We are counting down who we feel are the best players of the B1G. This first week we started at the bottom of the top twenty-five and worked our way up to twenty-one. We started with a Buckeye, offensive guard Andrew Norwell.
Norwell is as steady as she goes and pretty much the definition of consistency on an offensive line loaded with talent and experience. Norwell anchored a Buckeye running game that finished an impressive 10th in the nation last year. Norwell has 25 starts in his career, 20 of which came at left guard. He’s played more snaps last year than any other Buckeye, playing 862 snaps. Norwell played 98.8% of the offensive snaps last year as well and that lead the team.
there is no better-run stopper at linebacker in the Big Ten due to the fact he always fills the right hole and he is strong enough to disengage blocks from quite a few offensive lineman. He has a knack for punching the ball loose, in his career at Wisconsin he has forced a total of 13 fumbles, which is one shy of setting both a Big Ten and FBS record of 14 forced fumbles. Borland is on the Bednark watch list for the second straight season. He also finished with the honors of first team all Big Ten in 2012.
This year, it’s up to last year’s leader in tackles, Max Bullough, to take the reigns of the defense and lead it through a favorable conference schedule that dodges Ohio State, Penn State, and Wisconsin while facing the rival Wolverines at home.
As a junior, he played all 13 games and was selected as an All-Big Ten player, recording 52 tackles and 3 interceptions. What he brings to the team is a great blend of skills; he can play zone and man coverage, can break fast from the line of scrimmage, has impressive catch-up speed, and as an added feature, he can tackle.
Shane Wynn is the smallest player in the B1G at 5’7″ and 163 lbs. But the tiny WR from Cleveland Glenville High School puts up giant numbers for the Indiana Hoosiers. He is a prime example of a guy who wasn’t recruited by larger more more successful CFB programs and had to fight his way onto a B1G team.