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Ranking the Big Ten: Defensive end

Many questions remain for what the 2020 college football season will look like, but that doesn't mean we still can't evaluate some of the top players to watch in the Big Ten Conference.

We continue our Ranking the Big Ten series today with the defensive end position, one of the most loaded groups in the league.

Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C

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1. Kwity Paye, Michigan

After debating an early jump to the NFL, Michigan's Kwity Paye returns in 2020 as one of the most dynamic edge rushers in the country.

A second-team All-Big Ten selection by the league's coaches and a third-team pick by the media, Paye racked up 50 total tackles with team-high 12.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery as a junior.

Now the senior enters this season as a consensus first-team all-conference player by Lindy's, Athlon, and Street & Smith's, and Lindy's has him rated as the No. 9 overall defensive end in the nation.

2. George Karlaftis, Purdue

Few defensive true freshmen took the Big Ten by storm the way Purdue's George Karlaftis did in 2019.

After racking up 54 tackles, a team-high 17.0 TFLs and 7.5 sacks, an interception, and two fumble recoveries, Karlaftis was named first-team Freshman All-American by the Associated Press and second-team all-conference by the league's media.

His 55 total quarterback pressures and 29 hurries last season were the most of any returning Big Ten defensive end who played 50-percent or more of his team's snaps. He was tabbed preseason first-team all-conference by Athlon and Street & Smith's (third-team by Lindy's) going into his sophomore campaign.

3. Zach Harrison, Ohio State

Zach Harrison is the next in line of a ridiculous run of Ohio State defensive ends over the past few years.

He only played 281 snaps behind the all-everything Chase Young last season as a true freshman, but Harrison still managed to post four sacks and 14 stop tackles and registered the second-highest tackling grade among returning Big Ten defensive ends.

Harrison finished his first year with the Buckeyes with a flurry, recording 13 tackles, a TFL, and a sack over the final five games, which included the College Football Playoff semifinal vs. Clemson.

He too was a consensus preseason first-team All-Big Ten pick by the magazines, and Lindy's had him right behind Paye as the nation's No. 10 defensive end.

4. Aidan Hutchinson, Michigan

Some would say Michigan's Aidan Hutchinson should be much higher on this list, if not at the very top at No. 1. Based on his production, it's tough to argue.

Hutchinson is the Big Ten's highest-graded returning edge rusher per PFF at 82.9 overall, recording 46 total pressures and on a whopping 746 snaps last season. He also had the highest run-defense grade (83.6), second-highest tackle grade (74.5), and third-highest pass-rush grade (76.0) of returning ends who played 50% or more snaps.

Hutchinson ended his junior year with 47 tackles, 28 hurries, 34 stop tackles, and two forced fumbles to earn third-team All-Big Ten honors by the media. Now he returns for his senior season as a first-team preseason all-conference pick by Athlon and a third-team selection by Lindy's.

5. Shaka Toney, Penn State

For a player who was a second-team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches last season to only be fifth on this list says everything you need to know about how deep the league is at defensive end in 2020.

Penn State's Shaka Toney put up 47 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 8.0 TFLs, and forced three fumbles as a junior, including setting a school record with four sacks in a game vs. Indiana.

He also had a game with three sacks against Purdue, giving him three career performances with two or more sacks. Toney now returns for his senior year as a first-team preseason All-Big Ten selection by Lindy's and Athlon.

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