Big Ten’s 10 most frightening players to play against

Sep 19, 2015; University Park, PA, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights quarterback Chris Laviano (5) gets knocked down by Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Carl Nassib (95) in the second quarter at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Carl Nassib was another young man who was unheralded coming out of high school. His own high school head coach didn’t start him, and rarely played him. To be fair, Nassib was undersized for a defensive end, standing 6-foot-5 and 225 lbs. Nobody could have predicted the two inches of growth and almost 50 lbs of muscle he would pack on over the next few years.

Nassib now stands 6-foot-7 and 272 lbs, and he has developed into a defensive wrecking ball. He leads the NCAA with 13 sacks, and has 39 tackles on the year. 18 of those tackles were for loss, and that number leads the nation as well. He has also forced five fumbles, which (say it with me, folks) also leads the entire NCAA. He’s just 1.5 sacks away from tying Penn State’s single-season all-time sack record, and the smart money is on him getting that record sooner than later.

Nassib began his college career as a walk-on. He’s now a mid-season All-American, and a shoo-in for an All-American nomination at the end of the year as well. He is also on watch lists for the Bednarik Award, presented to the country’s top defensive end, and the Ted Hendricks Award, which goes to the best defensive end in the nation. Hassib is a deserving young man indeed.

Next: Connor Cook