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 will a look at the tight end position, as a very familiar name to Nebraska fans tops our list.

Related: QB |RB | WR |

This one stings for a lot of Nebraska fans, but Iowa's Noah Fant is the top returning tight end in the Big Ten heading into the 2018 season.

As a sophomore, the Omaha South product led the Hawkeyes with 30 catches for 494 yards and 11 touchdowns. With Iowa's track record in tight end development, many think Fant has a chance to be an All-American this season and declare early for the NFL Draft.

Fant will be looked to as Iowa's No. 1 third down and red zone scoring option, and they can even split him out wide to create different match-ups with their offense. He has all the skills they are looking for to play tight end at the next level.

Michigan's offense has been geared for tight ends to put up numbers, and Sean McKeon appears poised for a big junior season.

McKeon proved to be a reliable receiving option last season with 31 catches for 301 yards and three touchdowns. McKeon is not a big play threat like Fant, but more of a short-yardage option that can make plays in coverage. He's also a very effective blocker on the edge.

Purdue senior tight end Cole Herdman enters the season recording 29 straight games with a catch.

He's a very reliable receiving option, as he had 20 catches for 331 yards and three touchdowns a year ago.

As a sophomore, he had 35 catches for 344 yards and a touchdown. Herdman will once again be a key check down and third down option for quarterback David Blough.

Illinois's Louis Dorsey had a very impressive freshman season in 2017, finishing with 22 catches for 395 yards and three touchdowns.

The 6-foot-6, 225 pound Dorsey was named to BTN.com's All-Freshman team, as he led Illinois in touchdown receptions. His 77-yard touchdown catch against Indiana was the longest reception in school history for a true freshman. That same game Dorsey finished with 107 yards receiving, which was also the most receiving yards in school history for a true freshman tight end.

With Illinois's move to a spread offense, it will be interesting to see how Lovie Smith's staff uses his skill set in 2018.

Miami (Fla.) transfer Jerome Washington led Rutgers in receptions with 28, to go along with 282 yards receiving in 2017. 13 of his 28 catches went for first down this past season.

The 6-foot-4, 258-pound senior should have even a bigger role in the Scarlett Knights offense, as this will be his third year in head coach Chris Ash's program. Washington faced Nebraska twice over his career, once at Miami in 2015, and in Lincoln this past season.