Two-Star Checkup: Overlooked prospects shine in Big Ten
Every Thursday during the college football season, we look back on some two-star prospects who are outplaying their high school ranking and helping their teams win games. This week we look at a trio of two-star prospects from the Big Ten who flew under the radar as recruits but made plenty of plays on the big stage on Saturday.
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As a recruit: Ranked as cornerback in the class of 2014, Jackson had limited options, receiving offers from only Iowa, Colorado State, Nevada and New Mexico State. He committed the Hawkeyes just prior to the start of his senior season, despite not knowing if he would be used on offense or defense once he got to college.
What he did this week: Jackson started as a defensive back after arriving on campus and after redshirting his first year, he quickly excelled at the position, seeing significant playing time in both 2015 and 2016. But it wasn’t until this year that Jackson became a starter and he seems to be getting better every week. In Saturday’s blowout of Ohio State, he intercepted Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett three times, including a highlight-reel worthy one-handed grab that was among the best plays of the season. Jackson also had three tackles to continue to add to a season total that is already a career high.
As a recruit: A multi-sport athlete who had a huge senior season, Knox still had to wait quite a while for an opportunity to play football at the next level. After helping his team to a state championship, a late evaluation from Purdue led to an offer from the Boilermakers and he jumped on the chance to commit. He still took late visits to FCS programs Gardner-Webb and Alabama State but elected to stick with his commitment.
What he did this week: Knox worked his way onto the field as a special teams player as a true freshman and blossomed into a starter during his sophomore season in 2015. But an injury cost him all of the 2016 season and there were some questions coming into the year if he could regain his previous form. But the answer is so far, so good in 2017. In Saturday’s win over Illinois, he rushed for a season-high 85 yards while also scoring a touchdown. The junior back was a nice late find for the previous Purdue staff and has had a productive career for the Boilermakers.
As a recruit: A versatile athlete out of Sycamore, Ill., Niemann didn’t have much in the way of major recruiting interest, especially from Power Five schools. He made a very early commitment to Northern Illinois and said all the right thing about the Huskies, but when Iowa turned up the heat the Hawkeyes were able to flip his commitment in the summer prior to his senior season.
What he did this week: Most schools viewed Niemann as a wide receiver at the next level but Iowa’s vision was to use him on defense. It didn’t take long for Niemann to blossom upon arriving on campus and he was one of just three true freshmen to see the field in 2014. Neimann became a starter at the beginning of the 2015 season and hasn’t looked back. He is on his way to his best season in 2017. In Saturday’s game against the Buckeyes he was a part of a defense that rattled Barrett all day, recording seven tackles and one sack. Iowa was the only major program that believed in Niemann and that evaluation continues to pay dividends.