FanHouse

Someday, I'll explain to all of you why I don't like the Heisman Trophy. In other writings on other blogs and such, I've referred to it as the H*i*m*n ever since Larry Fitzgerald sat in that room and watched someone else win it. That was the tipping point, but it was only a tipping point.

With that in mind, I'm here to remind you of one thing. This is not a "Top Five Heisman Trophy Candidates in the Big Ten" list. If it were, I wouldn't be writing it, because I can't stand the term "Heisman candidate" and I try my best to avoid using it.

Instead, we have compiled a list of who we believe are the top five players in the Big Ten entering the 2007 season. Maybe one of these guys will go on to win the Heisman, but I'm guessing not, since none of the five are quarterbacks (ooh, foreshadowing!). Maybe the running back on the list can do it, but that's not as likely as a quarterback would be.

Anyway, I'm babbling a bit. On to the list. Remember, it's just a subjective list. Meant for discussion. I don't need to see comments about how I don't know anything about football, or how I'm just a stupid (name of Big Ten school you don't like here) fan. Jump with me, and enjoy the list.

1. Jake Long, OT, Michigan

Step one: Figure out who the top five players in the Big Ten are, in no particular order. Step two: Find anyone on that list who would have been picked in the top five of the April 2007 NFL Draft, but decided to stay in school. Step three: If anyone qualifies under the second step, put them on top of the list. Well, Jake Long certainly qualifies. The mammoth Michigan line anchor would have easily been picked before, say, Levi Brown (and maybe before Joe Thomas, too) had he come out. Instead, he decided to pass up NFL fame and fortune for one more shot at the Corporately Sponsored Trophy that goes to the national champion. Finding Long's weaknesses is probably easier than listing his strengths. I mean, the guy is a stud in pass protection, and he's fundamentally sound in pretty much all areas. He has a long wingspan, he's plenty big enough. If I had to list a weakness, I'd guess that maybe he needs to be more aggressive in his run-blocking, but if that's going to come at the cost of him losing some of his fundamentals, I'll pass. Long will be a high pick in the NFL Draft next April as long as he stays away from trouble.

2. Dan Connor, LB, Penn State

"Holy crap! We're losing Posluszny! What in the name of Mark D'Onofrio are we going to do?" "Well, we have this Connor kid. We'll just play him as our middle linebacker, and no one will even notice that Posluszny is gone. No worries." Must be rough, huh? Just take one All-American and replace him with another. Connor started on the outside last year, as Paul Posluszny returned from a knee injury to rack up a team-high 116 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. Connor was right on his heels, with 113 tackles and four TFLs. Posluszny won the Bednarik Award twice, and Connor was a finalist last year. If he posts more than 98 tackles, he'll pass Posluszny as the school's all-time leader in that category. As I said, not many schools are lucky enough to be able to replace one All-America linebacker with another All-American. Leave it to Linebacker U to be able to pull that off. Don't expect Penn State's linebackers to miss a beat with Connor in the middle.

3. Mike Hart, RB, Michigan

Why Hart and not Chad Henne? Frankly, I find it pretty easy. I like Henne, but I think a healthy Hart is the most consistent offensive weapon Michigan has. In a healthy freshman year, Hart went for 5.2 yards per carry. In a healthy junior year, Hart went for 4.9 yards per carry. If he can stay healthy for even half the season, he'll almost certainly pass Anthony Thomas as the school's all-time leading rusher. At a school with Michigan's tradition, that's quite the lofty feat. Hart's not the biggest back in the league, and he's not the fastest, but he's quick enough to get to the outside. He has the ability to make people miss in the open field, and he is not at all short on toughness. While Henne's accuracy (or, for that matter, the hands of his receivers) sometimes betrays him, Hart seems to always have the ability to break a big play when his team needs it the most. And while I'm not one to take Heisman lists seriously, any list of Heisman candidates in this league should start with Mike Hart.

4. Travis Beckum, TE, Wisconsin

Beckum is one of those kinds of players. He could have fit nicely on the list of "underrated" players, because I'm guessing many of you don't recognize him as a big-time player. However, given his importance to Wisconsin's offense, and Wisconsin's status as a top ten team nationally and legitimate Big Ten title contender, it made more sense to put him on this list. If you missed it in all the P.J. Hill hype, or all the talk about the defense, Beckum came out of nowhere last year to lead the Badgers in receptions (61), yards (903), and touchdowns (5). He's on the Mackey Award watch list for 2007, and he will be on more than a few preseason All-American lists. How did he come out of nowhere? He converted from linebacker to tight end after the 2005 season. While he won the starting job at tight end, he wasn't highly regarded entering the season. Actually, I barely even mentioned him in my positional preview last year, which is pretty embarrassing now that I look back. Beckum is a super athlete. He gets off the ball well. He's good both in the short passing game as well as with the deep ball. He cannot be covered by human beings. Good luck, Big Ten defenses.

5. Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio State

On a team that lost as much talent as Ohio State did, any returning stars are really going to have the chance to shine. Gholston might have the best chance. It was a defensive line that was decimated by departures, with Quinn Pitcock, Jay Richardson, David Patterson, and Joel Penton all gone. Gholston is the only starter back on the line. Thankfully for Jim Tressel, he's a good one. Gholston was second-team All-Big Ten with 8.5 sacks in 13 games last year. He's a big kid who is a great athlete. The Buckeyes will use him as a pass-rusher and run-stopper, but they'll occasionally drop him into pass coverage (Gholston actually recorded an interception last year). With the number of new faces on the line, Gholston will get a lot of attention from opposing lines early in the season. It won't matter. The coaches will find a way to get him in positions to make plays, and Gholston should be high on the list of preseason All-American players in the Big Ten.

Honorable Mention

Chad Henne, QB, Michigan Mario Manningham, WR, Michigan J Leman, LB, Illinois Justin King, CB, Penn State