JonDMiller
Publisher/Founder
We continue our look at 'The Best in the Big Ten' series, this time focusing on receivers. If you missed our write ups on Quarterbacks and Running Backs, just click on those corresponding links.
This is a position that might not have a great deal of star power at this point in time, but most of these names will play big roles for their teams this year. Most of the league's leaders from last year will return in 2011.
11. Antavian Edison, Purdue: He's not a big target; 5-11/175 but was second on the team with 32 receptions one year ago; the leader had 33 and is gone.
10. Brandon Kinnie, Nebraska: 44 receptions for 494 yards last year for the 6-3/220 Kinnie. Not bad numbers considering the average at best quarterbacks throwing to him last year...average at best related to their throwing abilities.
10. AJ Jenkins, Illinois: Had 56 receptions for 746 yards in 2010 with a freshman quarterback delivering him the football. Things should improve for everyone this year and Jenkins is the only proven pass catcher with Jarred Fayson moving on.
9. Da'Jon KcNight, Minnesota: McKnight is the clear #1 option at Minnesota, with MarQueis Gray moving back to quarterback. If Gray can deliver the ball, McKnight will build on his 48 reception/10 touchdown 2011 campaign.
8. Nick Toon, Wisconsin: He didn't have the 2010 he would have liked and battled injuries for a while. He had a 50+ reception sophomore season but just 36 one year ago. Wisconsin likes to pound the rock on the ground and he also had an excellent tight end competing with him for catches, but Toon is talented and could certainly move up this list by year's end.
7. BJ Cunningham, Michigan State: 6-2/220 and had 50 receptions last season, plus nine TD's. Will have a chance to be the go to receiver this year with the departure of Mark Dell, however the Spartans have some young guns in the stable and should be able to spread the ball around this year with a senior quarterback and powerful running game.
6. Roy Roundtree, Michigan: 72 receptions one year ago and could have had plenty more. Was plagued by the drops in 2010 and bounced around from the split end and slot positions. He is 6-0/176 and has some wheels, but consistency keeps him from moving higher on this preseason list, until he proves it on the field.
5. Jeremy Ebert, Northwestern: He led the Big Ten in yards per game last year while pulling down eight grabs for scores. He's 6-1/185 and while not a traditional burner, he has a knack for creating a nice target against zone defenses and his quarterback Dan Persa is a master of delivering the ball in small windows. While he may not be one of the most physically gifted receivers in the league, he gets 100% out of what he has and his production speaks for itself.
4. Derek Moye, Penn State: He's 6-5/205 and had 53 receptions last year including eight touchdowns despite playing the first half of the year with a true freshman throwing the football. He averaged 16.7 yards per catch last season, one of the best marks in the Big Ten.
3. Devier Posey, Ohio State: At 6-2/213 he was the second most productive Ohio State receiver last year behind the departed Dane Sanzenbacher. This year, once he gets on the field, he'll be the #1 target. He is one of the Tattoo Five for Ohio State who will be forced to miss the first five games of the season, but he'll miss just one Big Ten game. While he may not produce Top Three stats this year due to the suspension, he's one of the Top Three receivers in this league.
2. Damario Belcher, Indiana: He's 6-5/215 and one of the best in the league. Caught 78 passes one year ago, 25 more than Marvin McNutt who led Iowa, but had just four touchdowns and his average yards per reception was just 10.7. Look for the ypc and the TD's to go up this year as Tanden Doss is no longer around, as he elected to turn pro with one year of eligibility remaining (he was drafted in the 4th round by the Ravens). Belcher will be the marquee target but we don't yet know what kind of offense the Hoosiers will employ, and he'll have a new quarterback throwing to him as well as the talented Ben Chappell has moved on.
1. Marvin McNutt, Iowa: The 6-4/215 pound senior to be has paid his dues. He changed position early in his career, he had a solid sophomore season and then snapped Derrell Johnson-Koulianos' three year grip on leading the Hawkeyes with receptions last year as a junior. McNutt, with a record setting season, could leave Iowa with every major receiving record in tow one year after DJK rewrote the record books. For a 'running team' that's pretty good back to back production. McNutt doesn't melt the stop watch, but he has great body control, soft hands and shows competition speed; meaning he gets open and gets gone when he has to. If I had to pick one receiver to throw the corner end zone fade to in all of the Big Ten, I'd take either McNutt or the aforementioned Belcher. Both can jump and both fight for the ball. I'd give the nod to McNutt, because I have not seen him drop a game winning pass in the endzone.
This is a position that might not have a great deal of star power at this point in time, but most of these names will play big roles for their teams this year. Most of the league's leaders from last year will return in 2011.
11. Antavian Edison, Purdue: He's not a big target; 5-11/175 but was second on the team with 32 receptions one year ago; the leader had 33 and is gone.
10. Brandon Kinnie, Nebraska: 44 receptions for 494 yards last year for the 6-3/220 Kinnie. Not bad numbers considering the average at best quarterbacks throwing to him last year...average at best related to their throwing abilities.
10. AJ Jenkins, Illinois: Had 56 receptions for 746 yards in 2010 with a freshman quarterback delivering him the football. Things should improve for everyone this year and Jenkins is the only proven pass catcher with Jarred Fayson moving on.
9. Da'Jon KcNight, Minnesota: McKnight is the clear #1 option at Minnesota, with MarQueis Gray moving back to quarterback. If Gray can deliver the ball, McKnight will build on his 48 reception/10 touchdown 2011 campaign.
8. Nick Toon, Wisconsin: He didn't have the 2010 he would have liked and battled injuries for a while. He had a 50+ reception sophomore season but just 36 one year ago. Wisconsin likes to pound the rock on the ground and he also had an excellent tight end competing with him for catches, but Toon is talented and could certainly move up this list by year's end.
7. BJ Cunningham, Michigan State: 6-2/220 and had 50 receptions last season, plus nine TD's. Will have a chance to be the go to receiver this year with the departure of Mark Dell, however the Spartans have some young guns in the stable and should be able to spread the ball around this year with a senior quarterback and powerful running game.
6. Roy Roundtree, Michigan: 72 receptions one year ago and could have had plenty more. Was plagued by the drops in 2010 and bounced around from the split end and slot positions. He is 6-0/176 and has some wheels, but consistency keeps him from moving higher on this preseason list, until he proves it on the field.
5. Jeremy Ebert, Northwestern: He led the Big Ten in yards per game last year while pulling down eight grabs for scores. He's 6-1/185 and while not a traditional burner, he has a knack for creating a nice target against zone defenses and his quarterback Dan Persa is a master of delivering the ball in small windows. While he may not be one of the most physically gifted receivers in the league, he gets 100% out of what he has and his production speaks for itself.
4. Derek Moye, Penn State: He's 6-5/205 and had 53 receptions last year including eight touchdowns despite playing the first half of the year with a true freshman throwing the football. He averaged 16.7 yards per catch last season, one of the best marks in the Big Ten.
3. Devier Posey, Ohio State: At 6-2/213 he was the second most productive Ohio State receiver last year behind the departed Dane Sanzenbacher. This year, once he gets on the field, he'll be the #1 target. He is one of the Tattoo Five for Ohio State who will be forced to miss the first five games of the season, but he'll miss just one Big Ten game. While he may not produce Top Three stats this year due to the suspension, he's one of the Top Three receivers in this league.
2. Damario Belcher, Indiana: He's 6-5/215 and one of the best in the league. Caught 78 passes one year ago, 25 more than Marvin McNutt who led Iowa, but had just four touchdowns and his average yards per reception was just 10.7. Look for the ypc and the TD's to go up this year as Tanden Doss is no longer around, as he elected to turn pro with one year of eligibility remaining (he was drafted in the 4th round by the Ravens). Belcher will be the marquee target but we don't yet know what kind of offense the Hoosiers will employ, and he'll have a new quarterback throwing to him as well as the talented Ben Chappell has moved on.
1. Marvin McNutt, Iowa: The 6-4/215 pound senior to be has paid his dues. He changed position early in his career, he had a solid sophomore season and then snapped Derrell Johnson-Koulianos' three year grip on leading the Hawkeyes with receptions last year as a junior. McNutt, with a record setting season, could leave Iowa with every major receiving record in tow one year after DJK rewrote the record books. For a 'running team' that's pretty good back to back production. McNutt doesn't melt the stop watch, but he has great body control, soft hands and shows competition speed; meaning he gets open and gets gone when he has to. If I had to pick one receiver to throw the corner end zone fade to in all of the Big Ten, I'd take either McNutt or the aforementioned Belcher. Both can jump and both fight for the ball. I'd give the nod to McNutt, because I have not seen him drop a game winning pass in the endzone.
