Kyle Quiero (NW), CB Denzel Ward, CB Manny Rugamba

You guys are all "draft a tight end" when the perfect, PFF All-Big Ten H-back is still untouched. That link:

The Hammering Panda wasn’t just an excellent lead blocker for the Wolverines, he was also the go-to on short-yardage situations. He scored ten touchdowns on the ground this season, and added another two through the air on 14 receptions.

Besides sporting a sports nickname so awesome it got an Ace tweet linked in a Pro Football Focus article, Hill last year emerged as a dude who can block your face off or ruin you with sharp routes and soft hands in the passing game, while lining up everywhere from inline fullback to way out wide (7 minutes).   

He is so money in short situations that Michigan fans audibly grumble when the coaches try to give a 1-yard TD to anyone else.

----------------------------

Brian: Seth did a business.

Let me state for the record that somebody probably should have taken Austin Ramesh.

----------------------------

Ace: ROUND 21, PICK 4: Aubrey Solomon, NT, Michigan

Off: QB Trace McSorley (PSU), RB Justin Jackson (NW), RB Lorenzo Harrison (MD), WR Simmie Cobbs (IU), WR Jazz Peavy (UW), SLOT Parris Campbell (OSU), TE Ian Bunting (M), OT Jamarco Jones (OSU), OT/OG Brendan Mahon (PSU), OT/OG Damian Prince (MD), OT/OG Boone Myers (IA), G/C Brian Allen (MSU)    

Def: DE Rashan Gary (M), DE Sam Hubbard (OSU), DT Dre’Mont Jones (OSU), NT Aubrey Solomon (M), LB Mike McCray (M), LB Jerome Baker (OSU), CB Christian Campbell (PSU), S Marcus Allen (PSU), S Jonathan Crawford (IU)

ST: KR Parris Campbell (OSU)

There are a handful of solid DTs left on the board, but they’re mostly pluggers, and I’ve already got a stout run defender in Dre’Mont Jones. Plus, have you looked at Michigan’s two-deep lately? Aubrey Solomon is all but written in stone as the next man in for Bryan Mone, who for all the hype hasn’t stayed healthy long enough to establish himself as a sure thing.

No, Solomon doesn’t start on Michigan—not yet, at least—but technically neither did last year’s #3 defensive tackle, a guy by the name of Maurice Hurst. Yes, Solomon is only a true freshman, but he’s a five-star true freshman coming off a dominant Army All-American week. This is what last year’s five-star DTs did:

click big

Solomon walks into a much better depth chart situation than Derrick Brown or Rashad Lawrence. I’ll live with a floor of Benito Jones if the ceiling is somewhere between Dexter Lawrence and Ed Oliver.

Those two are rare defensive tackles, I know, even among five-stars. Here are Aubrey Solomon’s senior highlights. I would argue he, too, is a rare prospect indeed.

_You_ tell him I’m making the wrong pick. He’s the one on the left.

----------------------------

Brian: /rings the homer bell far and wide.

Ace:

screen_shot_2017-07-28_at_11.15.39_am_1024

Ace: It’s round 21, man. Kevin Givens wasn’t doing it for me.

Brian: okay but he was the #1 prospect in the country and would have been a good starting DE. Solomon is about 30th, big gap.

Ace: 11th on Scout based on a huge Army week, plus ESPN fired-and-forgot. That isn’t #30 overall tape. It’s just not. He’s also going to be in an ideal position to produce since he’ll be lining up next to Mo Hurst and Rashan Gary on a regular basis.

Seth: If you are saying I have to watch that highlight tape again well then I guess I just have to.

/series of yelps and gasps

Ace: Seriously. Watch that and ask yourself whether you’d want Solomon or Mone in on passing downs.

Brian: The answer to that is probably "none of the above" if they're going to get Uche and Vilain on the field at all

Ace: Perhaps, but sometimes you don’t want to throw out a special personnel package, especially if you’re looking at a full drive that’s going to be pass-heavy but could still include the run. Regardless, I think we can all agree Solomon is in a position to play a bunch of snaps.

Seth: I don't know I'd better watch it again.

----------------------------

Ace: ROUND 22, PICK 1: Tony Fields, S, Indiana

Off: QB Trace McSorley (PSU), RB Justin Jackson (NW), RB Lorenzo Harrison (MD), WR Simmie Cobbs (IU), WR Jazz Peavy (UW), SLOT Parris Campbell (OSU), TE Ian Bunting (M), OT Jamarco Jones (OSU), OT/OG Brendan Mahon (PSU), OT/OG Damian Prince (MD), OT/OG Boone Myers (IA), G/C Brian Allen (MSU)   

Def: DE Rashan Gary (M), DE Sam Hubbard (OSU), DT Dre’Mont Jones (OSU), NT Aubrey Solomon (M), LB Mike McCray (M), LB Jerome Baker (OSU), CB Christian Campbell (PSU), S Marcus Allen (PSU), S Jonathan Crawford (IU), S Tony Fields (IU)
ST: KR Parris Campbell (OSU)

A centerfielder who’s strong against the run, Fields finished behind only IU teammate Jonathan Crawford in passer rating against among Big Ten safeties:

He started every game last year and has played in every contest since arriving in Bloomington. He’ll act as my third safety with Crawford sliding into the slot, where he performed well in coverage last year. I’m apparently hitching my wagon to Indiana’s safeties, a terrifying thought even after the Tom Allen turnaround, but that defense really did turn it around, I still have another linebacker to pick, and Baker’s versatile presence eliminates some concern about that position group.

----------------------------

Seth: Round 21, Pick 2: Matt VandeBerg, WR, Iowa

Previously: 2016 Rnd 16 (Brian)

Off: QB JT Barrett (OSU), RB Chris Evans (UM), FB/TE Khalid Hill (UM), WR Nick Westbrook (IU), WR Rashad Still (MN), SL Matt VandeBerg (IA), OC Sean Welsh (IA), LT Tariq Cole (RU), LG Ike Boettger (IA), RG Tanner Farmer (NE), RT Brandon Knight (IU)

Def: NT Robert Landers (OSU), DT Kingsley Opara (MD), SDE Nick Bosa (OSU), WDE Jalyn Holmes (OSU), MLB Jack Cichy (UW), WLB Jermaine Carter Jr. (MD), VIPER!!! Khaleke Hudson (UM), S Tyree Kinnel (UM), S Kyle Quiero (NW), CB Denzel Ward, CB Manny Rugamba

His friends call him "Meercat". PFF calls him "the most reliable hands in the conference". Brian Cook called him the "steal of the draft" at 25 picks ago.

Three games into last year the rest of us were ready to concede the point. What had been the quintessential Iowa possession receiver was looking downright lethal: 9.8 YPT, 66% catch rate, and a 55% success rate while sucking up a majority of his team's targets, on pace for a dozen TDs and a thousand yards to follow a breakout junior season. Then he broke his foot, caught four passes versus Rutgers on it, then ended his senior campaign. C.J. Beathard's QBR promptly dropped 50 points.

Granted a medical 5th year, the Meerkat again slipped down our board thanks to a second injury to that foot in spring. He was cleared for fall camp, just in time for me to snatch him up.

----------------------------

Ace: A steal if he’s healthy and Iowa’s quarterback situation isn’t a mess. The second injury is concerning.

Seth: There was nothing on it until that article yesterday (July 29) saying he "has been ready to go for weeks" and is back to working out in time for fall camp. And I know this because I've been googling him so much this draft my late night MGoBlog ads ask me if I'm looking for hot white Iowa slot receiver companionship.

Ace: I don’t think there was much doubt he’d play this fall. The doubt is about whether a guy who’s injured the same foot twice in a year is going to stay healthy.

BiSB: The quarterback piece is also not a given by any means. But if he stays healthy he could lead the conference in targets. The other guy who falls into that same category is Mikey Dudek at Illinois, albeit with bigger concerns from both a health and QB standpoint.

Seth: The Beathard before-and-after effect is striking. Dudek is in a different category since he hasn't played a down for two years. But I've often wished Michigan had managed to get that guy to use one of those years to transfer.

----------------------------

Brian: ROUND 22, PICK 3: Nick Gates, T, Nebraska57b9275486d2c.image

Previously: 2016 Rnd 13 (Ace)

Off: QB Wilton Speight (M), RB Akrum Wadley (IA), RB LJ Scott(MSU), TE Troy Fumagalli(UW), WR Malik Turner(ILL), WR Kekoa Crawford(M), WR Janarion Grant(RU), OT Mason Cole(M), OT Nick Gates(Neb), G Michael Deiter(UW), C James Daniels (IA).

Def: NT Stephen Richardson (Minn), DT Mo Hurst(M), DE Anthony Nelson(IA), DE Jesse Aniebonam(MD) OLB Chris Worley(OSU), ILB Josey Jewell(IA), ILB TJ Edwards(UW), CB Grant Haley(PSU), S Josh Kalu (Neb), S Aaron Williams(Neb)

ST: K Emmitt Carpenter(MN), KR/PR Grant

Nick Gates fell off a cliff last year:

While he had no below-average performances in his first five games, he had six in his last eight games. As a result, Gates went from giving up 19 total pressures without a sack on 365 pass-blocking snaps at right tackle to surrendering 32 total pressures, including a sack, on 450 pass-protecting snaps at left tackle.

This from a guy who neared the 80 mark on Pro Football Focus demands some further examination, and yup:

On the third play of Nebraska’s road game at Indiana, Nick Gates’ right ankle got rolled up on by another player, and the sophomore left tackle instantly knew something was wrong. Gates ended up spraining his ankle on the play, but as painful as the injury was, he fought through it and finished the rest of the game. Gates then sat out all but one day of practice the following week, yet he was able to suit up again and play four full quarters in NU’s win over Purdue.

Indiana was game six. Gates spent the rest of the year limping out onto the field after limited practice time. Nebraska's OT depth last year must have been horrendous because they had no alternatives to this:

“I was pretty hurt,” Gates said. “Those (last) four games … I was probably 65 to 70 percent. You saw. I was doing my job, and that was about it. There was no extra stuff that I usually would do or any things like that. You definitely saw that.” ... The injuries especially made it “hard to go side to side,” he said.

Just a left tackle who can't go side to side. No problem?

Gates was a very good player as a redshirt freshman and had started following that up with an excellent sophomore season before getting hewed down. Healthy and entering his upperclass years, Gates should bounce back and reclaim his previous form.

----------------------------

BiSB: ROUND 22, PICK 4: Marcelino Ball, HSP (Indiana)

Off: QB Brandon Peters (UM), QB Clayton Thorson (NW), RB Saquon Barkley (PSU), RB Ty Johnson (MD), WR DJ Moore (MD), WR K.J. Hill (OSU), TE/WR Mike Gesicki (PSU), G/C Billy Price (OSU); G/T Beau Benzschawel (UW), G/T Ryan Bates (PSU), G/T Ben Bredeson (UM)

Def: NT Bryan Mone (UM); DT Conor Sheehy (UW), DE Tyquan Lewis (OSU), DE Chase Winovich (UM), LB Tegray Scales (IU), LB Jason Cabinda (PSU) HSP Marcelino Ball (IU), CB Rashard Fant (IU), CB Derrick Tindal (UW), S Godwin Igwebuike (NW), S D’Cota Dixon (UW)

Marcelino Ball started every game for Indiana last year. And then he turned 18 years old. Ball was a 2-star who-dat recruit out of high school who didn't enroll early. And all he did was show up on campus in the fall, and as a 17-year-old playing in the gotdang Big Ten he accumulated 75 tackles (60 solo), 4.5 TFLs, 8 PBUs, and 2 picks.  I can't fathom that.

Ball plays the "Husky" linebacker spot for Indiana, which is the same safety/linebacker hybrid position as Michigan's "Viper" or Rutgers' "Tickle-Me-Elmobacker." He made the kind of mental errors you would expect from a true freshman at a complicated position like that, but he was physically capable in all the tasks you would ask for that position; he can defend a receiver out of the slot, defend in space, and stick his nose into a pile. A comparable would be Josh Metellus; both are about 6'0" and 210 pounds, but they bring disproportionate amounts of lumber.

Five members of Indiana's back 7 are now off the board. What the hell.

----------------------------

BiSB: ROUND 23, PICK 1: Christian DiLauro, OT (Illinois)

Off: QB Brandon Peters (UM), QB Clayton Thorson (NW), RB Saquon Barkley (PSU), RB Ty Johnson (MD), WR DJ Moore (MD), WR K.J. Hill (OSU), TE/WR Mike Gesicki (PSU), G/C Billy Price (OSU); G/T Beau Benzschawel (UW), G/T Ryan Bates (PSU), G/T Ben Bredeson (UM), OT Christian DiLauro (Ill.)   

Def: NT Bryan Mone (UM); DT Conor Sheehy (UW), DE Tyquan Lewis (OSU), DE Chase Winovich (UM), LB Tegray Scales (IU), LB Jason Cabinda (PSU) HSP Marcelino Ball (IU), CB Rashard Fant (IU), CB Derrick Tindal (UW), S Godwin Igwebuike (NW), S D’Cota Dixon (UW)

DiLauro is Illinois' best offensive lineman, which, yes, I shall now pause while you make the obvious jokes.

Done? Cool. Anyway, Illinois' offensive line was not good last year, but they were... something? Sure they finished 120th in the country in 3-and-outs. But Illinois also averaged 4.78 yards per carry, which was 4th in the Big Ten and ahead of Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin, and finished in the top 40 in adjusted sack rate.  Long story short: they were consistently bad, but inconsistently decent.

DiLauro has started 31 straight games, and in that time he has blocked for 37 starting quarterbacks. He's a competent lineman who is tackle-shaped. You can see both the upside and the limitations in his Michigan film: at 0:46 he pulls from RT*, leads out front, and buries Jabrill Peppers. Then at 1:14 he may as well have pulled up a lawn chair for Rashan Gary's speed rush. He's not exceptional in any area, but he's on some NFL radars, and he's... got long arms?

* Side note: Illinois flips their line based on strong/weak side alignment. So sometimes DiLauro lines up at LT, and sometimes he lines up at RT. That's weird.

----------------------------

Brian: I thought about drafting him but the strong/weak thing drove me so crazy that I decided to set their coaches on fire instead.

BiSB: Also DiLauro wears #67, their other tackle wears #57, and their jersey font makes 5's and 6's almost completely indistinguishable.

----------------------------

Brian: ROUND 23, PICK 2: Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan

image

[Patrick Barron]

Off: QB Wilton Speight (M), RB Akrum Wadley (IA), RB LJ Scott(MSU), TE Troy Fumagalli(UW), WR Malik Turner(ILL), WR Kekoa Crawford(M), WR Janarion Grant(RU), OT Mason Cole(M), OT Nick Gates(Neb), G Michael Deiter(UW), C James Daniels (IA).

Def: NT Stephen Richardson (Minn), DT Mo Hurst(M), DE Anthony Nelson(IA), DE Jesse Aniebonam(MD) OLB Chris Worley(OSU), ILB Josey Jewell(IA), ILB TJ Edwards(UW), CB Lavert Hill(M), CB Grant Haley(PSU), S Josh Kalu (Neb), S Aaron Williams(Neb)   

ST: K Emmitt Carpenter(MN), KR/PR Grant

I'm swinging for the fences here because my alternatives are Montre Hartage, Just A Guy on the Big Ten's #9 YPA pass D a year ago, or the last guy in Indiana's starting secondary, or anyone playing for MSU. Bollocks to that. I looked long and hard at OSU's second corner, but that's still up in the air.

I'm pretty confident that Michigan sophomore Lavert Hill is going to start for Michigan, and he's going to be good. Harbaugh called him a young Jourdan Lewis, so he's got that going for him. Zordich said he's "very talented" and implied he was the #1 CB on the roster, in front of David Long and company. When he got in last year he held his own across several dozen snaps, making the occasional excellent play.

I mean... I dunno. I'm betting on the talented guy breaking out over lesser folks getting incrementally better. Maybe it'll work. Maybe it'll be like my offensive line last year, which was Brian Allen and total losers. Fun!  

----------------------------

BiSB: Ask not for whom the Homer Bell tolls...

Brian: I'd rather hear that than the "I've got half of Indiana's secondary" bell.

BiSB:
image  
Ace: Hey let’s see how this thread is going

Ace: Congrats on drafting the #1 quarterback situation in the Big Ten, by the way.

Breakdown: It may be controversial putting Northwestern No. 1 with returning starting quarterbacks in the Big Ten who have more wins and championships under their belt, but Clayton Thorson has a very solid shot to be next spring’s Mitch Trubisky when NFL Draft time comes. A superior athlete for the position, if you had to take one Big Ten quarterback to run your offense this fall, there are a lot of reasons why Thorson should be that pick.

BiSB: And how has the fourth-best quarterback in the Big Ten, David Blough, fallen this far? MADNESS I SAY.

Ace: While some lunatic drafted the #5 team’s backup, no less.

BiSB: A mere ploy to divert your attention from my true target, 1st-Team All-Big Ten Quarterback Clayton Thorson.

----------------------------

HOW THINGS STAND AFTER 92 PICKS:

  1. Michigan (17 players): DT Maurice Hurst (2nd, Brian), DE Rashan Gary (5th, Ace), QB Wilton Speight (7th, Brian), QB Brandon Peters (an obligatory 16th, BiSB), OT Mason Cole (26th, Brian), LB Mike McCray (36th, Ace), NT Brian Mone (40th, BiSB), DE Chase Winovich (48th, BiSB), OG Ben Bredeson (57th, BiSB), WR Kekoa Crawford (58th, Brian), VIPER!!! Khaleke Hudson (59th, Seth), RB Chris Evans (67th, Seth), TE Ian Bunting (69th, Ace), S Tyree Kinnel (70th, Seth), FB Khalid Hill (83rd, Seth), NT Aubrey Solomon (84th, Ace), CB Lavert Hill (90th, Brian)
  2. Ohio State (14 players): DE Nick Bosa (3rd, Seth), QB JT Barrett (6th, Seth), DE Tyquan Lewis (8th, BiSB), CB Denzel Ward (11th, Seth), DT Dre’Mont Jones (13th, Ace), OC Billy Price (17th, BiSB), DE Sam Hubbard (20th, Ace), LB Jerome Baker (21st, Ace), OT Jamarco Jones (28th, Ace), NT Bob Landers (51st, Seth), DE Jalyn Holmes (54th, Seth), LB Chris Worley (74th, Brian), H Parris Campbell (76th, Ace), H KJ Hill (81st, BiSB)
  3. Penn State (9 players): RB Saquon Barkley (1st, BiSB), QB Trace McSorley (4th, Ace), “TE” Mike Gesicki (25th, BiSB), S Marcus Allen (29th, Ace), OT Ryan Bates (41st, BiSB), LB Jason Cabinda (49th, BiSB), Brendan Mahon (53rd, Ace), CB Christian Campbell (62nd), CB Grant Haley (63rd, Brian)
  4. Wisconsin (9 players): LB Jack Cichy (14th, Seth), TE Troy Fumagalli (15th, Brian), OG Beau Benzschawel (33rd, BiSB), OC Michael Dieter (34th, Brian), LB TJ Edwards (39th, Brian), WR Jazz Peavy (44th, Ace), S D’Cota Dixon (65th, BiSB), DT/DE Conor Sheehy (72nd, BiSB), CB Derrick Tindal (80th, BiSB)
  5. Iowa (9 players): RB Akrum Wadley (18th, Brian), G/C Sean Welsh (22nd, Seth), LB Josey Jewell 23rd, Brian), OT Ike Boettger (35th, Seth), DE Anthony Nelson (42nd, Brian), CB Manny Rugamba (43rd, Seth), OC James Daniels (47th, Brian), OT Boone Myers (77th, Ace), SL/WR Matt VandeBerg (86th, Seth)
  6. Indiana (8 players): LB Tegray Scales (9th, BiSB), WR Simmie Cobbs (12th, Ace), WR Nick Westbrook (30th, Seth), CB Rashard Fant (32nd, BiSB), SS Jonathan Crawford (52nd, Ace), OT Brandon Knight (78th, Seth), FS Tony Fields (85th, Ace), HSP Marcelino Ball (88th, BiSB)
  7. Maryland (7 players): DT Kingsley Opara (19th, Seth), OT Damian Prince (45th, Ace), WR DJ Moore (56th, BiSB), RB Ty Johnson (64h, BiSB), DE Jessie Aniebonam (66th, Brian), RB Lorenzo Harrison (68th, Ace), LB Jermaine Carter (75th, Seth)
  8. Northwestern (4 players): S Godwin Igwebuike (24th, BiSB), RB Justin Jackson (60th, Ace), S Kyle Queiro (61st, Seth), QB Clayton Thorson (73rd, BiSB)
  9. Nebraska (4 players): OG Tanner Farmer (46th, Seth), S Joshua Kalu (50th, Brian), S Aaron Williams (82nd, Brian), OT Nick Gates (87th, Brian)
  10. Minnesota (3 players): DT Stephen Richardson (10th, Brian), WR Rashad Still (38th, Seth), PK Emmit Carptenter (71st, Brian)
  11. Michigan State (2 players): OG Brian Allen (37th, Ace), RB LJ Scott (55th, Brian)
  12. Rutgers (2 player): OT Tariq Cole (27th, Seth), SL Janarion Grant (79th, Brian)
  13. Illinois (2 players): WR Malik Turner (31st, Brian), OT Christian DiLauro (89th, BiSB)
  14. Purdue (participated)

image

Next time on Draftageddon:

Homer, the town cryer

Comments

Yo_Blue

August 23rd, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^

I don't think BiSB is wrong in his comment about the OSU receivers.  Their biggest problem is QB reliability in getting the ball to them.  Their downfield passing is an afterthought at best.  They seem to recruit top-notch athletes at all positions, but they don't take advantage of them due to their QB-run-first scheme.

A2toGVSU

August 23rd, 2017 at 1:03 PM ^

Despite all the jokes, seriously: I really like him. His numbers aren't eye-popping yet but he passes the eye test for me. I think he's a poor man's Mitch Trubisky. He's gonna be real good.

MichiganTeacher

August 23rd, 2017 at 1:56 PM ^

As a former Dungeons and Dragons writer and current RPG designer, and on behalf of gamers everywhere, I'm offended to be lumped in - disparagingly, even - with Draftageddon. Highly offended! I am taking all the umbrages!

 

Ali G Bomaye

August 23rd, 2017 at 2:10 PM ^

It's getting to be truly amazing that Purdue doesn't have a single one of the top 90 players in the B1G. We're basically saying that one of Michigan's worst starters is better than the single best player on Purdue's roster. I'm not saying that's incorrect, just amazing.

Steves_Wolverines

August 23rd, 2017 at 2:35 PM ^

Kinda crazy how NW is T-8th with only 4 players selected, but they are my pick (and the best contender to Wisconsin) to win the B1G West. 

They really only have 2 (maybe 3) hard games all season.

@ Wisconsin
vs. PSU
@ Nebraska

They get Minnesota, MSU, and Iowa at home, which should all be an easy win, then they travel to Maryland and Illinois which will be easy wins.

Then Purdue, Nevada, Duke, and Bowling Green are all W's.

At best, they finish undefeated, stealing the @ Wisconsin game. At worst, they finish 10-2, losing to PSU and Wisconsin. 

StephenRKass

August 23rd, 2017 at 4:04 PM ^

Penultimate draft? Crap. I saw that word. And I knew what it meant. Thought we were done. Until I saw that word. Smh. I want this amount of actual content, not draftegeddon. Argh.

ST3

August 24th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^

The challenge on ink master this week was to tattoo the four horsemen of the apocalypse. My son asked who they are so I showed him the image at the top of the post. I guess Draftageddon is not completely worthless.

Michigan4Life

August 24th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^

Mike Weber would be rated much, much higher than the one he's currently undrafted after pick 90 which is insane considering his talent level and potential production he'll get with the loss of Curtis Samuels. NFL scouts sees him as a day 2 pick talent. Day 2 pick talent doesn't get undrafted in this draftmaggedon.