With the early signing period next week and bowl season upon us, it's time to start thinking about next season. I am posting this as a quick guide to how many starters each Big Ten team is losing from the 2017 team. Obviously we don't know who all will leave early for the NFL draft, so I will update the post when those names are available. Also feel free to list people in the comments.
I used ourlads.com to get depth charts for everyone, so fans may not 100% agree with the who is listed as a starter. I'm not including contributors that aren't listed as starters. Injured players are listed with an asterisk and after a slash if their replacement is also leaving. Again, feel free to list them in the comments. As far as positions go, I considered the starting 11 each way plus the punter and kicker. The final group that I don't have is any transfers that happen, but there shouldn't be many starters that choose to transfer. There will also be some seniors that stay as grad students for their final year, so feel free to point them out.
East Division
OSU - 11
Seniors: QB - Barrett, LT - Jones, OC - Price, TE - Baugh; DT - Sprinkle, DE - Lewis, LB - Worley, S - Webb
Others: DE - Hubbard, LB - Baker, CB - Ward
PSU - 14
Seniors: WR - Hamilton, RG - Mahon, TE - Gesicki; DT - Cothran, DT - Cothren, LB - Smith, LB - Cabinda, CB - Campbell, CB - Grant, S - Apke, S - Allen; K - Davis
Others: RB - Barkley; LB - Bowen
MSU - 3
Seniors: C - Allen; DE - Cooper, LB - Frey
Others:
MI - 6
Seniors: LT - Cole, C - Kugler, FB - Poggi; NT - Hurst, LB - McCray
Others: QB - Speight
UMD - 11
Seniors: WR - Jacobs, WR - Veii, TE - Hayward; NT - Opara, DT - Walker, DE - Burkett/Aniebonam*, LB - Brooks, LB - Carter, S - Woods; K - Greene
Others: WR - Moore; CB - Jackson
IN - 12
Seniors: QB - Lagow, WR - Cobbs, TE - Thomas; DT - Hoff, DE - Gooch, DE - McCray, LB - Scales, LB - Fields, LB - Covington, CB - Fant, S - Dutra; K - Oakes
Others:
RU - 9
Seniors: WR - Grant, WR - Mitchell, LG - Miller, RB - Edwards; NT - Joseph, DE - Turay, LB - Douglas; P - Anderson, K - Harte
Others:
West Division
WI - 10
Seniors: TE - Fumagalli, FB - Ramesh; DE - James, DE - Sheehy, LB - Jacobs, LB - Cichy*, LB - Dooley, CB - Tindal, S - Jamerson
Others: CB - Nelson
NW - 10
Seniors: WR - Wilson, C - North, FB - Dickerson, RB - Jackson; DT - Lancaster, LB - Walsh, S - Queiro, S - Igwebuike; P - Niswander
Others: QB - Thorson? (injury)
IA - 12
Seniors: WR - VandeBerg, RG - Welsh, RT - Boettgers*, FB - Kulick, RB - Wadley; DT - Bazata, LB - Jewell, LB - Niemann, LB - Bower, S - Taylor
Others: C - Daniels; CB - Jackson
PU - 9
Seniors: WR - Mahoungou, RT - Steinmetz; DT - Robinson, DE - Larkin, DE - Ezechukwu, LB - McCollum, LB - Bentley, CB - Hunte, CB - Okonye
Others:
NE - 11
Seniors: WR - Pierson-El, RG - Knevel, TE - Ketter, FB - McNitt; LB - Newby, LB - Weber, CB - Jones, S - Kalu; K - Brown
Others: QB - Lee, LT - Gates
MN - 10
Seniors: TE - Wozniak, LG - Wright, RG - Calhoun; DT - Jackson, DT - Richardson, LB - Celstin, CB - Ayinde, S - McGhee; P - Santoso
Others: QB - Croft
IL - 4
Seniors: WR - Turner, RB - Foster; DE - Crawford, CB - Dunlap
Others:
Notes
Clearly MSU, MI and IL have an advantage in terms of senior starters lost. The other 11 teams are in similar territory. 5 teams are losing their QB.
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