This much we know: The Big Ten will not have a quarterback taken in the first round. Again.
The last one to get plucked in the first round was Penn State’s Kerry Collins. The year, 1995.
What gives? That’s a topic for another day.
For now let’s examine which Big Ten schools are expected to lose the most talent in this draft.
The easy answer: Ohio State.
The Tribune’s Brad Biggs projects that the Buckeyes will lose two stud defensive backs at No. 6 and 7 —Marshon Lattimore and Malik Hooker. Others project one of those going to the Bears at No. 3.
Another gimme first-rounder from the Big Ten is Ryan Ramczyk.
The good news for him is that nearly everyone believes he’ll be the first offensive tackle taken. The bad is that it’s a weak draft class for O-linemen, so Ramczyk might not crack the top 20 picks.
Here’s a breakdown of expected Big Ten personnel losses, listed by school and the projected losses in the top three rounds.
Ohio State (6): Lattimore, Hooker, CB Gareon Conley, LB Raekwon McMillan, WR Curtis Samuel, C Pat Elflein
Michigan (5): S Jabrill Peppers, DE Taco Charlton, DE Chris Wormley, CB Jourdan Lewis, TE Jake Butt
Wisconsin (2)L Ramczyk, LB T.J. Watt
Michigan State (1): DE Malik McDowell
Indiana (1): G Dan Feeney
Iowa (1): CB Desmond King
Penn State (1): WR Chris Godwin
Illinois (1): DE Dawuane Smoot
Worth noting: Iowa has borderline projected third-round picks in TE George Kittle and DT Jaleel Johnson. … Former Hawkeye C.J. Beathard figures to be the only Big Ten quarterback who gets drafted, and not until the fifth round. … Wisconsin’s Corey Clement might not get tabbed till the seventh. … Northwestern’s Anthony Walker projects as s fifth-rounder, with defensive end Ifeadi Odenigbo and Austin Carr – the nation’s highest-graded receiver (via Pro Football Focus) – having a shot to get drafted. … Illinois LB Carroll Phillips could get plucked in the fourth or fifth round. … Penn State won’t lose much off its Rose Bowl team: NFL.com draft analyst Chad Reuter projects that only Godwin will be taken. Others view DE Garrett Sickels as a late-round pick.
tgreenstein@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @TeddyGreenstein
