College football is fast approaching and All-Big Ten first-team drafts to distribute the best players to each position in the Big Ten conference. Find out who will follow on the All-Big Ten Second team for the 2022 season.
All-Big Ten First Team 2022
Strategist: CJ Stroud, Ohio State
Come back: Blake Corum, Michigan
Wide Receiver: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Ohio State
Wide Receiver: Jayden Reed, Michigan State
Wide Receiver: Parker Washington, Pennsylvania
Tight end: Sam LaPorta, Iowa
Offensive line: Paris Johnson Jr., Ohio State
Offensive line: Peter Skoronski, North West
Offensive line: Olusegun Oluwatimi, Michigan
Offensive line: John Michael Schmitz, Minnesota
Offensive line: Ryan Hayes, Michigan
Defensive line: Zach Harrison, Ohio State
Defensive line: Mazi Smith, Mich.
Defensive line: Jacob Slade, State of Michigan
Defensive line: PJ Mustipher, Penn State
Linebacker: Jack Campbell, Iowa
Linebacker: Seth Benson, Iowa
Linebacker: Nick Herbig, Wis.
Defensive back: Joey Porter Jr., Penn State
Defensive back: Tiawan Mullen, Indiana
Defensive back: Riley Moss, Iowa
Defensive back: Denzel Burke, Ohio State
.@TreVeyonH4 @CJ7STRUD and @jaxon_smith1 🔥 @WalterCampFF watchlist 👀#GoBucks pic.twitter.com/77yYkmXWAt
— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) August 7, 2022
All Big Ten Second Team 2022
Strategist: Aidan O’Connell, Purdue
Come back: Braelon Allen, Wisconsin
Wide Receiver: Rakim Jarrett, Maryland
Wide Receiver: Dontay Demus Jr., Maryland
Wide Receiver: Ronnie Bell, Mich.
Tight end: Austin Allen, Nebraska
Offensive line: Dawand Jones, Ohio State
Offensive line: Zak Zinter, Michigan
Offensive line: Joe Tipman, Wis.
Offensive line: JD Duplain, State of Michigan
Offensive line: Kyler Schlott, Iowa
Defensive line: Keeanu Benton, Wis.
Defensive line: Adetomiwa Adebawore, North West
Defensive line: Lukas Van Ness, Iowa
Defensive line: Kydran Jenkins, Purdue
Linebacker: Luke Reimer, Nebraska
Linebacker: Cal Haladay, State of Michigan
Linebacker: Junior Colson, Mich.
Defensive back: Ronnie Hickman, Ohio State
Defensive back: Ji’Ayir Brown, Penn State
Defensive back: Jakorian Bennett, Maryland
Defensive back: Jordan Howden (Minnesota)
Some perspectives on Aidan O’Connell’s 28 TD assists in 2021:
🚂 2nd in B1G
🚂 Most by Purdue QB since Curtis Painter (29 in 2007)
🚂 19 have come in the last 5 games#B1Gstats pic.twitter.com/6vBObsqlJj— Purdue on BTN (@PurdueOnBTN) August 10, 2022
I work on college football conference previews for some of the top conferences in the country, and in doing so, I have the opportunity to research the best players in the sport. The Big Ten is brimming with elite talent on both sides of the ball every season, and this year is no different, with some of the nation’s best players in this conference.
Ohio State is heavily represented on this list, especially on offense, where CJ Stroud, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and TreyVeon Henderson were arguably the best trio of offensive talent in the nation. That the Buckeyes are returning so much talent after losing Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave in the NFL Draft speaks to their incredible recruiting and talent development advantage.
Michigan’s best defense in years has produced three of the NFL Draft’s top 50 players in Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo and Daxton Hill, but they’re coming back with plenty of talent. Senior defensive tackle Mazi Smith is expected to lead the defense. The offense is led by Blake Corum, one of the best running backs in the country, and a strong offensive line with Olusegun Oluwatimi and Ryan Hayes.
Wide receiver talent in this conference is strong, with Jayden Reed and Parker Washington joining Smith-Njigba as NFL-caliber talents. Rakim Jarrett was a tough first-team omission here after rushing for 831 yards and five touchdowns last season, and Maryland’s offense as a whole is worth watching.
Offensive line talent is also very strong, with two likely first-round offensive tackles headlining the conference at Paris Johnson Jr. and Peter Skoronski. The Big Ten have long been known for winning in the trenches on both sides of the ball, and this season should be no different, with plenty of talent on the offensive and defensive lines.
Narrowing this list down has been a difficult process, and I’ve probably left out someone you’d like to see here. Hit me up on Twitter — my handle is @wayne_sports_ — for a more in-depth discussion of the Big Ten’s best players of the 2022 season.
