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30 college football players with big shoes to fill in 2017

By Brad Weiss

Apr 9, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) after faking the pass during the first quarter of the spring game at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 9, 2016; Clemson, SC, USA; Clemson Tigers quarterback Kelly Bryant (2) after faking the pass during the first quarter of the spring game at Clemson Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joshua S. Kelly-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Monty Madaris (88) has play broken up by Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Ward (12) during the first half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 19, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans wide receiver Monty Madaris (88) has play broken up by Ohio State Buckeyes cornerback Denzel Ward (12) during the first half of a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
20

Denzel Ward

Cornerback, Ohio State

For the past couple of seasons, the Ohio State defense has been the best in the Big Ten. While players like linebacker Raekwon McMillan have been outstanding, it has been their secondary that has led the way. Marshon Lattimore and Gareon Conley are two cornerbacks that should go in the first two rounds of the 2017 NFL Draft, so filling the void left by them is going to be a challenge next season.

Outside of Lattimore and Conley at corner, Malik Hooker was one of the best safeties in college football, and is a sure-fire first round pick. Head coach Urban Meyer is a master at working the defense, so do not expect him to allow his unit to take a step back in 2017. Denzel Ward is going to be expected to go in there and make plays, which should lead to the Buckeyes being a marquee team in college football once again this season.

Ward is entering his junior season, and he should be one of the more improved players on the Buckeyes defense. He did appear in every game last season, picking up nine pass breakups, but did not have an interception. That is definitely going to change, and with both Michigan and Penn State solid on offense this season, the Buckeyes will need to be elite on defense once again in 2017.

Losing players like Lattimore, Hooker, and Conley would be devastating to almost any program, but Ohio State is defense. Meyer has a next-man-up attitude, and Ward has been on campus long enough to know what he has to do next season. The Big Ten is going to be a tight race, especially in the East Division, so Ward better be ready to take advantage of his opportunity.

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