As the 2017 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 begin our Ranking the Big Ten series today with the quarterbacks, which feature both some familiar and some new faces this season.
1. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State
J.T. Barrett will likely end his career as one of the most statistically productive quarterbacks in Big Ten history.
The senior is back to lead Ohio State after winning the Big Ten’s Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year and being named a consensus first-team all-conference selection in 2016.
The Wichita Falls, Texas, native has thrown for 6,381 yards and 69 touchdowns and rushed for 2,456 yards with 31 scores in his career so far, and he’ll once again be a preseason Heiman Trophy candidate entering this season.
If he plays at the level fans and his coaches expect, the Buckeyes will have a legitimate chance to compete for a national championship.
2. Trace McSorley, Penn State
After an inauspicious 2-2 start to his first season as Penn State's No. 1 quarterback last year, Trace McSorley caught fire and never cooled down during a magical run to a Big Ten championship in 2016.
Along with leading PSU to nine straight wins, including a victory over Wisconsin in the conference title game and a trip to the Rose Bowl, McSorley lit up box scores by the week.
When all was said and done, McSorley led the Big Ten and ranked in the top 25 nationally in passing yards (3,614), passing yards per game (258.1), yards per completion (16.13), passing efficiency (156.9), total offense (284.2), and passing touchdowns (29).
The senior will likely end his career as one of the most productive Penn State quarterbacks in school history, and with a loaded offense returning in 2017, his legend could grow even larger with another championship run.
3. Wilton Speigth, Michigan
Techinally, Wilton Speight hasn't even officially been named Michigan's starting quarterback for this season at this point.
Based on his play last year and then his strong performance this spring, though, it may only be a matter of time.
Speight is coming off a 2016 campaign where he started 12 games and was named a Davie O'Brien Award semifinalist and a third-team All-Big Ten selection.
Now a senior, Speight still has to hold off Brandon Peters and John O'Korn this fall before he can lock up the job.
But most assume Speight will be the No. 1 when the season rolls around, and the Wolverines are hoping the competition this offseason will push him to a new level in 2017.
4. Clayton Thorson, Northwestern
He may only be entering his redshirt junior year, but Northwestern's Clayton Thorson is one of the most experienced returning quarterbacks in the Big Ten.
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound native of Wheaton, Ill., has started the past two seasons for the Wildcats and is coming off his best year yet as a sophomore in 2016.
Thorson set a school single-season record with 22 touchdown passes, and his 3,182 passing yards were the fourth most in Wildcat history. Those numbers were good enough to earn him honorable-mention All-Big Ten.
He already ranks seventh in school history with 29 career passing touchdowns and 10th with 4,704 career passing yards, and if he stays in Evanston for two more seasons, Thorson could end his career as Northwestern's best quarterback ever.
5. Tanner Lee, Nebraska
It wasn't even until a few days after Nebraska's spring game that junior Tulane transfer Tanner Lee was officially named the starting quarterback for the 2017 season.
But while it took 15 spring practices for him to finally win the job, the excitement over Lee's potential had already been brewing for months.
His numbers in two years as the starter at Tulane weren't much to write home about, but listening to Nebraska's coaching staff - as well as former NFL G.M. Billy Devaney - gush about Lee's ability this spring, it's clear the Huskers are just as excited as the fans are about NU's future with Lee at the helm.
