Even in the extremely unlikely scenario where the Big Ten is able to play football next spring, the best NFL prospects in the conference will forego that season to test and train for April’s NFL Draft.
Top returning stars Rashod Bateman of Minnesota, Micah Parsons of Penn State and Rondale Moore of Purdue had previously declared they would sit out even if the Big Ten did play this fall. With that possibility now being extinguished by the league's decision to forego the 2020 fall football season, here are 10 more we are not likely to see suit up for their Big Ten programs again.
FACT OR FICTION: Spring football can work in Big Ten, Pac-12
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022: Top 100
DB ERIC BURRELL, Wisconsin
Ranked as one of Pro Football Focus’ top 10 returning players in the Big Ten for the 2020 season, Burrell has played in 41 games during his career, starting 19 of those contests. During that time, Burrell has accumulated more than 100 tackles, nine pass break-ups and four interceptions. He was expected to come back for his final season in 2020 to lead another Wisconsin defense with high expectations. Instead, he will prepare for next spring’s NFL Draft where early projections have Burrell as a mid to late-round selection.
QB JUSTIN FIELDS, Ohio State
Even though he played for two different programs and will have competed in just two seasons, Fields’ college career definitely delivered on the promise it held when he came out as the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2018 recruiting class. Transferring to Ohio State from Georgia between his freshman and sophomore seasons, Fields was named the Big Ten’s offensive player of the year after a 2019 season where he lead the Buckeyes to a 13-1 record. Fields is expected to be one of the first prospects taken in the 2021 NFL Draft, even without a junior season.
LB PADDY FISHER, Northwestern
Fisher, along with most of the Northwestern program, regressed in 2019. The year before he was named third team All-American and first team All-Big Ten after his second straight 100-plus tackle season. The Texas native was going into his fifth and final season in Evanston looking to etch his name in the Wildcat’s record books after accumulating 318 tackles in the previous three seasons. Despite the fall off in 2019, Fisher is still expected to be a mid-round draft pick next spring.
TE PAT FREIERMUTH, Penn State
Considered by many to be the No. 1 tight end prospect in next April’s NFL Draft, Freiermuth is coming out of college at a time when his position’s value is as high as it has ever been at the professional level. That should lead to a first-round pick, assuming Freiermuth’s stock stays high between now and the draft. He finished the 2019 season with 43 receptions for 507 yards and seven touchdowns, which was good enough to earn second team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media.
QB TANNER MORGAN, Minnesota
In his first, full season as a starter, Morgan lead Minnesota to nine-straight wins to start the 2019 campaign, and helped them finish 11-2 overall with a win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl to cap the season. For his efforts, Morgan was named second team All-Big Ten behind Fields. Since he redshirted his freshman season, Morgan could come back and play for Minnesota in 2021, but with his top pass-catchers from last year gone and expectations he gets drafted next April, it is likely we have seen the last of Morgan as a Gopher.
OC TYLER LINDERBAUM, Iowa
Linderbaum came to Iowa as a defensive tackle, but will leave as one of college football’s top interior offensive linemen. The Iowa coaches moved Linderbaum to center between the 2018 and 2019 seasons and he immediately made an impact, starting all 13 games and earning honorable mention All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media. NFL scouts loved Linderbaum even more, and he was already receiving first round projections in early 2021 NFL mock drafts. That opportunity will be difficult to turn down to return to Iowa City for the 2021 college football season.
WR CHRIS OLAVE, Ohio State
Fields’ most productive receiving target last season, Olave broke out as a sophomore and earned third team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and media last year. The explosive pass catcher from California ranked as the No. 74 receiver in the 2018 class, but found a fit in the Buckeyes' vertical passing game as the team’s primary deep threat. That ability to stretch defenses is highly valued at the NFL level as well, and Olave is being projected as high as the second round in next April’s NFL Draft.
DE KWITY PAYE, Michigan
Paye was considered a candidate to declare early for the 2020 NFL Draft, but he ended that speculation before the 2019 season had even ended and was ready to lead the Wolverines' defense as a senior. Resisting the NFL’s call again in 2021 seems unlikely, though. Paye’s 2019 season at Michigan earned him second team All-Big Ten honors after recording a team-high 12.5 tackles for loss to go along with 6.5 sacks and 50 total tackles. He was also a two-time academic All-Big Ten selection.
WR WHOP PHILYOR, Indiana
Philyor considered declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft after a junior season in which he caught 70 passes for over 1,000 yards and scored five touchdowns. Now, with the 2020 fall football season canceled, the call to the NFL will be too strong even though Philyor could come back as a fifth-year senior in 2021. Phiylor was expected to secure many of Indiana’s career receiving records this fall, but will have to settle with finishing his Hoosier career 15th all-time in catches and 20th all-time in yardage.
CB SHAUN WADE, Ohio State
Coming into the 2020 college football season, Wade was considered a near-consensus first-round pick in early mock drafts, which would continue a trend that has seen six Ohio State defensive backs selected in the last four first rounds. The former five-star prospect had toyed with the idea of leaving for the NFL after his redshirt sophomore season, where he was one off of Jeff Okudah’s team lead of pass break-ups with eight, and also recorded an interception to go along with his 25 total tackles.
