Ranking the Big Ten: Defensive Tackle
As the 2019 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 annual Ranking the Big Ten series today with the defensive tackles, a group filled with talented veterans ready to anchor their defenses once again.
1. Raequon Williams, Michigan State
Williams has been the anchor of Michigan State's defense for the past two seasons, starting 29 straight games at nose tackle since winning the job as a redshirt freshman in 2016.
The senior from Chicago was tabbed as a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the Associated Press last season and a third-team pick by the league's coaches and media.
Williams is coming off the best season of his career in 2018, setting career-highs in tackles (53) and tackles for loss (10.5).
2. Robert Windsor, Penn State
A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the Associated Press and an honorable mention choice by the conference's coaches and media last year, Windsor ranked sixth in the league in sacks per game (0.63) in 2018.
The senior earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after racking up six tackles and two sacks, both career bests, against Wisconsin last season. Now he enters 2019 as a preseason All-Big Ten pick by Athlon.
3. Mike Panasiuk, Michigan State
Panasiuk has lined up next Williams for the past 29 games in a row, giving Michigan State one of the most talented and experienced defensive tackle duos in the country.
He was named second-team All-Big Ten by ProFootballFocus and honorable mention by the conference's coaches and media, and now Athlon has him as a third-team all-league pick entering his senior year in 2019.
4. Lorenzo Neal, Purdue
Neal has started 28 games for Purdue since his redshirt freshman season in 2017, and he earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors last year as a junior.
He finished with a modest 30 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, and a sack, but the 6-foot-3, 315-pound senior is generating some notable NFL buzz entering his final season with the Boilermakers.
5. Darrion Daniels, Nebraska
Daniels hasn't even played a game at Nebraska yet, but he made an immediate impact on the Huskers' defense with his play and leadership when he arrived this winter as a graduate transfer from Oklahoma State.
The 6-foot-3, 320-pound native of Dallas played four seasons for the Cowboys, but an injury last year limited him to just four appearances and preserved his redshirt eligibility.
He opted to spend his final college season in Lincoln with his younger brother, nose tackle Damion Daniels, and now he's primed to be the No. 1 man in the middle of NU's defensive line in 2019.