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Projecting the B1G’s top quarterback-receiver duos for 2017
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There are going to be a lot of new faces catching passes next season.
Eight of the B1G’s top ten receivers from last season have either graduated or declared for the NFL Draft. So most of the conference’s top quarterback-receiver duos from 2016 won’t be intact for the upcoming fall.
So, who will be at the top of the list next season? Who’s going to live up to the unbelievable numbers that Clayton Thorson and Austin Carr put up last year?
We’ve got a really early preview of some of the favorites before a single football is snapped in spring practice.
Here’s our list of the top quarterback-receiver duos right now:
Richard Lagow-Simmie Cobbs, Jr., Indiana
This duo could’ve been one of the best in the B1G in 2016 had an early-season injury not sidelined Cobbs for most of the year.
Cobbs might be one of the most versatile receivers returning to the B1G for 2017, a huge benefit for Lagow and Indiana. In a monstrous sophomore season, the 6-foot-4 receiver caught 60 passes for 1,035 yards (3rd in B1G) and four TDs in 2015. He served as a deep threat for the Hoosiers but was also able to turn short passes into big gains.
At full strength, Cobbs can be one of the top receivers in the conference. Lagow still has some work to do this offseason after an up-and-down campaign (19 TDs, 17 INTs), but a full season under his belt should help.
Indiana’s passing attack is always one of the best in the B1G. And with Cobbs’ playmaking ability and Lagow’s big arm, the Hoosiers air strike should be in good shape.
Brian Lewerke-Donnie Corley, Michigan State
A bit of a reach? Maybe.
We’re not even sure Lewerke will be Michigan State’s starting quarterback next fall, although Mark Dantonio has said he’s the frontrunner heading into the offseason.
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There is one thing we do know, though. Corley is really, really talented. As a freshman, he caught 33 passes for 453 yards and three TDs, good for the team’s second-best numbers. And with R.J. Shelton out of the picture, Corley will become the primary target in the passing attack.
Lewerke only played in four games last season due to a broken leg, but he seems to fit Michigan State’s quarterback mold. It wouldn’t be that surprising if this tandem put up Connor Cook-Tony Lippett type numbers in the fall.
J.T. Barrett-Austin Mack, Ohio State
Ohio State has a never-ending supply of NFL-caliber receivers.
So even though the Buckeyes are losing Curtis Samuel and Noah Brown, there are still a bevy of talented receivers waiting to emerge. Maybe none more so than Mack, a to-be sophomore.
Let’s be honest, with Barrett under center, It’s hard not to put Ohio State on this list. But could Mack really be the primary target?
As a 2016 prospect, Mack was a four-star recruit, ranking as the nation’s 10th best receiver and the second-best player out of Indiana. Though he only caught two passes for 15 yards this past year, the coaching staff still believes he can be one of the top offensive players in the near future.
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So yes, he can.
With Kevin Wilson calling the offense and Barrett leading the charge, Ohio State’s passing attack should be one of the best in the country. Mack could very well be on the receiving end of that surge.
Clayton Thorson-Flynn Nagel, Northwestern
Replicating the ridiculous amount of success Thorson and Austin Carr had in 2016 is going to be difficult to replicate.
Honestly, it probably won’t happen.
But thanks to Thorson’s improvement and Nagel’s ability to create space, the Wildcats could still have a really good passing attack next fall.
Thorson threw for 3,182 yards, 22 TDs and nine INTs in his sophomore campaign, finding Nagel 40 times for 447 yards and a pair of scores. And with Carr departing, Nagel’s role will undoubtedly increase.
Northwestern’s efficiency was largely attributed to Thorson’s improved decision-making and his ability to put the ball right on the numbers. If that continues, Nagel’s job should be pretty easy and the Wildcats should have one of the top quarterback-receiver tandems in the B1G again.
Trace McSorley-DaeSean Hamilton, Penn State
Everyone saw what McSorley did in the B1G Championship and the Rose Bowl, right? OK, good.
Penn State’s passing attack should be just prolific – if not more – as it was in 2016. But who will replace Chris Godwin as the team’s leading receiver?
Hamilton is looking like he will be the primary pass-catcher for the Nittany Lions next year. Yes, his numbers have diminished each year, but he’ll be the most experienced and most reliable target retuning for McSorley in 2017.
For his career, Hamilton has 1,985 receiving yards and nine TDs, though he had only 506 yards and a single score last season. Don’t be surprised, though, if his senior campaign is the best of his career.
McSorley has great vision. Hamilton has great hands. Together, the duo could be the hardest to contain in the B1G in 2017.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB