Big Ten Championship: Five key players for Ohio St., Wisconsin

Mark Pszonak contributed to this report.

With the Power Five title games approaching, we thought we’d take a look at five key players from each team. Today we look at the Big Ten title game, which will kick off Saturday at 8 p.m. on Fox from Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis.

RELATED: Farrell’s Three-Point Stance

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The skinny: Barrett committed to Ohio State in April, approximately three weeks after he spent two days on campus during a visit. His time in Columbus has been memorable, both personally and for the team. Now in his final season as a Buckeye, despite two lackluster performances against Oklahoma and Iowa, he has still pieced together a top-level performance. Currently with 2,728 yards and 33 touchdowns through the air, plus 672 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, Barrett once again has the Ohio State offense moving at high gear. Barrett is probable for the Wisconsin game after injuring his knee against Michigan.

Farrell’s take: Barrett’s senior season in high school was cut short due to an ACL tear, which hurt his dual-threat QB ranking because it led to some questions about his mobility. Even then, we ranked him as the No. 7 dual-threat signal-caller, so it was clear we liked him quite a bit. I remember him at the Elite 11 the summer before his senior year and he made some amazing throws, especially on longer passes and during the more pressure-filled periods of the camp, but he also didn’t look overly comfortable as a pocket passer and has struggled in that capacity many times during his career. I expected downfield improvement under new coordinators this season and have seen that for the most part, but the Oklahoma and Iowa games still stick out.

The skinny: Dobbins picked up his offer from Ohio State in mid-February and only waited a couple of weeks before he committed to the Buckeyes. He also considered Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas A&M at the time of his decision. Dobbins was quickly thrown into the fire this fall as a true freshman due to an injury to Mike Weber, and now that Weber is back and healthy, he has continued to perform at a high level. Leading the team with 1,190 yards, plus eight total touchdowns, he is an exciting playmaker who can take it the distance at any moment.

Farrell’s take: Dobbins was highly regarded and ranked coming out of high school despite missing nearly his entire senior season with a broken ankle. His combination of speed, leverage and the ability to catch the ball had him remain in our Rivals100 despite questions about how effective he would be upon his return. In a great year at running back in the 2017 class, we had him only behind Najee Harris (No. 1 in the country), Cam Akers (No. 3) and D’Andre Swift (No. 35). We believed in him and now believe even more. This kid could be special.

The skinny: With his brother, Joey Bosa, a star at Ohio State, many expected Nick to follow him to Columbus. And while Notre Dame, Florida and Florida State applied pressure, he did not pull any surprises with a commitment to the Buckeyes in July. Bosa showed his potential as a true freshman last fall and has continued to make big plays in 2017. Currently with 28 tackles, 11.5 tackles for a loss, six sacks and one force fumble, Bosa is capable of creating chaos in the offensive backfield.

Farrell’s take: Bosa was drawing comparisons to his brother, Joey, before his ACL injury in November of his senior season. Some said he would be even better. We had him ranked higher than Joey out of high school, but we whiffed on Joey being a five-star, so there’s that. Nick was as athletic and physical as his brother and loved to hit. We knew he’d be special and he’s off to a great start in his career.

The skinny: Webb committed to Ohio State more than a year before his Signing Day during a visit to campus. At the time of his commitment, both Michigan and Michigan State were thought to be the favorites, while LSU and Illinois were also involved. While somewhat small in stature for the safety position, Webb has become an integral part of the Ohio State defense over the last two seasons. This fall he has totaled 55 tackles, two tackles for a loss, three interceptions and one fumble recovery for a defense that while inconsistent at times, has the talent to dominate.

Farrell’s take: Out of high school, Webb was another undersized corner from Cass Tech with good coverage skills, but question marks regarding how big he could get and potential in run support. His ball skills were always excellent however and he’s shown off excellent ball skills and a willingness to tackle. He’s been lost in coverage here and there, but overall he’s been a key defender.

The skinny: Baker initially committed to Florida, while using a live alligator during his announcement, before re-opening his process and signing with the Buckeyes. Coming off a big 2016 season which saw him finish with 83 tackles and 9.5 tackles for a loss, Baker’s performance this fall may be seen as disappointing by some, but he has still been one of the leaders of the defensive unit. Coming into the game with 51 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and a forced fumble, a great deal will be placed on his shoulders to help slow down Wisconsin’s rushing attack.

Farrell’s take: Baker wasn’t that tall or long, but he was sudden, explosive and arrived at the ball with a thump. His instincts were off the charts, and he played bigger than his size and continues to do so although he’s been erratic as a tackler at times and sometimes lacks depth in his drops.

The skinny: Taylor initially committed to Rutgers in early May, but then flipped to Wisconsin after an official visit to Madison in October. Expectations were high for Taylor coming into the season, but not many people could have imagined the level of productivity he has experienced this fall as a true freshman. With 1,806 yards and 13 touchdowns, Taylor quickly became one of the more dominant running backs in the country and has thrown his name into the Heisman Trophy conversation.

Farrell’s take: I had Taylor on my Commit Fit List when he signed in February because of his combination of size, power and quick feet in the Wisconsin offense, but I never expected him to reach this level so fast. The Badgers have done so well with New Jersey/New York-area running backs over the years, and this kid is clearly next. He broke former Badgers star running back Corey Clement’s South Jersey rushing record his senior season and has been compared with Clement often, although he’s a bit more physical. Taylor’s balance, especially, stood out when scouting him.

The skinny: Fumagalli held several MAC offers, but continued to hold out hope for a Wisconsin offer. While that offer did not arrive during his recruiting process, he still decided to walk-on and eventually earned a scholarship during his third season in Madison. Fumagalli has become the most reliable receiving threat in the Wisconsin offense over the last two seasons. He has continued his consistent play this season with 38 receptions for 471 yards and four touchdowns.

Farrell’s take: Fumagalli was a three-star walk-on at Wisconsin, a program that is becoming known for churning out amazing non-scholarship prospects. Turning down a full-ride from NC State for a partial scholarship from Wisconsin is a big deal and it has clearly worked out well for him. He was a talented kid out of high school, a three-star who should have had more offers and now his size, blocking ability and red zone touch are key for the Badgers passing game.

The skinny: Edwards initially committed to Western Michigan in June, but a December offer from Wisconsin quickly changed everything. Soon after receiving the offer from the Badgers, he officially made the flip. Now in his third season in Madison, Edwards continues to be one of the more productive and consistent linebackers in the Big Ten. Coming into the game with 67 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, two sacks and four interceptions, Edwards also has a knack of raising his game to an even higher level in big games.

Farrell’s take: Through his first three seasons, Edwards has quickly become one of the more productive linebackers in the Big Ten and always seems to be in position. Out of high school he was a low three-star prospect with good size who wasn’t heavily recruited because he wasn’t a quick twitch guy. He is a great example of a guy whose instincts make him a much better player than expected.

The skinny: Edwards, who actually played quarterback in high school and was recruited as a tight end, committed to Wisconsin over Illinois in June a few days after taking a visit to Madison. He made the move to the offensive line prior to the start of summer camp in 2016 and has not looked back. After seven starts at right tackle last season, Edwards has become one of the top players at his position in the country this fall. A mid-season All-American, Edwards is one of the reasons that the Wisconsin rushing attack is once again working at an elite level.

Farrell’s take: Talk about a tough evaluation, Edwards has gone from athlete (quarterback) to offensive lineman so I’m happy with our mid three-star rating out of high school. He could have projected to a few positions and was a good athlete and we thought he’d end up being a tight end. He also played defensive end, but had a huge frame so he could have ended up as a defensive tackle down the line as well. He is the perfect example of an offensive lineman with the feet of a tight end.

The skinny: Dixon took an official visit to Michigan State during his senior season and then visits to Wisconsin and West Virginia in January. He committed to the Badgers on National Signing Day, only a couple of days after returning home from Morgantown. After a big 2016 season, Dixon has followed that up with another impressive campaign. Currently with 54 tackles, 3.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, an interception and a forced fumble, Dixon is one of the anchors of the Wisconsin secondary.

Farrell’s take: Dixon was a mid-level three-star out of high school who had adequate size, excellent ball skills and was good at everything but not great at anything. He also played running back and was a physical kid. He was all-state as a senior and got better each year in high school, so perhaps he was undervalued and under-ranked based on the way he’s playing now.