Best Big Ten Players In The NFL

By Mad Love on 10/10 at 01:24 PM

By Brad Berreman
Love of Sports Correspondent

The Big Ten’s reputation took a hit nationally when Ohio State lost to USC 35-3 earlier this season.

It appears the conference may be a little behind the faster, more athletic players featured in conferences like the SEC, Pac-10 or Big 12.

But the Big Ten’s seen a couple teams enjoy a resurgence so far this year. In particular, Northwestern’s now 5-0 and Minnesota’s 4-1.

Maybe Ohio State, Wisconsin and Illinois won’t be the only sure-fire, bowl bound teams this year.

The Big Ten’s also produced some notable NFL players. In fact, some of the best players in the game today.

Top 10 Big Ten Players in the NFL

10. Steve Hutchinson, OG, Michigan

Hutchinson was the 17th overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks. He made the Pro Bowl for the first time in 2003, his third year in the league, and hasn’t missed a trip to Hawai’i since. Before the 2006 season, he signed with the Vikings as a free agent and has helped pave the way for 2007 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Adrian Peterson ever since. He’s currently one of the best offensive guards the league has to offer, if not the best.

9. Bob Sanders, S, Iowa

Sanders isn’t particularly big, standing just 5-foot-8, but “The Hitman” delivers punishing blows with the best in the NFL. He was a second round pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 2004 and has been selected to the Pro Bowl twice (2005, 2007). He’s a big key to the Colts’ defense, particularly to the team’s run defense. In fact, the team probably doesn’t win a Super Bowl without him.

8. Plaxico Burress, WR, Michigan State

Burress was the eighth overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2000 NFL Draft. After five productive years there, he moved on to the Giants before the 2005 season and would eventually catch the game-winning touchdown in the team’s Super Bowl XLII victory. He’s a big target (6-foot-5) for Eli Manning and a key component to the team’s offense, having caught 51 touchdowns in his career before this season.

7. Aaron Kampman, DE, Iowa

Effort and attitude have never been an issue for Kampman. He was just a lowly fifth round pick in 2002 by the Green Bay Packers and has provided a consistent pass rush for them ever since. He’s been selected to the Pro Bowl the last two years and had 41 career sacks coming into the 2008 season.

6. Marion Barber III, RB, Minnesota

Barber was a fourth round draft pick in 2005 by the Dallas Cowboys and made his first career Pro Bowl just two years into his career. The most amazing part about that? He did so despite not starting a single game until the playoffs! He’s now taken over as the primary ball carrier for Dallas this season and has six total touchdowns through the team’s first five games. He’s well on his way to yet another Pro Bowl appearance on what could be the NFL’s best team.

5. Orlando Pace, OT, Ohio State

Pace was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams after an award laden collegiate career. He’s battled injuries in recent years, but has still been elected to the Pro Bowl seven times throughout his career. He’s been a mainstay at left tackle for the team for 12 years and should be a sure-fire Hall of Famer the moment he becomes eligible upon his retirement.

4. Charles Woodson, CB, Michigan

Woodson was the first and, to this point, only primarily defensive player to win the Heisman Trophy in 1997. He was drafted fourth overall by the Oakland Raiders in 1998, where he’d play through the 2005 season. He moved to the Packers before the 2006 season and has been elected to the Pro Bowl four times in his NFL career. Just this year alone, he’s returned two interceptions for touchdowns and is still one of the premier corners in the game.

3. Drew Brees QB, Purdue

Brees was a second round draft pick by the San Diego Chargers in 2001, where he’d play until 2005. The Saints then signed him to a free agent contract and he immediately led the team to an NFC Championship Game appearance. He’s passed for over 22,000 yards in his NFL career to date and has been elected to the Pro Bowl twice (2004, 2006). This season, he leads the NFL in virtually every passing category, currently towering over Denver’s Jay Cutler by 171 passing yards.

2. Larry Johnson, RB, Penn State

Johnson was selected in the first round of the 2003 draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He was forced to sit on the bench for a while before finally making a huge splash in the ’05 season when he dominated the league in the second half of the year after Priest Holmes was forced to the sidelines with an injury. The next season, he set a league record for carries, with 416, and remains the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense. He’s struggling on a bad team this year, but has been a two-time Pro Bowl selection (2005, 2006) and is still regarded as one of the best RBs in the league.

1. Tom Brady, QB, Michigan

An NFL record 50 passing touchdowns in 2007, three Super Bowl wins, two Super Bowl MVPs and four Pro Bowl selections. Not bad for a sixth round pick in 2000, huh? Brady’s arguably the best QB in the NFL today, though he’s being forced to sit out the rest of the 2008 season due to the knee injury he suffered in the first game of the year.

Honorable Mention

Ohio State: CBs Nate Clements and Antoine Winfield, LBs Mike Vrabel and A.J. Hawk, WRs Joey Galloway, Santonio Holmes and Anthony Gonzalez
Iowa: TE Dallas Clark, OG Eric Steinbach, PK Nate Kaeding
Minnesota: RB Laurence Maroney
Indiana: WR Antwaan Randle El, DE Adewale Ogunleye
Penn State: LB Paul Posluszny, QB Kerry Collins, DE Tamba Hali, WR Bobby Engram
Wisconsin: WRs Lee Evans and Chris Chambers, OT Joe Thomas
Michigan: WRs Braylon Edwards and Amani Toomer, OT Jake Long
Purdue: LB Shaun Phillips, TE Dustin Keller
Michigan State: WR Muhsin Muhammad, OT Flozell Adams, LB Julian Peterson