After a 2020 season that allowed players to transfer with instant eligibility, sit out a season, and return for another, it's hard to keep track of who all will be playing this season in the Big Ten Conference. More importantly, who will be putting on the most impressive performances?

We continue our annual Ranking the Big Ten series today with the centers, which will anchor some of the best offensive lines in college football this season.

Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | OG | OT

Surprise, surprise. Iowa center Tyler Linderbaum, one of the three Rimington Trophy finalists, is the top center in the Big Ten in 2021.

He was one of the top three centers in the country last season. Both Alabama's Landon Dickerson, the 2020 Rimington Trophy winner, and Ohio State's Josh Myers, the other finalist, are now in the NFL.

The 2020 first-team All-America selection by Pro Football Focus and The Athletic was No. 1 in PFF's offense grade (91.5), run-blocking (90.6), and pass-blocking (87.3) last season in the Big Ten. In fact, Linderbaum had the highest offense and pass-blocking grades of all the centers in the Power Five.

During his sophomore year in 2018, Linderbaum earned All-Big Ten honorable mention after 864 snaps while allowing nine total quarterback pressures. Linderbaum went from a 2019 honorable mention to one of the best centers in the country.

After what is likely to be Linderbaum's last season at Iowa, he will make an NFL team very happy.

Center John Michael Schmitz had a very successful season during his first as Minnesota's starting center.

He started six games and allowed two quarterback hits and four hurries. Schmitz has played 891 snaps for the Golden Gophers in his career and has allowed three quarterback hits and five hurries.

The 6-4, 320-pound center scored the second-highest grades in offense (82.9) and run-blocking (84.8) in the Big Ten in 2020. His pass-blocking grade dropped from 78.1 in 2019 to 62.5 in 2020.

If Schmitz can get his pass-blocking grade up, he'll have an incredible senior season.

With right guard Conner Olson and right tackle Blaise Andries, Minnesota will have a solid, strong offensive line.

Penn State lineman Mike Miranda will be moving from left guard to center for his fourth year with the Nittany Lions. He has the big shoes of Michal Menet, one of the conference's best centers, to fill since Menet went in the seventh round of the NFL draft.

At left guard his junior year, Miranda scored a 63.8 offense grade, a 62.9 run-blocking grade, and a 70.4 pass-blocking grade. The previous season, the 6-3, 310-pound lineman started eight games at right guard. He clearly knows his way around an interior offensive line.

The 2020 second-team All-Big Ten selection has given up two sacks, five quarterback hits, and 18 hurries in his career.

Miranda will have to adjust quickly to being a center in the Big Ten, especially considering he has 65 snaps of game experience at the position. However, with his previous experience and ability to change positions, Miranda should be able to hold his own.

Illinois center Doug Kramer has the most experience at center on this list - 2,368 snaps, to be exact. He has started 37 games for the Fighting Illini and has been their starting center since he started in eight games in 2017. Last season, Kramer missed three games because of COVID-19 health and safety protocols.

In 2020, Kramer's PFF grades dropped pretty drastically from the 2019 season. This could be because of the reason he missed three games. In 2019, Kramer scored an offense grade of 79.7, a run-blocking grade of 77.3, and a pass-blocking grade of 80.8. His scores dropped to 65, 66.4, and 44.8, respectively.

In his career, the 2019 and 2020 All-Big Ten honorable mention pick has allowed three sacks, four quarterback hits, and 19 quarterback hurries. In the 751 snaps in 2019, Kramer gave up zero sacks, one hit, and three hurries.

Lucky for Kramer, he has a chance to redeem himself and his scores with the extra year of eligibility. He is one of the most experienced centers in the Big Ten, and that should show in 2021.

During his first season as Northwestern's starting center, Sam Gerak was named to the AP' All Bowl Team for helping the Wildcats gain 457 yards in a 35-19 victory over Auburn in the 2021 Citrus Bowl.

In 2019, Gerak started 12 games at right guard before being moved to center last season. He allowed zero sacks or quarterback hits, but 16 quarterback hurries in 2020. Northwestern quarterback Peyton Ramsey is very mobile in the pocket and avoided getting hit by the defenders that slipped past his center.

Gerak had the fifth-highest PFF offense grade (67.9) and the third-highest run-blocking grade (69.9) after the 2020 Big Ten season.

The Wildcats had a 7-2 season and were the 2020 Big Ten West conference champions. They have a shot at earning the title again, and for the quarterback, it all starts with the center's performance. And Gerak is that guy.