Outside of quarterback, there isn't much to debate as far as who is slotted into starting positions for Urban Meyer's 2015 Ohio State football team.
The Buckeyes, at least on paper, look like the best team in the conference again, with an overwhelming amount of talent returning to a squad that won the first ever College Football Playoff in January.
FOX Sports' Bruce Feldman tackled the subject of Ohio State's talent and how it relates to the cohorts in the SEC last week. He eventually decided only six starters on Gus Malzahn's Auburn team — the media's choice to win the conference at Media Days — would get the nod for Meyer's team this fall.
It's an interesting take, and one I elected to explore in the Big Ten, taking it one step deeper and including the conference's punters and kickers.
After scouring the rosters of each Big Ten member, the ratio I came up with is close to that of Feldman: I think seven players would take away starting positions from their Ohio State counterparts.
Whoever gets the nod at quarterback for the Buckeyes will be a Heisman Trophy contender, and Michigan State's Connor Cook is really the only other guy in the conference who could compete for the spot. He's played well against the Buckeyes in his career, but lost at home last season to J.T. Barrett and Co.
Ezekiel Elliott and Taylor Decker lead the way for Ohio State's rushing attack.
Ezekiel Elliott opened the season as the Heisman Trophy favorite, but recently fell behind TCU's Trevone Boykin in the opinion of Las Vegas oddsmakers. The mass exodus of great backs in the Big Ten after the 2014 season — Melvin Gordon, David Cobb, Ameer Abdullah and Tevin Coleman — coupled with Elliott's huge post-season has him at the forefront of the conference at the position.
Rutgers wide receiver Leonte Carroo posted a 1,000-yard season in 2014, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors on the way. Not putting him opposite Ohio State's Michael Thomas would be tough for any offensive coordinator, so he gets my pick over the likes of Corey Smith, Noah Brown and other Buckeye wideouts.
That decision is made with the assumption that Jalin Marshall starts at H-back for the Buckeyes this fall. He spent the entire spring learning the other wide receiver positions in order to become an even more versatile weapon, but had a breakout year in 2014. Expect him to be a huge contributor for the Buckeyes this coming season as the best guy in the conference at what he does.
Nick Vannett was a little underused last season at tight end for Ohio State with Jeff Heuerman still being on roster, but is an excellent receiver who's blocking is steadily improving. Pickerington, Ohio, native and Michigan's Jake Butt is also very solid in his own right, but Vannett was a bigger threat in the red zone last season.
On the offensive line, a pair of Michigan State Spartans crack the starting lineup over Buckeyes. Offensive tackle Jack Conklin and center Jack Allen were All-Big Ten selections in 2014, a pair of studs who bookended a line that figures to be very, very strong once again this year. Taylor Decker, Pat Elflein and Billy Price remain for Ohio State — a trio of stout performers who came on by season's end.
Two more members from schools other than Ohio State also make the list on the defensive line. End Shilique Calhoun from Michigan State and tackle Anthony Zettel from Penn State are two of the conference's best, just like Adolphus Washington and 2014 unanimous All-American Joey Bosa. Outside of those two guys, there are unproven holes on the Buckeye D-line, which is why its hard to say no to both Zettel and Calhoun — two guys who could very easily be in the NFL right now.
Washington (left) and Bosa look to be the best at their respective positions in the conference.
It is hard to go against the triumvirate Ohio State is set to run out at linebacker in 2015 as the best in the conference. Darron Lee, Joshua Perry and Raekwon McMillan all return with at least some form of college football experience. McMillan has the least of the three, but has all the makings of a future beast in Columbus. Lee exploded onto the scene in 2014 as an athletic, big-time playmaker and Perry is a consistent team leader. Hard to go anywhere else but Columbus to find the best linebackers in the conference.
The defensive backfield is a little different, however. Cornerback Eli Apple turned into an indispensable player for the Buckeyes when the post-season rolled around last year and Vonn Bell's penchant for making plays and sure tackling ability always has him in the right place at the right time. But for the other two spots, I think you have to look at Maryland's William Likely at corner and Wisconsin's Michael Caputo at safety. Both earned All-Big Ten recognition last season and are back again in 2015.
As far as the specialists go, Lou Groza Award winner and Maryland senior Brad Craddock is a no-brainer at placekicker. Ohio State wizard Cameron Johnston didn't get many opportunities last season at punter due to the Buckeye offense being so potent, but he's the best in the conference at what he does.
Clearly, no one can predict how well any of these players will perform in 2015, or even if all will stay healthy for its duration.
The list provides another example of much talent Meyer has to work with yet again this fall on a team that won the national championship six months ago. It also shows that Michigan State's going to be very good once again, which we already knew.
Ohio State's coaching staff is by no means going to wish they had any players other than the ones that are on scholarship in Columbus. Those set to wear the scarlet and gray this fall make the Buckeyes the most talented team in the conference.
