Pro Football Focus Top 25 Breakout Players of 2016

[knapplc]

I like to glance through these lists to see if there's a Husker among the players they're watching. There wasn't a Husker on this list.

There were two among the top six!

4. Kevin Maurice, DT, Nebraska

2016 grade: 83.2 | 2015 snaps: 332

Last year saw Maurice’s teammate, Maliek Collins, break out and rank No. 12 among the nation’s interior defensive linemen on his way to a third-round selection by the Dallas Cowboys. Maurice is primed to have a similar impact this season after his dominant +23.4 performance on only 281 snaps. He was unblockable against Southern Miss — picking up nine hurries on only 32 rushes — and in his only extended game action, Maurice posted a +6.4 overall grade on a 76-snap effort against Illinois in Week 5. He plays low and explodes into blockers, showing equal ability to blow up both runs and passes. Maurice will be the anchors of the Nebraska defensive line in 2016.

 

6. Marcus Newby, LB, Nebraska

2016 grade: 84.0 | 2015 snaps: 319

One of the most explosive players on Nebraska’s defense, Newby packs a punch when taking on blockers in the running game, often dictating the action to opposing offensive linemen and lead blockers. In addition to his strong work in the running game, Newby graded positively in coverage, including three passes defensed on only 18 targets, and he added a sack, two QB hits, and eight hurries on his 43 blitzes. He’s played only 362 snaps in his career, but he’s made the most of them with a +18.9 overall grade.

 

 

 

 

LINK

 

Other Big Ten notables on their list:

 

George Kittle (#8) from Iowa

Ryan Glasgow (#3) and Taco Charlton (#9) from Michigan

Kemoko Turay (#13) from Rutgers

Jack Cichy (#16) from Wisconsin

Sam Hubbard (#19) from Ohio State

[Mavric]

That's quite a bit of pub right there. Good for those guys.

 

I do think Maurice can be a difference maker. He played well last year in limited opportunities.

 

I think Newby has a lot of athletic ability but I'm not sure he can quite put it all together. He seems to be a guy that gets mentioned every year in the off-season but then the season rolls around and we barely see him. Plus he's still got some talented guys ahead of him.