Predicting the 2023 All-Big Ten First Team defense this season
Last week, we continued our summer-long look around the Big Ten football landscape by predicting the potential All-Conference First Team offense. If you're curious, here's the squad we picked and where Indiana players could potentially factor into the equation.
With the offense picked, we'll now flip sides to the defensive side of the ball and see who projects as the league's best this upcoming fall.
Here's who we picked:
DEFENSIVE LINE
Jer'Zhan Newton, Illinois; Kris Jenkins, Michigan; Chop Robinson, Penn State; J.T Tuimoloau, Ohio State
Newton's redshirt sophomore breakout season in Champaign netted him All-Big Ten First Team honors, recognized as one of the conference's best interior disruptors. Newton was an integral piece to the country's No. 1 scoring defense in 2022, accumulating 14.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks, 11 QB hurries up front. He also recovered two fumbles last season.
He's a consensus preseason All-American after an impressive haul of accolades a season ago. Anything other than a First Team appearance for Newton would be an underachievement.
An honorable mention selection a season ago, Jenkins is one of the more talented returning interior D-lineman while nearly all of the candidates selected ahead of him found new homes in the NFL. Pro Football Focus ranks Jenkins as one of the country's best run-stoppers from a season ago, slotting him as the anchor to the Wolverine defense up front.
Besides having one of the best names for a football player one could have, Robinson's first season with the Nittany Lions was much more productive and disruptive to opposing offenses than his rookie season at Maryland. Coming off the EDGE, Robinson earned All-Conference honorable mention honors, recording 5.5 sacks and 10 TFL.
Tuimoloau, however, is one of the best returning defenders in not only the conference, but the entire sport. A First-Team selection in the Big Ten last season, his sophomore season saw him record 28 tackles and 10.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks, two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Expect him to be one of the premier EDGEs in the conference once again.
IN CONTENTION: Mike Hall, Ohio State; Keith Randolph Jr., Illinois; Tunmise Adeleye, Michigan State; Andre Carter, Indiana
Hall and Randolph feature as strong defenders that could be overlooked due to their teammates for the Buckeyes and Fighting Illini.
Adeleye and Carter are among the conference's most impactful transfers, certain to play pivotal roles for the Spartans and Hoosiers.
LINEBACKER
Tommy Eichenberg, Ohio State; Junior Colson, Michigan; Abdul Carter, Penn State
Eichenberg was one of the sport's best linebackers last season, a First Team All-Conference selection and consensus Second Team All-American in 2022. By returning as the leader of the Buckeye defense this season, he'll be up for multiple honors once again following a 120-tackle season – 12 of them being for loss and 2.5 being sacks. As an inside linebacker, Eichenberg is one of the best run-stuffers in the country this year.
Colson was an All-Conference selection last season, earning both Second and Third team honors from the coaches and media. He was the Wolverines' leading tackler last year, recording 101 tackles, six of them being for loss and two sacks. He was a four-time Defensive Player of the Week in the conference last year, a once-converted wide receiver that moved from Haiti to the United States early in his development.
Carter was a consensus freshman All-American a season ago for the Nittany Lions, the latest great linebacker to wear the famed No. 11 in State College. He also garnered All-Conference honors from the conference for his play overall, recording 56 tackles and 6.5 sacks last season.
IN CONTENTION: Maema Njongmeta, Wisconsin; Cal Haladay, Michigan State; Bryce Gallagher, Northwestern
Njongmeta is PFF's highest-graded returning linebacker in the conference.
Haladay was a Second Team All-Conference selection last season, but competition for the First Team will be intense.
Gallagher was a Third Team selection last season by the conference media, an honorable mention from the coaches.
DEFENSIVE BACK
Kalen King, Penn State; Cooper DeJean, Iowa; Rod Moore, Michigan; Will Johnson, Michigan
King was the conference's best pass defender by terms of passes defended, recording 18 pass breakups and three interceptions. A Third Team selection last season, King projects as one of the best corners in all of college football as a junior – garnering All-American accolades last season.
DeJean returned three of his five interceptions for touchdowns last season, an all-around defensive stalwart for the Hawkeyes defense that kept them in games. The returning preseason All-American was a first team All-Conference selection in 2022.
One of the Big Ten's best all-around defensive backs last season, Moore was an honorable mention last season and one of the best safeties in pass coverage and run defending in the conference. Michigan's defensive unit was the third best by average yardage last season and a big piece to their back-to-back Big Ten title reign.
Johnson was a Freshman All-American last season for the Wolverines, intercepting three passes and adding 27 tackles. Following up a season where he was among the country's best defensive recruits in 2022, Johnson is up for a big sophomore season.
IN CONTENTION: Tyler Nubin, Minnesota; Denzel Burke, Ohio State; Mike Sainristil, Michigan; Jack Henderson, Minnesota
Nubin and Henderson will be solid for the Gopher defensive back room that could propel Minnesota near the top of the West Division.
Sainristil and Burke will be among the top contributors for both the Buckeyes' and Wolverines' defensive backfields.
WHERE INDIANA PLAYERS FACTOR IN
As mentioned under the defensive line group, Andre Carter projects to be Indiana's best player on defense this season. Should he have the type of season his strong spring and national recognition could garner, Carter will likely find himself on an All-Conference team.
At linebacker, Aaron Casey features a strong chance to earn at least an honorable mention honor from the conference following a season in which he did last season. Many different transfers also look to be impactful for Indiana, but Casey looks like the best option to feature on a year-end list accolade list.
In the defensive backfield, a large jump forward would be required to earn likely anything more than an honorable mention honor. After all, the Hoosiers' defense was the conference's worst last year.
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