The projected top overall pick in many 2016 NFL draft projections is former Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa, who is ranked as the top defensive player in this year’s class. The Big Ten will certainly be well-represented in this year’s NFL Draft including at the top, but what about next year? Here is our breakdown of the top NFL prospect from the Big Ten in 2016.
Desmond King, Iowa Hawkeyes
Cornerback
King is projected to be the top cornerback in the entire country for 2016, so it makes a lot of sense that he is at the top of this list. As a matter of fact, had he left for the NFL Draft this year, he probably would have been one of the first 10 names off the board.
A decade ago, he likely wouldn’t even be considered as a potential top-10 pick in the NFL Draft but the game has changed so much over the years and there is more of a premium on secondary players than ever before. King has already shown all of the tools to be considered a first round pick if he had been in this year’s draft class and the fact that he has another year to work on his craft should only enhance his value barring injury. Factor in that there isn’t another player in the Big Ten right now that has been hyped up as much as Iowa’s star cornerback and it’s clear that King deserves to be considered the top NFL prospect in the Big Ten heading in to 2016. The only thing that really hurts his stock is a down year from the Hawkeyes or an injury.
Jabrill Peppers, Michigan Wolverines
Safety
Peppers is next in line among the top NFL prospects in the big Ten for 2016, so it’s clear that the focus is on the defensive secondary. Several experts have Peppers improving his NFL Draft stock with a strong season for the Wolverines and perhaps even overtaking King as the first Big Ten player off the board in 2017. Peppers certainly has the skillset as an incredible athlete that offers a unique blend of size, speed, power and intelligence. His ability to step up and make plays in the box as well as dropping back in coverage make him one of the most complete defenders in the conference heading in to 2016, so he is right there with King among the best Big Ten prospects.
Raekwon McMillan, Ohio State Buckeyes
Linebacker
The theme of defense continues. McMillan is likely third on the list of the top NFL prospects in the Big Ten heading into 2016 without any real offensive stars that have proven they deserve to be ranked this high heading into a new year. McMillan is an absolute beast between the tackles and his unique combination of size, athleticism, power and tackling ability make him an exceptional talent that should only get better with another year of experience. Another productive season combined with a team’s need for help at the linebacker position could easily vault McMillan up the list as a player with the potential to be among the first off the board from the Big Ten at the 2017 NFL Draft. He’ll get a lot of action with the Buckeyes and he’ll be on a number of preseason watch lists.
Malik McDowell, Michigan State Spartans
Defensive Line
McDowell is a consistently disruptive presence that projects to be the top defensive lineman in the Big Ten for 2016, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if he climbed higher up this list. The problem is that there have been rumors the Spartans would like to try him on the offensive side of the football at the guard position, so that could impact how high he is taken.
The Spartans have been one of the top defensive teams in the country in the Mark Dantonio era and nothing is expected to change in 2016. Right now McDowell grades out as one of the top prospects from the Big Ten at the defensive tackle position with a chance to improve his stock with a strong performance for Michigan State in 2016.
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