As the 2018 season draws nearer by the day, it’s time to start taking a look at some of the top players to watch in the Big Ten Conference.

We continue our Ranking the Big Ten series today with the defensive tackles, a group that could make life very difficult for opposing running games and quarterbacks this season.

Previous rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C | DE

Jones broke onto the scene in 2016 by earning Freshman All-American honors and joining only Dan Wilkinson and Luke Fickell as Buckeye freshmen to make double-digit starts.

An injury limited him to just 20 tackles, five tackles for loss and a sack in 12 games last season, but Jones was still projected as a potential first-round draft pick had he made the jump to the NFL this offseason.

Jones opted to come back for his redshirt junior year, and he now leads what is already being considered one of the best defensive tackle classes Ohio State has had under Urban Meyer.

At 6-foot-2, 346 pounds, Sagapolu is the prototype of what a 3-4 nose tackle should look like, and his ability to eat up the middle of the line certainly backs that up as well.

Sagapolu finished with 17 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, and 3.0 sacks last season, but his presence at the nose helped the Badgers rank second nationally in total defense (262.1 yards per game), third in scoring defense (13.9 points per game), and third in rushing defense (98.4 ypg).

His play was good enough to earn All-Big Ten honorable mention, and he should be in line to garner even more accolades this season as a senior now that he’s a well-known commodity around the league.

Panasiuk might not put up the stats as some of the other elite defensive tackles around the league, but a closer look at the film shows he could be as valuable as anyone at the position.

At 6-4, 296, Panasiuk can play either the nose or the three-technique and commands double teams on nearly every snap.

He ended up with 25 tackles and 2.5 TFLs last season, but he ranked third on the team’s “production points” with 121 on the year. If he can make a few more plays in the backfield this year, he could be in line for much more conference recognition.

Neal only saw action in seven games with four starts as a true freshman in 2016, but his breakout performance against Nebraska - six tackles, five solo stops, three TFLs and a sack - gave a glimpse of his potential.

The 6-2, 315, native of Houston, Texas, became a fixture on Purdue’s defensive line last season, making 12 starts and finishing with 22 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, and two sacks.

His presence was a major reason for Purdue’s impressive defensive turnaround, and with the Boilermakers losing eight of their top 10 players on the defensive front seven this season, he’ll be counted more than ever in 2018.

When Nebraska shifted to a 3-4 scheme last season, Stoltenberg was the anchor in the middle for what would be a forgettable 2017 campaign.

As bad as NU’s defense was, Stoltenberg started all 12 games at nose tackle and posted a career-high 33 tackles, six more than he had registered during his first two seasons as a Husker combined.

His massive 6-5, 305, frame makes him a monster in the middle, and if he can stay healthy again Stoltenberg could be in line for another strong season as a senior. More importantly, he'll be looked to as a vocal leader to help turn the Blackshirts around.