Defense
Taron Vincent, DL Ohio State
You won’t find any tape on Taron Vincent from 2019, as the former five-star prospect missed all of last season with a shoulder injury. But Vincent should be good to go in 2020, and with interior linemen Davon Hamilton and Jashon Cornell moving on to the NFL, Vincent will be one of the key linemen involved in the Buckeyes’ revitalization upfront.
Vincent, who stands at around 6-foot-2 and 293 pounds, was the top defensive line recruit in the nation in 2017. In two games of spot duty as a true freshman, he recorded a sack and a tackle for loss, displaying tremendous quickness and power for his size. His presence was missed in 2019, but in 2020, talent and opportunity will mesh together for Vincent, as he’ll have the space on the depth chart to rise up to the top and make himself known on the college stage.
Jayson Oweh, EDGE Penn State
The Nittany Lions quietly fielded one of the most athletic edge-rushing groups in the 2019 season. While 2020 second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos gets most of the hype, redshirt sophomore Jayson Oweh has perhaps even greater potential.
Oweh is a freakish (repeat word for emphasis) athlete, reportedly possessing a 4.42 40-yard dash time and a broad jump over ten feet, all at 6-foot-5, 250 pounds. He moves incredibly well for his size and showcases excellent torso flexibility in contested situations. He’s still learning how to use his traits, but with Gross-Matos gone in 2020, Oweh will be given a chance to build off of his 5.0-sack 2019. If he can further hone his traits, he could be the next Big Ten star at edge rusher.
Cameron McGrone, LB Michigan
For now, the 2020 linebacker class appears similar to the 2019 class; there are perhaps one or two transcendent prospects at the top in Micah Parsons and Dylan Moses, and then a drop-off to the obscurity of the second-tier.
That being said, there’s still a full season ahead which can change this outlook, and one player who could rise through the ranks is Michigan linebacker Cameron McGrone. McGrone is a fast, physical player who can simply be a menace in the box. He’s very effective as a blitzer, as he logged 4.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss from his inside linebacker position in 2019.
McGrone also shows some instinct in coverage. And while he needs to work on attaining consistency there, as well as when defending the run, he has enough athleticism and motor for his 6-foot-2, 230-pound frame to potentially grow into a legitimate NFL prospect within the year.
Tyreke Johnson, DB Ohio State
Much like Taron Vincent, Ohio State defensive back Tyreke Johnson didn’t see much action with the Buckeyes in 2019. With players like Jeffrey Okudah, Damon Arnette, Shaun Wade, and Jordan Fuller populating Ohio State’s secondary, Johnson was relegated to backup and special teams duty.
In 2020, however, Wade is the only returning member of that vaunted defensive back group, and thus, Johnson could become the next in the long, renowned pipeline of Ohio State cover men. Johnson was a five-star prospect in 2018, and he has the versatility to play at both cornerback and safety. Johnson has a long, 6-foot-1 195-pound frame, and he plays very fast, never hesitating to impose his physicality. Now unburied on the depth chart, Johnson should quickly make his presence felt, both literally and figuratively, in 2020.
Christian Izien, SS Rutgers
Rutgers isn’t known for producing NFL talent at a level similar to their Big Ten peers, but in Christian Izien, they have a legitimate NFL prospect who’s blossoming early in his college career.
As a redshirt freshman in 2019, Izien was one of the Scarlet Knights’ premier defenders, playing twelve games and starting seven at strong safety. In those outings, he accumulated 78 tackles and three pass deflections.
Izien’s strong physical profile helped him achieve early production; he has a track background, as well as a stocky 5-foot-10, 195-pound frame. As this called-back interception displays, Izien has the speed to track the ball downfield, the explosiveness to rise up and high-point, and the acceleration to gear up afterward and extend the play.
Izien will need to grow as a coverage player, as his ball production is lacking. But his unique background as a former receiver and a track star bodes well for him, and as one of the Big Ten’s rising redshirt sophomores in 2020, he can help Rutgers achieve a heightened level of respect.