Breakout Players for Every Big Ten Team

They may not be household names yet, but they will be soon. Whether it’s making up for a loss at graduation or the NFL or just picking up the pieces, these Big Ten players are eager to make you look up.

Below are players expected to have breakout seasons, as selected by writers who cover the league for USA TODAY Sports Network.

ILLINOIS: Luke Altmyer, quarterback

The junior quarterback is looking to take the next step after starting nine games at quarterback last season. He threw for 1,883 yards with 13 TDs while picking up 282 on the ground. Expect his composure to be on display in 2024 after leading Illinois on two game-winning drives against Toledo and Maryland last season. — Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal star

INDIANA: Donaven McCulley, wide receiver

Donaven McCulley finished last season with a five-game winning streak that, projected over 12 games, would have statistically made him a top-three receiver in the Big Ten. Despite interest from schools like Michigan, Penn State and Florida State, McCulley exited the transfer portal and returned to Indiana. Curt Cignetti hasn’t been shy about publicly pushing McCulley since then, suggesting that Indiana’s first-year coach believes McCulley has the potential to carry last season’s finish through 2024 and become one of the league’s best pass catchers. — Zach Osterman, IndyStar

IOWA: Xavier Nwankpa, safety

Now entering his third season with the program, several factors point to Nwankpa being a breakthrough prospect. After gaining meaningful experience last season, Nwankpa continues to learn from defensive coordinator Phil Parker, the 2023 Broyles Award winner. As a former highly touted high school recruit, talent isn’t a big question for Nwankpa, either.

Nwankpa possesses a dynamic, game-changing ability as a safety and could be capable of forcing even more turnovers than last season. —Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register

MARYLAND: Kaden Prather, wide receiver

Wide receiver Kaden Prather, a year-old transfer from West Virginia, is making waves in the 2025 NFL draft after throwing for 42 receptions for 666 yards and five touchdowns in 2023. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound target has an enviable frame and, paired with leading returning receiver Tai Felton, should give Maryland one of the best pass-catching duos in the Big Ten this season. — Mark Giannotto, USA TODAY Network

MICHIGAN: Semaj Morgan, wide receiver

Those who follow the Wolverines are certainly familiar with his game. He impressed as a freshman last year when he caught 22 passes for 204 yards and a pair of touchdowns, ran four times for 67 yards and a score, and also set a Big Ten Championship game record with an 87-yard punt return, but it feels like this is the year the entire Big Ten will figure out who UM’s playmaker is.

The West Bloomfield product averaged 10.42 yards per touch on offense last year, when he was just starting out and had to work his way up the depth chart of a championship-caliber team. No longer behind two NFL draft picks in Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson, Morgan is likely the best candidate to start in the slot and should be one of the top three to five touches in UM’s offense on a weekly basis. —Tony Garcia, Detroit Free Press

Colston Loveland, tight end

The talented tight end has been a solid contributor in his first two seasons, but as the only returning offensive starter, he has the potential to become a top playmaker for the Wolverines. — Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press

MICHIGAN STATE: Nate Carter, running back

Carter could be a linchpin in MSU’s new offensive scheme, showing flashes of his potential impact as both a ball carrier and receiver in the spring game. If the offensive line can space out, he could do Kenneth Walker-style damage in 2021. — Rainer Sabin, Detroit Free Press

MINNESOTA: Darius Taylor, running back

Darius Taylor is already a high-profile prospect, earning honorable mention all-Big Ten honors last season, but he has the potential to become more of a national star heading into 2024. Despite an injury that limited him to just six games as a freshman in 2023, Taylor amassed 799 rushing yards and five touchdowns while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. That run was capped by a 208-yard outing in a win over Bowling Green in the Quick Lane Bowl. Coach P.J. Fleck’s best teams have relied heavily on bell-cow running backs, and Taylor could easily fill that niche. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network

NEBRASKA: Dylan Raiola, quarterback

There’s a reason Dylan Raiola was a five-star recruit and the No. 3 QB in the 2024 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite Rankings. His transfer from Georgia was a major win for Matt Rhule, and he can immediately push for a starting position. Raiola helped Buford (Ga.) High School go 11-2 in his senior season, throwing for 2,666 yards with 34 touchdowns and one interception. — Ehsan Kassim, USA TODAY Network

NORTHWESTERN: AJ Henning, wide receiver

With Cam Johnson in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, senior wide receiver AJ Henning should see an increase in his role and statistics. The 5-10 wide receiver from Frankford, Ill., finished third among Northwestern’s wide receivers in receiving yards (418) and receiving touchdowns (four) last season. —John Leuzzi, USA TODAY Network

OHIO STATE: Jeremiah Smith, wide receiver

For all the talent Ohio State has displayed at wide receiver in recent seasons, none of its pass catchers started as true freshmen. That could change with Smith, who was the top prospect last recruiting cycle and immediately shined in spring practices in March and April. —Joey Kaufman, Columbus Dispatch

Jeremiah Smith, wide receiver

The nation’s highest-rated recruit in the 2024 recruiting class only added to his aura this spring when he shined. There’s little doubt he’s the next great Ohio State receiver on a unit that has produced a ridiculous number of stars of late. But Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave had to wait to play as freshmen. It’s doubtful Smith will spend much time on the sidelines. —Bill Rabinowitz, Columbus Dispatch

OREGON: Iapani Laloulu, center

While he doesn’t play the most high-profile position, Oregon is replacing a Rimington Award winner with another top prospect. With Jackson Powers-Johnson headed to the NFL, sophomore Iapani Laloulu will step in and start for the Ducks after playing center and guard a year ago. It won’t be long before Laloulu hears the NFL draft hype himself, as he steps into the big shoes left by Powers-Johnson. — Alec Dietz, The Register Keeper (Eugene)

PENN STATE: Dani Dennis-Sutton, defensive end

Finally, a moment to shine with every down work for the potential game-wrecking edge rusher. There’s reason to believe Dennis-Sutton can be even more productive than the ones he’s been teaching over the past two years — first-round NFL draft pick Chop Robinson and third-rounder Adisa Isaac. — Frank Bodani, York (Pa.) Daily Report

PURDUE: Will Heldt, linebacker

There are a lot of choices here. Sophomore tight end George Burhenn flashed his skills in last season’s finale against Indiana. But Will Heldt is the choice here. With Nic Scourton finding greener pastures when he returned home to Texas A&M, Heldt could be that game-changer on defense. At 6-6 and 250 pounds, the sophomore linebacker seems like the right choice. He was a standout in Purdue’s spring game, including a pick-six. He has size and speed. Given the way coach Ryan Walters and defensive coordinator Kevin Kane operated last season, it’s fair to say Heldt will have plenty of opportunities to put up big numbers. — Sam King, Lafayette (Ind.) Journal & Courier

Kydran Jenkins, linebacker

The Big Ten already knows about Kydran Jenkins. But after posting 7.5 sacks and 15.5 tackles for loss last season, the former outside linebacker and rush end has moved to middle linebacker. The move raises questions for the pass rush, which also lost Nic Scourton to a trade. It could also allow the defense’s most dynamic player to impact games in more ways. — Nathan Baird, IndyStar

RUTGERS: Benjamin Black, wide receiver

Keep an eye on true freshman wide receiver Benjamin Black, who made a big impression in the spring. He has all the tools to become a key part of the offense. — Chris Iseman, The Bergen Record/NorthJersey.com

UCLA: TJ Harden, running back

TJ Harden is coming off a stellar 2023 season, in which he threw for 827 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 5.3 yards per carry. But he did so while splitting carries with backfield buddy Carson Steele. With Steele in the NFL, Harden’s workload and role in the offense should increase, allowing him to put up even bigger numbers, particularly in new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s scheme. — Craig Meyer, USA TODAY Network

USC: Zachariah Branch, wide receiver/kick returner

Zachariah Branch, a first-team All-America selection as a returner last season, was perhaps the most electric special teams player in college football as a freshman in 2023. Now, the former five-star prospect gets a chance to be the Trojans’ top target in a Lincoln Riley-led offense. Branch should have every opportunity to be a game-changing receiver. —Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Network

WASHINGTON: Denzel Boston, wide receiver

Redshirt sophomore receiver Denzel Boston bided his time behind NFL draft picks Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk and Jalen McMillan. Now, he figures to emerge as Washington’s top pass catcher, especially after grabbing seven receptions for 127 yards and a touchdown in the Huskies’ spring game. Boston has just seven career receptions but could be Washington’s go-to guy in 2024. —Austin Curtright, USA TODAY Network

WISCONSIN: Trech Kekahuna, wide receiver

Kekahuna played in just five games as a freshman last season, but showed his potential in the ReliaQuest Bowl with four catches for 64 yards. He should be UW’s No. 2 slot receiver behind Will Pauling (74 catches, 837 yards), but expect Kekahuna to get plenty of opportunities in his sophomore season. — Jeff Potrykus, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel