The Big Ten East division will once again be in the spotlight in 2015 with the Ohio State Buckeyes the first unanimous AP preseason No. 1. And don’t forget about the Michigan State Spartans and Michigan Wolverines as there’s plenty of reason to pay attention to them.
However, while the heavy hitters are in the East, the Big Ten West will bring some considerable talent to the table as well. That includes a handful of prospects that NFL teams will be keeping a close eye on this season. Here is a look at the top pro prospects that will play in the Big Ten West in 2015.
Eric Murray, Minnesota Golden Gophers
Cornerback
Murray is currently ranked as Mel Kiper’s No. 2 senior cornerback on the board and while he doesn’t have a lot of interceptions he is pretty close to being a lockdown cornerback that has the length and speed to hold his own on an island. Teams haven’t thrown Murray’s way very often and if he continues to excel when tested this season he will have the potential to be a late first or second round pick.
Corey Clement, Wisconsin Badgers
Running Back
Melvin Gordon left for the NFL as a first-round pick to the San Diego Chargers but the Badgers have always been stacked at the running back position. This is a running back factory and Clement is the next in line. He’ll move to the forefront in 2015 as he’s set to get the bulk of the carries at Wisconsin this season. Clement has an outstanding combination of speed and power. At 5’11’’ and 219 pounds, it’s amazing how he can punish opposing defenders. The Badgers need Clement to step up and replace the production they lost when Gordon left for the NFL but they churn these guys out one after another. See: James White and Montee Ball in recent seasons. It helps that the Badgers have a road-grading offensive line that opens up massive holes. Clement should be the next star back at Camp Randall.
Jihad Ward, Illinois Fighting Illini
Defensive End
It’s been an ugly couple of days for Illinois after they fired their head coach Tim Beckman on Friday, just a couple of weeks before the start of the season. However, one positive that they’ll have to look forward to this season is Ward.
Illinois hasn’t had a player taken in either of the last two NFL Drafts but that run could come to an end this year with Ward projected to be a mid-round pick. Ward has the combination of size, speed and athleticism, and he can hold his own against the run on the edge in addition to getting after the quarterback. Some experts feel that Ward could go as high as the second or third round, so it will be interesting to see how the season plays out and how it affects his stock.
Alex Lewis, Nebraska Cornhuskers
Offensive Line
Lewis is 6’6’’, 310 pounds and while he could certainly benefit from putting on a little more size, the frame is there and that shouldn’t be an issue for the Nebraska senior. The more important factor is how Lewis is able to improve his strength and football awareness in order to be more consistent playing at the tackle spot. Lewis probably only deserves a mid-round grade right now but a strong 2015 season will significantly boost his NFL Draft stock.
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Michael Caputo, Wisconsin Badgers
Safety
Caputo has been an anchor on Wisconsin’s attacking defense for two seasons and is the type of smart, sure tackler who can come up to the line and make plays against the run. He’s exactly the type of impact player in the secondary that’s en vogue in the NFL these days. Caputo still needs to prove he can consistently hold up against the pass and if he does that, he could be a mid-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
