Here are 18 football players to watch next season in the Big Ten Conference

A look at football players in the Big Ten this spring who are poised to have breakout seasons this fall:

Illinois

TE Cole Rusk was expected to be a starter last year, but a major knee injury ended his season before it began. He could make an immediate impact at a position that needs to be more productive. The 6-foot-5, 250-pounder was one of the top tight ends in the FCS at Murray State in 2023, catching 39 balls for 507 yards and six touchdowns.

Indiana

WR Omar Cooper Jr. was mostly a backup to Myles Price last season and averaged 21.2 yards on his 28 catches. His seven touchdowns were second among receivers behind star Elijah Sarratt’s eight. Indiana brought in the productive Makai Jackson from Appalachian State, but Price and Ke’Shawn Williams are gone and that should give Cooper an opportunity to increase his numbers.

Iowa

WR Jacob Gill stands to benefit greatly from the addition of South Dakota State transfer QB Mark Gronowski, easily the best pure passer at Iowa since three-year starter Nate Stanley (2017-19). Gill had 35 catches for 411 yards last season, modest numbers but still the best among Iowa receivers. Now the ball will be delivered by one of the most prolific quarterbacks in FCS history.

Maryland

S Lavain Scruggs has appeared in 23 games mostly as a backup the last two seasons and entered spring as the leading contender to take over for three-year starter Dante Turner at strong safety. Scruggs started in place of an injured Turner against Southern California and had six tackles and a 51-yard interception return to set up a touchdown in a 29-28 win.

Michigan

TE Jalen Hoffman did not catch a pass in his first two seasons behind Colston Loveland, but he looks like a potential security blanket for Bryce Underwood. The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Hoffman had several catches in the spring game, including a scrimmage-ending, 88-yard touchdown reception from Underwood on a reverse flea flicker.

Michigan State

CB Joshua Eaton transferred from Texas State for his sixth season, and he’ll be given an opportunity to win one of the two open cornerback spots. Eaton was a four-star recruit coming out of high school but played sparingly in three years at Oklahoma. He started 20 of 25 games at Texas State and, at 6-1 and 187 pounds, gives the Spartans some size at the position.

Minnesota

Listing Koi Perich as a safety is a limiting exercise the Gophers aren’t engaging in, with plans to expand on his Swiss Army knife role spawned during an impressive debut that earned him a first team All-Big Ten selection by the AP. Perich will return kicks and take turns on offense, too, as the Gophers look to get the ball in his capable hands.

Nebraska

RB Emmett Johnson is in line to be a workhorse. He’s by far the most experienced player in a running back room that lost more than 60% of its production. Johnson averaged 5.1 yards per carry and 46 yards per game as the backup to Dante Dowdell. Matt Rhule demands a physical run game, and the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Johnson is built to thrive in it.

Northwestern

CB Ore Adeyi was on track to be a starter last year before sustaining a season-ending injury late in fall camp. He is in line to get the job back if he can beat out Jacksonville State transfer Fred Davis II and Braden Turner in the fall. In 2023, Adeyi played in all 13 games with one start and made 20 tackles, including a career-high four against Penn State.

Ohio State

DE Logan George transferred from Idaho State in January and has made a big impression in a short amount of time. He saw time on the second team during the spring, but with the defensive line’s struggles, could compete for a starting spot. “He’s got strong hands. He’s got physicality,” coach Ryan Day said after the spring game.

Oregon

WR Dillon Gresham is considered one of the Ducks’ top young players and he showed this spring he’s ready to compete for significant playing time come fall. Gresham was a four-star recruit who did not appear in a game last season while redshirting. He caught three balls for 96 yards in the spring game, including a 56-yard touchdown.

Penn State

WR Devonte Ross is among the newcomers to a group of wideouts that made no catches in the College Football Playoff semifinal loss to Notre Dame. Ross was an All-Sun Belt Conference first-team pick after leading the league with 11 touchdown catches to go with 1,043 yards on 76 receptions. He has 116 catches over the past two seasons. He also is an accomplished kick and punt returner.

Purdue

OL Bradyn Joiner was named to the SEC’s all-freshman team after taking over as Auburn’s starting left guard the second half of the season. The 6-foot-2, 328-pound Joiner is a key addition as the Boilermakers try to upgrade their offensive line, which allowed 32 sacks to rank 14th in the Big Ten. Joiner allowed two sacks on 192 pass-blocking plays over the last five games, according to Pro Football Focus.

Rutgers

RB Ja’shon Benjamin, under the radar the last two seasons, is up for a more prominent role now that star Kyle Monangai has moved on. Benjamin has appeared in 13 games over two seasons and has run for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Antwan Raymond, whose 457 rushing yards led Big Ten freshmen, went into the spring as the projected starter, but coach Greg Schiano told reporters “don’t sleep on” Benjamin.

Southern California

TE Walter Matthews, at 6-6 and 272 pounds, is in the mix for significant playing time after redshirting his first season. He was the No. 2-ranked tight end prospect by ESPN in 2023 and could easily be confused for an offensive tackle. He is advanced as a pass-catcher and route-runner, and he’s hard to bring down. The Trojans also might use him as a sixth offensive lineman in the red zone.

UCLA

DB Jadyn Marshall enters his fourth season yet to find his niche. He was a top-30 receiver as a four-star recruit but moved to defensive back in 2023. He played mostly on special teams last year. Coach DeShaun Foster said Marshall could see action on both sides of the ball as a receiver and defensive back, and he also could return kicks.

Washington

LB Jacob Manu transferred from Arizona, where he played two seasons for current Huskies coach Jedd Fisch. Manu was an All-Pac-12 first-team pick in 2023 when he led the conference in tackles with 116, including 6.5 sacks. Injuries cut short his 2024 season. A healthy Manu could significantly benefit a defense that ranked 98th nationally with 20 sacks and recorded none in five of the last six games.

Wisconsin

RB Dilin Jones was a revelation this spring and will compete with Darrion Dupree for carries now that 2024 rushing leader Tawee Walker has transferred. Jones had just 16 carries last season, all against South Dakota, Purdue and Rutgers. He got more exposure after Dupree injured his ankle April 10 and impressed coach Luke Fickell with his effort and attitude.

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AP Sports Writers Dave Campbell in Minneapolis, Andrew Destin in Seattle, Larry Lage in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Steve Megargee in Madison, Wisconsin, Anne M. Peterson, in Eugene, Oregon, and Joe Reedy in Columbus, Ohio, contributed to this report.

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