Big Ten football's Position-U 2025: Who produces the most NFL talent at each position?

USA Today

28-04-2025

Big Ten football's Position-U 2025: Who produces the most NFL talent at each position?
In the first round of the 2025 NFL draft, 26 out of the 32 first-round picks were from Big Ten or SEC programs.
11 of those picks came from the Big Ten, with 15 from the SEC. Both NIL and the transfer portal contribute to this greater trend, with many of these top players wanting to play in the two biggest conferences on the brightest stages. That, and those conferences recently expanded to include a greater share of the sport's powers.
Since NFL draft picks began being tracked, Wisconsin ranks tied for 22nd for the most first-round picks, ranking just below Nebraska, Auburn, and Washington, and just above teams including Iowa and Oregon.
With the conclusion of the 2025 draft and with the Big Ten's strong standing atop the sport, it's time to revisit the conference's 'Position U' for each position in the draft field. In other words, here is the Big Ten school that has been the best at producing each position in recent memory:
Quarterback - USC
USC is an obvious choice here, considering it has had the most quarterbacks drafted in the modern era (17), four of which were selected in the first round (Carson Palmer, Matt Leinart, Sam Darnold, and Caleb Williams). Between Pete Carroll and Lincoln Riley, the Trojans have had their fair share of 'QB whisperers' at head coach, which is why they are the consensus 'QB-U' in the Big Ten.
Running Back - Wisconsin
There were a fair number of programs to choose from at running back. Some may lean towards USC, Ohio State, or even Penn State to be the Big Ten's 'RBU,' considering their recent success at producing NFL players at the position.
However, Wisconsin has had the perfect balance of both college and NFL success, which is why this slot goes to the Badgers. From 2012 to 2019, Wisconsin running backs won the Doak Walker Award for the best running back in college four times. In addition to this recent success, Wisconsin is tied with the Texas Longhorns for the most Doak Walker wins all time, each with 5. Current NFL running backs from Wisconsin include two-time Pro Bowler Jonathan Taylor, Braelon Allen, and Dare Ogunbowale. Notable former famous backs include Ron Dayne, James White, Corey Clement, and Melvin Gordon. This list includes multiple Pro Bowlers, Super Bowl champions and players from several eras of Wisconsin football. For those reasons, Wisconsin is our 'RB-U.'
Wide Receiver - Ohio State
This selection might've been the easiest to make. Ohio State has been a powerhouse for producing top-tier wide receiver talent for the past few seasons, with many of these players being selected early in the first round. Some of these famous Buckeyes include Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Terry McLaurin. That is a ton of talent just in the past few drafts, with more still to come. Emeka Egbuka just got drafted in the first round this year and phenom Jeremiah Smith is a projected top-pick in 2027. Ohio State has had five receivers drafted in the first round in just the past four seasons, further proving that the program have been the standard for excellence at the position, with all having success in both college and at the NFL level. Because of this, Ohio State is clearly the Big Ten's 'WR-U.'
Tight End - Iowa
Iowa isn't known for offensive prowess. However, when the program has been decent offensively, it's all thanks to the tight end position. Some famous former Hawkeye tight ends include Frank Clark, George Kittle, Sam LaPorta, T.J. Hockenson, and Noah Fant. Head coach Kirk Ferentz heavily utilizes the position, plus develops the players as both strong blockers and receivers. Iowa might not be an offensive powerhouse, but it continues to produce legitimate stars at the position, earning the 'TE-U' honor.
Offensive Line - Ohio State
A ton of Big Ten programs fit the title of 'Offensive Line U,' considering the conference is known for hard-nosed, Midwest football. Teams like Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, and even Nebraska could be considered for the title. However, Ohio State earns the title for the most consistent program at producing offensive line talent. The Buckeyes have been, and still are, a very run-heavy offense, meaning that winning the battle in the trenches with their offensive lineman is a priority. The Big Ten awards the conference's best offensive lineman each year with the Rimington–Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. Since 2015, Ohio State players have won the award four times. No other Big Ten program has won the award more than twice (Iowa). There's not a ton of star-studded offensive line names that went to Ohio State, but the program producing so many quality starters earned it the title.
Defensive Line - Michigan
The Michigan Wolverines had a program renaissance in the early 2020s, making three consecutive College Football Playoff trips, capped off by the 2023 national title. What helped the program return to glory? A strong defensive front. Players like Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham, both of whom were first-round picks this year, helped Michigan become a force to be reckoned with defensively by limiting opponent's ability to run the ball. Michigan's defensive line excellence propelled the team to three-straight Big Ten titles and is one of the biggest reasons why it became a national champion.
Linebacker - Wisconsin
Wisconsin's linebackers in the NFL have been dominant in the 2020s, with 2024 being an especially strong season. Some former Badger linebackers in the league include 2021 Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt, All-Pro middle linebacker Zack Baun, Pro Bowler Andrew Van Ginkel, Nick Herbig, and TJ Edwards. All of these players were high-level contributors to their team's defenses. All three of Watt, Baun, and Ginkel made the Pro Bowl, with the others receiving votes. Wisconsin's diversity of talent at the position, as well as its depth, earns it the 'Linebacker-U' title.
Defensive Back - Illinois
Illinois is a little bit of an obscure answer for this position, considering teams like Ohio State are more known for their skilled defensive backs. However, Illinois has become an ideal destination for the position since former Badgers head coach Bret Bielema took the job. Some current NFL players from Illinois include Devon Witherspoon, Nate Hobbes, and Kerby Joseph. All three of these players were drafted in 2021 or later, which just shows how good the Fighting Illini have been at producing NFL-caliber defensive backs in the 2020s. This position was tough to select, but because of the recent success and current trajectory of the Illini program, it felt right to give them the honor of 'Defensive Back-U.'
Kicker - Michigan
Choosing special teams positions in this list was a little difficult, considering how few kickers end up in the NFL. However, Michigan became the selection just because of its recent success at the position, with Jake Moody being drafted in the third round and Dominic Zvada earning First Team All-American honors.
Punter - Iowa
This special teams position was an easier selection than kicker. The Iowa Hawkeyes notoriously have a low-scoring offense but still win a ton of games. That is partly due to their history of having very elite punters, players who can set their defenses up well after a poor offensive series. Iowa punter Tory Taylor was chosen in the fourth round by the Chicago Bears and is already one of the better players in the NFL at his position. Not many other programs have produced punters who have been drafted this high, so the Iowa Hawkeyes take the title of 'Punter-U.'
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