The transfer portal has closed and players have already entered the NFL Draft. With a little better idea of how Big Ten rosters will look for the fall, let’s evaluate the biggest loss for each conference team this offseason:
The Big Ten is going through some major changes this offseason, as some of the best players in the conference have either declared for the NFL Draft or entered the transfer portal. As that stage has now been set with the draft deadline and winter portal window behind us, let’s take a look at the biggest loss for each Big Ten program this offseason.
Oregon Ducks – QB Dillon Gabriel
There was no one as experienced as Gabriel in college football last season. The plan is to replace him with one of the high-level recruits in the quarterback room — perhaps Detroit native Dante Moore — but you just can’t teach experience like Gabriel had in 2024.
Indiana Hoosiers – QB Kurtis Rourke
Indiana is bringing in Fernando Mendoza from Cal via the portal, but Kurtis Rourke had potentially the best season Indiana has ever seen at the position. He became just the fourth quarterback in program history to surpass 3,000 yards in a season, and he set the record for the most passing touchdowns in a season. It was a special year for the guy who led the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff.
Penn State Nittany Lions – Edge Abdul Carter
There is a reason Carter is trending to be the top pick in the NFL Draft . This 6-foot-3 pass rushing monster racked up 12 sacks in 2024, just one season removed from being a linebacker for the Nittany Lions. He’s going to be strongly missed in Happy Valley.
Ohio State Buckeyes – RB TreVeyon Henderson
Henderson was one of the unequivocal leaders in Columbus the last four years both on and off the field. He surpassed the century mark in three of his four seasons at Ohio State and made countless game-breaking plays.
Illinois Fighting Illini – WR Pat Bryant
Quarterback Luke Altmyer is back, but he’ll be missing his favorite target in Bryant, who caught 10 of Altmyer’s 22 touchdowns in 2024. Tack on nearly 1,000 yards, and there are some big shoes to fill for the Illini.
Iowa Hawkeyes – LB Jay Higgins
The Iowa defense under Kirk Ferentz will undergo a slew of changes in 2025. The largest is losing Higgins, a two-time All-American who led the team with more than 100 tackles in each of the last two years.
Minnesota Golden Gophers – DB Jack Henderson
Although he spent just two seasons in Minnesota, Henderson made a heck of an impact all over the field. Mostly lining up in the box or at nickel, he had sevensacks, a forced fumble, three interceptions, and more than 100 tackles over the last two seasons.
Michigan Wolverines – DT Mason Graham
Players like Graham don’t just come around every day. With his exit to the NFL, Michigan is losing out on one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen college football has seen in the last decade.
USC Trojans – WR Zachariah Branch
Quarterback Miller Moss and running back Woody Marks are worthy candidates, too, but USC losing Branch was a bit surprising. The electric playmakers would have been the go-to target for the Trojans’ quarterbacks in 2025.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights – RB Kyle Monangai
Monangai had 498 carries and more than 500 total touches for the Scarlet Knights the last two seasons. Replacing his 25 touchdowns the past two seasons won’t be easy for Greg Schiano and company.
Washington Huskies – LB Carson Bruener
Bruener, a 2024 captain, assisted in the transition from Kalen DeBoer to Jedd Fisch. He played in every game for the Huskies the last three years, earning both Pac-12 and Big Ten honors the last couple seasons.
UCLA Bruins – LB Carson Schwesinger
Schwesinger burst onto the scene for UCLA team this past season. There were hopes he would return, but coming off a year with 136 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions, the call to the NFL was too great.
Nebraska Cornhuskers – DL Ty Robinson
Robinson has played in every game the last five seasons for Nebraska, starting 47-of-60 games. He’s coming off an excellent season with seven sacks and a forced fumble. They’ll miss his 6-foot-6, 310-pound frame on the interior next year.
Michigan State Spartans – CB Charles Brantley
In four years at Michigan State, Brantley entered the transfer portal three times, but always came back to East Lansing. This offseason, however, he went through with leaving and joined the Miami Hurricanes . It’s a huge blow for a Spartans’ defense that is desperate for talent and leadership on that side of the ball.
Wisconsin Badgers – G Joe Huber
Huber eventually came with Luke Fickell from Cincinnati where he received All-AAC accolades. He made an instant impact the last two seasons and earned Big Ten honors in 2024, the only Badger that received higher than an honorable mention.
Northwestern Wildcats – DB Theran Johnson
Losing a player like Johnson hurts, but it’s even worse when he goes to another conference opponent. Oregon will earn a veteran safety who was second-team All-Big Ten in 2024, and has three career picks and a pick-six in his career.
Purdue Boilermakers – TE Max Klare
Under similar sentiments to Johnson, Klare is heading from Purdue to Ohio State. He led the Boilermakers in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns as a sophomore in 2024. Just an absolute blow for a rebuilding Purdue program.
Maryland Terrapins – QB Billy Edwards Jr.
Bad things come in threes, and each of the bottom three programs in the Big Ten lost out on pivotal pieces to other Big Ten programs. Edwards will now be the starter at Wisconsin after throwing for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Terrapins last season.