Six lesser-hyped Big Ten players with strong NFL draft grades

Not surprisingly, the early 2023 NFL mock drafts have been full of players such as Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud, Alabama quarterback Bryce Young, Crimson Tide linebacker Will Anderson and Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter.

But there are plenty of other top prospects who aren’t getting much, if any, love in those early mock drafts and top prospect lists. To help get you up to speed, On3 will go conference-by-conference and identify some lesser-hyped NFL draft prospects who currently have early-round grades from scouts.

Today, we look at six from the Big Ten. Last week, we detailed six such players from the SEC and five from the Big 12. The players are listed alphabetically.

Wisconsin senior DT Keeanu Benton

The buzz: Keeanu Benton has made 24 starts at nose tackle for Wisconsin in the past three seasons and was a big part of the Badgers ranking No. 1 nationally in total defense and rush defense last season. Benton, who is listed at 6 feet 4, 316 pounds, finished last season with 25 tackles, five tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. He was a second-team All-Big Ten selection. NFL scouts have Benton with preseason grades in the Day 2 to early Day 3 range.

Ohio State senior OT Dawand Jones

The buzz: Dawand Jones is one of three 2023 draft prospects on the offensive line for Ohio State; junior left tackle Paris Johnson Jr. and senior right guard Matthew Jones are the others. Dawand Jones has official measurements of 6-8½ and 370 pounds and will be one of the biggest players in next year’s NFL draft. At least some in the NFL scouting world have Day 2 grades on him.

Michigan senior TE Luke Schoonmaker

The buzz: Michigan has two tight ends who could end up going in the first three or four rounds of next year’s draft. Erick All is one; Luke Schoonmaker is the other. Schoonmaker (6-5, 250) had 17 catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns last season. His blocking helped the Wolverines lead the Big Ten in rushing.

Purdue senior CB Cory Trice

The buzz: It could be back-to-back years for Purdue with an early-round draft pick from its defense; DE George Karlaftis was a 2022 first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs. Cory Trice is coming off a knee injury that caused him to miss most of last season, but still is viewed as a potential early-round player by some scouts. Trice (6-3, 215) tallied three interceptions in 2019.

Penn State junior WR Parker Washington

The buzz: Parker Washington is set to replace Washington Commanders first-round pick Jahan Dotson as Penn State’s No. 1 receiver. Washington (5-10, 212), was second on the team last season with 64 catches, 820 yards and four touchdowns.

Michigan senior DL Julius Welschof

The buzz: Despite limited playing time through his first four seasons, Julius Welschof is on the NFL radar because of a rare combination of size and athleticism. Welschof (6-6, 288) was given a fourth-round preseason grade by one of the NFL scouting services. He finished last season with 13 tackles and a half-sack.

Honorable mentions: Ohio State senior CB Cameron Brown, Minnesota senior S Tyler Nubin, Wisconsin junior EDGE Nick Herbig.