The rosters are practically set for two postseason all-star games, and it's time to find out which Big Ten players will be on the field later this month at the Senior Bowl (Jan. 26 in Mobile, Ala.) and the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl (Saturday in Carson, Calif.).
Here are the Big Ten contingents (positions are assigned by each game):
SENIOR BOWL
Michigan State CB Johnny Adams
Illinois DE Michael Buchanan
Ohio State OT Reid Fragel
Penn State DT Jordan Hill
Purdue DT Kawann Short
Ohio State LB John Simon
Michigan WR Denard Robinson
Illinois G Hugh Thornton
Wisconsin OT Rick Wagner
Notes: Six of the nine Big Ten invitees are linemen and a seventh, Simon, played both defensive line positions at Ohio State. Robinson played mostly quarterback and a bit of running back at Michigan but will be used as a receiver during Senior Bowl week. The Big Ten sent 24 players to the Senior Bowl last year.
NFLPA COLLEGIATE BOWL
National
Penn State FB Michael Zordich
Nebraska LB Will Compton
Michigan OT Elliott Mealer
Penn State DE Pete Massaro
American
Wisconsin CB Marcus Cromartie
Ohio State S Orhian Johnson
Penn State LB Sean Stanley
Nebraska TE Ben Cotton
Notes: Mealer played center in college, while Stanley lined up at defensive end for Penn State. Mealer will be on the same team as former Michigan teammate Sam McGuffie, who transferred to Rice. McGuffie played running back at Michigan but is listed as a wide receiver for the game. The game features two other former Big Ten players in Louisiana Tech WR Myles White (Michigan State) and Illinois State DE Nate Palmer (Illinois).
