The Best Player on Every Big Ten Football Team in 2019

The Big Ten is expected to be dominated by most of the familiar faces in the conference, like Ohio State's Ryan Day, Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, and Penn State's James Franklin. While the big boys will dominate, the conference is shaping up to be one of the deeper Power 5 groups this season, with quality players up and down the league, even on some of the worse teams. When Saturday rolls around, these players will be the focus of either an offensive or defensive gameplan.

14. Rutgers: RB Raheem Blackshear

A player on Rutgers worth actually discussing? As improbable as it sounds, it's true. Despite playing with a struggling quarterback in Artur Sitkowski last season, Raheem Blackshear led the team in rushing yards (586), catches (44), and receiving yards (367). Hopefully with Texas Tech transfer McLane Carter stepping in, the Scarlet Knights offense as a whole will get a boost, with Blackshear a huge beneficiary.

13. Illinois: RB Reggie Corbin

Lovie Smith's Fighting Illini have been the definition of mediocre these last few seasons, but Corbin managed to pique the interest of Big Ten defenses and NFL scouts alike. Corbin led the Big Ten with 8.5 yards per carry as he piled up 1,085 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground. With either freshman Isaiah Williams or Michigan transfer Brandon Peters expected to lead the offense, Corbin should be in line for a heavy workload next season.

12. Indiana: QB Peyton Ramsey

Ramsey's 19-13 TD/INT ratio won't blow anyone away, but his ability to improvise, make plays on the move, and deliver accurately downfield, as evidenced by his 66% completion percentage, stand out even amongst other Big Ten quarterbacks. The Hoosiers could be in for a rough season, but Ramsey has enough arm talent and playmaking ability to lead Indiana to an upset win or two.

11. Minnesota: WR Tyler Johnson

While "Minnesota offensive star" sounds like an oxymoron, PJ Fleck and the Golden Gophers might have a future NFL stud on their team in Johnson. The 6-3, 205 pound receiver piled up 78 catches, 1,169 yards, and 12 touchdowns on a Minnesota team that couldn't and didn't want to throw the ball a lot. If Zack Annexstad is able to be a bit more consistent this season, Johnson could end up as an All-Big Ten performer and a high draft pick.

10. Maryland: RB Anthony McFarland

While Virginia Tech transfer Josh Jackson almost took this spot, McFarland's performance against Ohio State solidified his role as the Terps' RB1 and their best overall player. With 1,034 yards on just 131 carries, he looks as if he's ready for the bell cow workload Mike Locksley will require and fully primed to replace Ty Johnson as Maryland's most deadly offensive player.

9. Purdue: WR Rondale Moore

Purdue's highest-ranked recruit ever, Moore made the most of his first season under Jeff Brohm, catching 112 passes for 1,258 yards. While David Blough may be gone, Elijah Sindelar looks ready to step in and continue force-feeding Moore the ball. Pound for pound, you can count the amount of wide receivers that are faster, more exciting to watch, and more dominant when they're on in all of college football on one hand.

8. Northwestern: LB Paddy Fisher

Fisher is a junior that has started the last two years for former Northwestern linebacker Pat Fitzgerald's Wildcats, piling up over 110 tackles in each of those seasons. While he may not be the fastest player in the world, Fisher is an old-school linebacker that reads the game extremely well and isn't afraid to wrestle down in the trenches. With Devin Bush gone, Fisher might be the best linebacker in the Big Ten at season's end.

7. Wisconsin: RB Jonathan Taylor

Taylor came into last year with Heisman buzz, but slowly drifted out of the conversation once the losses piled up for the Badgers. No matter who is at quarterback, the Wisconsin offense will run through Taylor, and his powerful style will take the Badgers as far as they can go. The biggest concern for Taylor this season is his workload, as he has had 299+ carries in each of his two seasons in Madison.

6. Michigan State: DE Kenny Willekes

The fifth-year senior is the next in a line of terrific pass rushers that Mark Dantonio has grown at Michigan State. With 20 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks, Kenny Willekes is as deadly rushing the passer as setting the edge and stuffing the run. Willekes has a date with the NFL after this season, but his toughness and football IQ could earn him a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award if he plays his cards right and the Spartans keep winning.

5. Nebraska: QB Adrian Martinez

After a rough first season back in Lincoln, Scott Frost finally had Nebraska looking like the Cornhuskers of old when he and quarterback Adrian Martinez got comfortable. During his freshman year, Martinez completed 64.6% of his passes for 2,617 yards, 17 touchdowns, and eight picks while adding 629 yards and eight scores on the ground. If Martinez continues to refine his deep passing in Frost's up-tempo offense, he'll take home some silverware.

4. Iowa: DE AJ Epenesa

Tristan Wirfs might be the best offensive tackle in the country, but Epenesa is somehow even better. A former 5-star recruit, Epenesa is a freak of nature that paralyzes offensive tackles in fear. A likely Top 10 selection in the 2020 NFL draft, Epenesa recorded 16.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks last season. At 6-6 and 280 pounds with deer-like speed, he lives in the weight room and is freakishly strong. Say a quick little prayer for any offensive tackle what has to pass protect against him 1-on-1.

3. Penn State: DE Yetur Gross-Matos

Gross-Matos is an inconsistent player, but remains one of the best athletic specimens in the entire conference regardless of position. An explosive, bendy athlete with an excellent motor, Gross-Matos picked up 20 tackles for loss and eight sacks last season. While the Penn State offense will be a question following the departures of quarterback Trace McSorely, backup Tommy Stevens, and running back Miles Sanders, Gross-Matos will be the leader of an experienced defensive unit.

2. Michigan: WR Donovan Peoples-Jones

Surprise! It's not Shea Patterson. Rather, it's one of the three tall wide receivers--the others being Tarik Black and Nico Collins--that is on the receiving end of Patterson's downfield heaves. Peoples-Jones has incredibly long arms and verticality, which helped the 6-foot-3, 210-pound receiver catch 47 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns. There is a lot of turnover in the Michigan offense, but DPJ is one of the few holdovers from last year who can produce.

1. Ohio State: DE Chase Young

The only person who could give Epenesa a run for his money in both Big Ten play and in the draft is Ohio State's Chase Young. Despite being a BACKUP to players like Nick Bosa and Dre'Mont Jones last season, Young still managed 14.5 tackles for loss, including the game-winning tackle against Penn State, and 9.5 sacks. Young should be the early favorite for the Big Ten DPOY award and could be the first player taken in the 2020 draft that is not a quarterback.