This article covers the players in the Big Ten that will be expected to fill in the shoes of their star predecessors.
CJ Stroud -> Kyle McCord or Devin Brown – Ohio State QB
CJ Stroud is the biggest name coming out of the Big Ten in terms of the NFL Draft, and Ohio State will need to replace him next season. They still don’t know who the guy is, but they have two people battling for that spot. Kyle McCord is a junior from Philadelphia who has been compared to Matt Stafford due to his build and arm strength. The other kid is Devin Brown. He is from Utah and will be a sophomore next season. Both of these kids have the talent, it’s now up to Ryan Day and those coaches to see who they think the better fit is.
Peter Skoronski -> Nick Herzog – Northwestern OT
Peter Skoronski is arguably the best offensive lineman in the country, and it will be difficult to replace him. Especially with the type of talent and recruiting classes Northwestern works with. That man will potentially be Nick Herzog. He was the third-string tackle and will have to move to starter due to both players ahead of him leaving. Herzog is a 6’4, 270-pound sophomore with large shoes to fill next season.
Jack Campbell -> Jay Higgins – Iowa LB
Jack Campbell has been flying around the field and making tackles for years at Iowa, and now he is moving on. They will need to replace him and have a good one in Jay Higgins. Higgins will be a senior this upcoming season and has three years of playing experience. He has accumulated 47 total-tackles, a fumble recovery, and a sack. His role will be increased substantially in 2023, and I believe he is up for the task.
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Zach Harrison -> JT Tuimoloau – Ohio State DE
JT Tuimoloau is considered the 24th-best prospect of all time out of high school according to 247 Sports. He was a five-star out of Washington and was the fourth-best player in the 2021 class. He has had to sit behind Zach Harrison but has had playing time in his first two seasons. He has six sacks and 45 total tackles. I see this as one of the smoothest transitions on this list, and one that won’t hurt Ohio State much.
Parker Washington -> Dante Cephus – Penn State WR
The Nittany Lions hit the transfer portal for their replacement when they got Dante Cephus from Kent State. Cephus was considered one of, if not the best, receivers in the transfer portal, and he chose Penn State. That helps them because their star WR, Parker Washington, declared for the draft. Dante Cephus gives a proven wide receiver to new QB Drew Allar. With Allar being a first-year starter and only a true sophomore, this will benefit him greatly. Cephus finished with 48 receptions for 744 yards and three touchdowns in 2022 for Kent State.
