Michigan State will have a difficult time defending their Big Ten title this season with Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa each looking to challenge for conference supremacy. All four teams are absolutely loaded with talent and we took the time to break down their rosters and identify four rising stars with the potential to break through on the national stage this season. Here is a look at the four potential breakout players to watch from the Big Ten this season.
QB: Wilton Speight, Michigan Wolverines
One of the biggest reasons Michigan had so much success in their first year under Jim Harbaugh was the play of graduate transfer quarterback Jake Rudock. However, Rudock was a one-and-done for the Wolverines and now they will be turning to Speight as their starting quarterback. The 6’6’’, 235-pound Speight has all of the tools to put up big numbers this season and the fact that Harbaugh trusts him as his starter says a lot about his potential. What’s better for him is that the Wolverines are a more developed team than the one Rudock handled last year. Speight is going to have a season group of guys around him that have already tasted success. That’s why we have him pegged as one of our breakout players.
Michigan has the talent to challenge for a Big Ten title in 2016 but will need Speight to play at a star level to make it happen.
RB: Mike Weber, Ohio State Buckeyes
A difficult schedule and a significant loss of underclassmen to the NFL Draft will hurt the Buckeyes but they still have the talent to contend for a Big Ten championship if they play to their potential. A number of players will need to step up in order for Ohio State to live up to expectations as a contender and one of those players is the running back Weber. He will certainly have big shoes to fill after Ezekiel Elliott’s departure following a season in which he ran for 1,823 yards and 21 touchdowns but Weber has the potential to step right in and play at a high level immediately. Curtis Samuel is a versatile threat and senior Bri’onte Dunn will contribute but it’s the powerful, workhorse running back Weber that needs to step up and lead the Buckeyes’ ground game in 2016. He’s the most primed to be one of the Big Ten’s breakout players.
RB: L.J. Scott, Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State will try to defend its title without star quarterback Connor Cook in 2016. Cook’s exit is an obvious blow and it could lead to the Spartans relying even more on the sophomore running back Scott to carry the load. This is nothing new for the Spartans as they’ve employed this strategy many times. Prior to Cook, Sparty did the same thing when they transitions from Kirk Cousins to him. They have a long history of running backs who have done well pounding the rock, including Le’Veon Bell.
Scott shined at the end of last season and finished with 699 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He’s a big bruiser that fits the Big Ten very well. He’ll have every opportunity to top those numbers as the No. 1 back in the Michigan State offense and they will need him to put up big numbers to have a shot in 2016.
DE: Matt Nelson, Iowa Hawkeyes
The Hawkeyes went from 7-6 in 2014 to 12-2 and a Big Ten West title in 2015 thanks in big part to a dominant run game and a defense that inspired fear in its opponents. The Iowa rushing attack should be just as good but the Hawkeyes lost both of their starting defensive ends and will need young players to step in and fill those voids in order to avoid a drop off in production. The 6’8’’, 270-pound Nelson made a strong first impression as a freshman when he made 14 tackles with 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack in limited snaps and the potential is there for him to make a much greater impact in 2016. Nelson has the power, speed and intensity to be an absolute force off the edge for the Hawkeyes and he should thrive in a starting role at defensive end this season.
