Eric Murray (pictured) and Briean Boddy-Calhoun give Minnesota a pair of cornerbacks capable of frustrating any passing attack. 0 Shares Print Nationally, the countdown of top 100 players is rolling along, and to complement that list, a separate but no less important look at rankings solely within the Big Ten is continuing as well. After kicking off the list with the opening five spots, the conference rolls into the top 20 with a decidedly defensive vibe today. No. 16: Northwestern RB Justin Jackson There wasn’t all that much for the Wildcats to get excited about offensively last season, so it’s hard to imagine just how much worse the attack might have been without the rapid emergence of Jackson in the backfield. Few true freshmen anywhere had a larger impact than the Northwestern tailback, who proved quickly that he was capable of handling the every-down load and delivering an oversized impact at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds. With a new quarterback leading the Wildcats, Jackson will continue to be the focal point for a program trying to get back to a bowl game this fall. No. 17: Nebraska DT Maliek Collins If the Cornhuskers are going to return to defensive glory and start living up to the reputation of the Blackshirts again, that effort will start in the trenches with one of the toughest tackles in the conference leading the way. Collins developed into both an invaluable playmaker in the backfield with 14 tackles for loss a year ago and became a respected voice in the locker room worthy of a captaincy this fall, raising the bar heading into his junior campaign. Collins will no doubt be setting the tone for Nebraska on the field and in the locker room. No. 18: Minnesota CB Eric Murray Neither side of the field is all that safe to throw to against the Golden Gophers, and the cornerback combination makes Eric Murray and Briean Boddy-Calhoun something of a package deal in the rankings…
Continue Reading: Top Big Ten players: Nos. 16-20
