Several of the Big Ten's best backers have moved on.
One Big Ten linebacker will almost certainly be drafted in the first round of next month's NFL extravaganza. Several others – including a couple of Buckeyes – are expected to be selected as well. A bit of a talent exodus happens all the time, but losing your four top producers at one position isn't the most common occurrence. Ohio State's depleted room is the leading storyline across the Big Ten in 2021.
Al Washington's New-Look Room
While the Buckeye secondary is perhaps the biggest concern for most fans, it's the linebacker room that's going through the most turnover. Pete Werner, Baron Browning, Tuf Borland, and Justin Hilliard are gone from Al Washington's room. That's 19 years of experience that has to be replaced. And while the next guys in line are now mostly all upperclassmen, there's not a whole lot of experience left at the position.
We know the names by now. Teradja Mitchell, Dallas Gant, K'Vaughan Pope, Craig Young, Cody Simon, and Tommy Eichenberg are expected to be the primary players fighting it out for the three backer spots. Of the returnees, Mitchell (95) and Gant (80) saw the most snaps in the shortened 2020 season. They're both now expected to transition into starting roles after seeing plenty of special teams action since their arrival in 2018. Gant is looking to get the nod in the middle, but he's set to miss the spring due to a foot injury.
Young and Simon are perhaps the two most intriguing names on the list. Young is one of the more athletic players on the team. With a 6-foot-3 and 228-pound frame, he's reportedly been working with both the safeties and the linebackers. He and Kourt Williams are candidates for the bullet position, which Ryan Day insists still exists. Simon and fellow 2020 signee Mitchell Melton were both referred to as "young studs" when Washington met with the media this week. Simon already has the look of a terrifying human.
It's going to be an entirely new look this time around, and they'll have to get ready in a hurry as the Buckeyes face Minnesota in the opener. That means the defense will be dealing with the league's top rusher in Mohamed Ibrahim.
Stars Returning for a Pair of Conference Title Contenders
The Buckeyes are clearly the favorites to win the league yet again, but the Hoosiers and Badgers are also expected to be firmly in the mix. Ohio State heads to Bloomington on Oct. 23 and could face Wisconsin at Lucas Oil Stadium in December. Michael Penix Jr. and Graham Mertz will get most of the attention, but both teams are also returning All-Big Ten linebackers in 2021.
For Tom Allen and the Hoosiers, senior Micah McFadden returns as the leader of the defense. The Florida native led the team in tackles, sacks, and tackles for loss in 2020 while earning third-team AP All-America honors. If Indiana wants to compete in the East Division yet again, McFadden and Penix will probably be its two biggest cogs.
Know when it's a good week?
— Indiana On BTN (@IndianaOnBTN) November 15, 2020
When two @IndianaFootball players earn B1G Saturday Standouts.@gerrydinardo @mcfadden_micah@HowardGriffith @Ty_Fry3 pic.twitter.com/6ks8BcmiJw
Jack Sanborn made the decision to return to Madison for his senior season as he'll once again lead the Badgers on defense. He made a splash in 2019 and was then named to the Bednarik and Butkus watch lists. He had a solid ending to his sophomore season by sacking Justin Fields in Indianapolis and then picking off Justin Herbert in the Rose Bowl. Sanborn was the team's leading tackler in 2020 and recorded a sack, interception, and forced fumble in seven games.
Big Names Missing For Buckeyes' Rivals
Penn State has a solid history at linebacker, and that's only going to continue when Micah Parsons is selected in the first round next month. His absence in 2020 was a big deal for the folks in Happy Valley. Now, James Franklin has some experience to work with even if they aren't the biggest names. Brandon Smith, Jesse Luketa, and Ellis Brooks are expected to be the starters; all three of whom came to Happy Valley as four-star recruits. West Bloomfield, Michigan's Lance Dixon was a five-star (per 247 Sports) back in 2019. He recently announced his transfer to West Virginia.
Jim Harbaugh's defensive staff has seen a number of changes during the offseason. Linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary has left the program and accepted the same job in Knoxville. Cameron McGrone started two seasons at middle linebacker before his 2020 was cut short due to an injury. He's since declared for the NFL draft. Senior Josh Ross will be the experienced vet in 2021. He'll be flanked by younger players like Kalel Mullings and David Ojabo. We'll see if Don Brown's departure leads to some better days for the UM defense.
Penn State finished No. 17 in total defense last season, which is a respectable showing given that their best player opted out. Harbaugh's defense finished at No. 84. That obviously was a major reason for the staff overhaul.
New Names to Know
Six of the nation's top-20 linebacker prospects in the 2021 class signed with Big Ten programs. The most surprising thing about that? Only one of those players will be suiting up for Ohio State (Reid Carrico). It's never wise to expect too much playing time from a true freshman linebacker. But what about at a school that's not really known for its defensive stars? College Park could be a good place to look towards in 2021.
Had it not been for Kirby Smart's pair of five-stars, Mike Locksley might have just signed the nation's best linebacker class. The Terps are bringing in the nation's No. 1 player at the position in Miami five-star Terrence Lewis. The one-time Tennessee commit held offers from all of the power programs. Maryland also flipped four-star Jacksonville native Branden Jennings from Michigan. He's listed as the country's seventh-best backer and No. 107 overall prospect.
But it wasn't all bad news in the mitten state. Tennessee's Junior Colson is an athletic linebacker who could see the field early on in his career. The 6-foot-2, 228-pounder enrolled early in Ann Arbor, which will only help in his pursuit of early playing time. Michigan State also landed a big one at the position as the Spartans top-rated signee is a familiar name in Las Vegas's Ma'a Gaoteote. His older brother is former Buckeye target Palaie Gaoteote. He currently resides in the transfer portal after three seasons at USC.
Nebraska also is bringing in one of the country's top linebackers. Wynden Ho'ohuli was the No. 1 player in the state of Hawaii and held offers from all of the West Coast powers. He's the top-rated defensive signee for Scott Frost's 2021 class.
Regarding Ohio State's opponents, one team to keep a close eye on is actually outside of the Big Ten footprint. Oregon's 2020 recruiting class was headlined by a pair of five-star linebacker signees. Justin Flowe was the country's No. 6 overall prospect while Noah Sewell was No. 13. Sewell was an immediate starter as a true freshman and went on to lead the Ducks in tackles. Flowe suffered a torn meniscus prior to the team's second game and will use this spring and summer to get back into the swing of things once healthy.
