Top 5 Big Ten Linebackers For 2013

Top 5 Big Ten Linebackers for 2013

Big Ten football and great linebackers go hand in hand in the world of sports. The tradition of the linebacker position from the Big Ten conference might be the greatest of any tradition in sports when it comes to position.

For decades, the conference has produced legends of football that have gone on to have outstanding college careers and professional careers.

Great linebackers have consistently come out of schools like Ohio State, Michigan State and Michigan. So many good linebackers have come out of Penn State that it is known in the sports world as ‘Linebacker U’, because year after year the Nittany Lions produce top level linebackers.

Some of the icons of football like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke from the olden days are considered to be two of the greatest of all-time and both come from the Big Ten. There were other great players like Chris Spielman all the way up to Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor.

The 2013 Big Ten football season will see yet another stellar group of linebackers take the field. This is one of the deepest groups of linebackers ever going into a Big Ten season, and many guys from teams around the conference have been starters for multiple years at their respective schools.

Not only should the linebacking play of many teams around the conference be excellent, but the overall defensive play from teams in the Big Ten should be amongst the best in the country and continue the deep Big Ten tradition of outstanding defensive play.

Here are the top five linebackers in the Big Ten for 2013.

5. Denicos Allen, Michigan State Spartans

Denicos Allen will enter the 2013 season as his third season with the starting job for Michigan State. Allen has consistently made impact plays during his career as a Spartan and always seems to come up big when they need a break. Famous for his ‘Waterboy’ tackle against Ohio State in 2011, Allen is one of the best around.

4. Jonathan Brown, Illinois Fighting Illini

Brown is one of the most underrated players in the Big Ten conference. Last season, he performed well enough to be selected to the All-Big honorable mention team and was also a Butkus award semifinalist. Brown will enter 2013 as the leader for the Fighting Illini defense and looks to keep the tradition of Illinois defenders being drafted going.

3. Chris Borland, Wisconsin Badgers

Borland has had one of the best careers of any linebacker in Big Ten history. A starter from day one, he was named the freshman of the year in the Big Ten and has gone on to have two All-Big Ten selections after that. He is the captain of the Badgers team as well as the leader of the defense that just gets it done at the linebacker position.

2. Ryan Shazier, Ohio State Buckeyes

Shazier is an absolute wrecking ball at the linebacker position for the Ohio State Buckeyes. A freak of an athlete, Shazier is looking to punish ball carriers any chance he gets. He was an honorable mention All-American as well as an All-Big Ten selection in 2012. Going into his senior season, he has NFL draft scouts drooling and should be one of the best in the country.

1. Max Bullough, Michigan State Spartans

Max Bullough might end up being the best linebacker in the entire country when the season is done. A player born to play linebacker for the Spartans, Bullough has not let the family name down during his time at Michigan State. A first team All-Big selection last season, Bullough returns as one of the best defenders in all of college football. He is also one of the best leaders in college football and should have an outstanding finish to his already great career.