Breakout candidates for each Big Ten football team in 2024

Michigan: Kalel Mullings, RB

Kalel Mullings is electric every time the ball is in his hands. Overshadowed by Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards last season, the former four-star linebacker recruit still averaged 6.2 yards per carry and was only one of six Wolverines to earn an 80-plus overall grade (81.0) in 2023 according to Pro Football Focus.

Because of Corum and Edwards’ pedigree, few outside of the state know his name yet.

Edwards does return and will now be the bell-cow running back on offense, but that does not mean Mullings’ impact will go unnoticed. He will be a reliable change-of-pace back in Michigan’s rush-heavy system and plays with a ‘smash-mouth’ style that embodies Wolverine football. Expect Edwards and Mullings to be one of the nation’s premier 1-2 punches in 2024 assuming he earns the RB2 role in camp.

Michigan State: Nick Marsh, WR

Few true freshman wide receivers quickly burst onto the scene at the college level, but I would not be surprised if four-star recruit Nick Marsh did just that for the Michigan State offense in 2024. After stealing the show in the spring game behind 100-plus receiving yards and a few highlight-reel catches, Marsh is a strong candidate to slide up the depth chart and emerge as one of quarterback Aidan Chiles’ top targets this season.

At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, Marsh has track speed for his size and the physical archetype to be a huge mismatch in man coverage. Michigan State already has a trio of solid pass catchers in Jaron Glover, Antonio Gates Jr., and Montorie Foster Jr., but none have proven to be a true alpha out wide. Marsh just could be the difference maker in the passing game.