Big Ten 2016 Conference Review

Bruce Matson Posted On December 6, 2016

2016 was a solid year for the Big Ten. The conference turned out four teams in the top-ten of the College Football Playoff Rankings, allowing them to stake their claim as one of the top conferences in college football. It was a very dramatic season as Ohio State beat Michigan in a tough, hard-fought game that came down to the wire, and Penn State was able to come out of nowhere to win the Big Ten title. Even with Penn State as the reigning Big Ten champs, Ohio State was able to stay ahead of them in the rankings for a spot in the College Football Playoffs. There’s a lot of superb talent in the Big Ten and a lot of future dynasty assets that will make an impact at the next level.

Player of The Year

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Saquon Barkley, RB Penn State (Sophomore)

247 carries, 1,302 yards, 16 touchdowns, 23 catches, 347 yards, three touchdowns

Penn State was still recovering from the Jerry Sandusky Scandal when Barkley laced up his cleats as a freshman last season and since then he has rejuvenated the offense by providing a lot of gusto to the run game by rushing for 2,295 yards and 22 touchdowns during his first two seasons. The Nittany Lions finished the regular season with a 10-2 record, including an upset victory over Ohio State. This was their best season since 2009, when they went 11-2 and won the Capital One Bowl. Barkley was one of the main factors to Penn State’s resurgence. He’s the heart and soul of the offense, finishing the regular season with a 29.93 percent market to the team’s total offense. Penn State more than likely wouldn’t have finished the season as the Big Ten champs if it wasn’t for him, because he’s hands-down the best player on the team and the most dynamic player in the entire Big Ten. He had four games with over 100-yards rushing while finishing second in the Big Ten with 1,219 yards.

Everyone is excited about the 2017 rookie class due to the deep stock of talented running backs projected to enter the NFL Draft next spring. Keep in mind the 2018 rookie class could potentially be almost as rich in talent and Barkley will be one of the top running back prospects in that class. He is already considered one of the top young assets in devy leagues and his stock will only rise the closer he gets to the draft.

Honorable Mention

Curtis Samuel, RB Ohio State (Junior)

91 carries, 704 yards, eight touchdowns, 65 catches, 822 yards, seven touchdowns

Samuel is one of the most dangerous players in the country when he gets the ball in space. He’s one of the best receiving backs in college football and his speed and quickness makes him a mismatch for linebackers in the open field. Samuel best compares to Percy Harvin due to his versatility in the pass and run game. His athleticism also resembles Harvin, because he’s a very explosive athlete, making him a threat to score from anywhere on the field. He’s a large focal point of Ohio State’s offense, owning a 26.52 percent market share of the teams’ offensive production, 30.97 percent share of the passing offense and a 27.54 percent share of the team’s receptions. His 822-yards receiving ranks him fifth in the Big Ten.

His value in devy leagues has sky-rocketed during this season because he proved to many dynasty owners that he can be productive while displaying his explosiveness on the football field. There’s a very good chance he comes out for the upcoming draft, which would put a wrench in a lot of people’s rankings in rookie drafts, because he’s very dynamic and his stock could rise if he goes to the right team.

Corey Clement, RB Wisconsin (Senior)

292 carries, 1,304 yards, 14 touchdowns, ten catches, 104 yards

Clement provides a blend of size and burst that resembles the typical three-down back at the NFL level. He stands at 5’11’’ and weighs 227-pounds and he can build up enough inertia to blow up linebackers in the hole to gain extra yardage when needed. Injuries derailed his collegiate career, causing him to come back for his senior season to rush for 1,304 yards and 14 touchdowns, ranking him third in the Big Ten in rushing.

He’s a senior, which means he’s definitely coming out for the 2017 draft. He needs to have a good combine to stand out amongst all the other talented running backs in this draft class. He’s currently projected as a second round pick in rookie drafts. Landing spot could be a big factor for his value because he could end up a starting running back if he gets drafted to a team that allows him to compete for touches early in his career.

Justin Jackson, RB Northwestern (Junior)

266 carries, 1,300 yards, 12 touchdowns, 33 catches, 210 yards

Jackson is the Rodney Dangerfield of college running backs because he doesn’t get any respect. Even with three straight seasons with over 1,000-yards rushing, he’s very unknown amongst the draft community. He finished the regular season with 1,300 yards, ranking him first in the Big Ten in rushing. He broke out as a 19-year old freshman with 1,187 yards and ten touchdowns while catching 22 receptions for 201 yards and one touchdown. Northwestern finished the season with 6-6 record and earned a strip to the Pinstripe Bowl to face Pittsburgh, which is an accomplishment that wouldn’t have been achieved if it wasn’t for Jackson’s play. He’s the team’s go-to guy and main contributor of the offense as he owns a 32.03 percent market share of Northwester’s offensive production. He also has five games with over 100-yards rushing.

Jackson’s value depends on whether he comes out for the draft next year, because his achievements and skillsets could become diluted amongst the talent rich 2017 running back class. If he decides to stay another year and build upon his legacy at Northwestern, then he could potentially enter a more favorable draft class in 2018. Landing spot is key for Jackson, if he gets drafted to a team that utilizes his skillset in the passing game and can get him touches early in his career, he might be able to carve out a role at the NFL level. scott

LJ Scott, RB Michigan State (Sophomore)

184 carries, 994 yards, six touchdowns, ten catches, 147 yards, one touchdown

Scott experienced a few injuries during the middle of the season that curtailed some of his production, but he was able to turn it on during the last five games of the regular season by rushing for 599 yards and four touchdowns. A lot of draft analysts will tout his size and burst, but it’s his ability use his vision and run with patience that’s going to allow him to stand out amongst the other running back prospects. He does an excellent job at allowing his linemen to set up their blocks before making his initial move, from there his size and burst takes over when he decides to hit the hole.

His value in devy leagues is currently on the rise and it will skyrocket if he can manage to remain healthy during his junior season. Scott is already considered one of the top running back prospects for the 2018 draft class.

Jake Butt, TE Michigan (Senior)

43 catches, 518 yards, four touchdowns

Butt is one of the top tight ends in the nation due to his ability to maintain blocks, run routes and catch passes. He caught 135 receptions for 1,618 yards and 11 touchdowns during his four-year career at Michigan. His stock is going to be dependent on where he goes in the draft and who drafts him. Expect his value to increase if he goes to a team with a clear need for him as their number one tight end.

Amara Darboh, WR Michigan (Senior)

52 catches, 826 yards, seven touchdowns

Darboh isn’t the sexiest wide receiver prospect in the country, but he gets the job done. He specializes in creating separating with superb route running and making tough contested catches. He finished the regular season fourth in the Big Ten in receiving with 826-yards, not the most flattering statistic, but his 31.85 percent market share of Michigan’s passing offense will be the flag that a lot of draft aficionados will plant come draft-season.

Freshman of The Year

Mike Weber, RB Ohio State (Freshman)

177 carries, 1,072 yards, nine touchdowns, 20 catches, 87 yards

Weber, a four-star recruit from Detroit Michigan had some big shoes to fill as the replacement for Ezekiel Elliott this season. He had four games with over 100-yards rushing and his most impressive game was against Oklahoma where he rushed for 123-yards on 18-carries. He is best known for his vision and tackle-breaking ability and his stocky 212-pound frame allows him to absorb hits while powering his way for extra yardage. He owned a 20.14 percent market share of the team’s offensive production, while finishing the season with 1,072 yards, ranking him fifth in the Big Ten.

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Bruce Matson

Contributor at Dynasty League Football

I'm a financial counselor for a hospital in South Central Ohio. I graduated from Muskingum University with a bachelor's in business while minoring in Economics and Accounting. I won my first fantasy football title with Jake Plummer as my quarterback.