Saturdays to Sundays: The Top NFL Superstar from Every Big Ten School

The 2026 NFL season is here, and across all 32 teams, there are players who starred on college football Saturdays who are now leading their teams in the pros. Turn on any NFL matchup, and conference alumni are plentiful, spanning from Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Super Bowl LX Champions Seattle Seahawks to Saquon Barkley with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Heading into the 2026 season, hundreds of former conference stars are set to suit up for another campaign, but only one player can claim the top spot for each school based on their NFL legacy, college roots, and projected impact. 

With that, here are Andrew McDevitt’s best players from each Big Ten school entering the 2026 season. 

Illinois Fighting Illini — Kerby Joseph (S, Detroit Lions) 

A First-Team All-Big Ten safety in 2021, Joseph has paid immediate dividends for Detroit since being drafted in the third round. He led the entire NFL with nine interceptions in 2024, earning First-Team All-Pro honors and helping secure the NFC's top seed. Though he only played six games last season, he tallied three interceptions. He’s still recovering from injury but remains one of the league's elite ball-hawking safeties.  

Indiana Hoosiers — Fernando Mendoza (QB, Las Vegas Raiders) 

Indiana's NFL pipeline is poised to explode under Curt Cignetti with a school-record eight players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft, led by No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. In 2025, Mendoza orchestrated a flawless 16-0 campaign, throwing 41 touchdown passes while guiding Indiana to its first Big Ten title in nearly six decades and its first national championship. His landmark year made him the first Hoosier ever to win the Heisman Trophy, capping off one of the most remarkable single seasons in college football history. While he hasn’t taken a snap on the NFL stage yet, his impact in Bloomington and professional potential earned him a spot on McDevitt’s list. 

Iowa Hawkeyes — George Kittle (TE, San Francisco 49ers) 

Entering his 10th season in San Francisco, George Kittle continues to build an undeniable Hall of Fame resume as one of the most complete and dominant tight ends in modern NFL history. Drafted in the fifth round out of Iowa in 2017, Kittle is the dynamic heart of the 49ers' offense. Through his first nine seasons, Kittle has amassed 8,008 career receiving yards—placing him 10th all-time among tight ends — to go along with seven Pro Bowl nods and two First-Team All-Pro honors. A four-time 1,000-yard receiver, he remains a rare dual-threat force. 

Maryland Terrapins — DJ Moore (WR, Buffalo Bills) 

Before establishing himself as one of the NFL's premier playmakers, Moore was terrorizing Big Ten defenses in College Park. The 2017 Big Ten Receiver of the Year set single-season Maryland records with 80 catches for 1,033 yards before heading to the Carolina Panthers as a first-round draft pick in 2018. Moore has stacked five 1,000-yard seasons — highlighted by an explosive 2023 campaign in Chicago where he posted career highs in receptions (96), receiving yards (1,364), and touchdowns (9) —  en route to surpassing 8,000 career receiving yards. Now heading into year nine, Moore is a primary target for Josh Allen and is primed for another massive chapter in 2026. 

Michigan Wolverines — Aidan Hutchinson (EDGE, Detroit Lions) 

Before transforming Detroit’s defense, Aidan Hutchinson posted one of the most dominant individual seasons in Michigan history, earning 2021 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year honors while setting the Wolverines' single-season record with 14 sacks. The 2022 No. 2 overall pick quickly validated the draft hype, bringing his trademark motor, relentless pursuit, and game-changing pass-rush abilities to the NFL stage. Coming off a monster 2025 campaign where he racked up 14.5 sacks and earned Second-Team All-Pro honors, a fully healthy Hutchinson enters 2026 primed to solidify his standing among the league's top-tier edge rushers. 

Michigan State Spartans — Kenneth Walker III (RB, Kansas City Chiefs) 

Walker III’s legendary 2021 season at Michigan State — highlighted by 1,636 rushing yards, 19 touchdowns, and the Doak Walker Award — served as a launching pad for his pro career. After logging three 1,000-yard seasons in Seattle, the home-run threat earned Super Bowl LX MVP honors with a 135-yard rushing performance against New England. Now joining the Kansas City Chiefs on a three-year, $45 million deal, the tackle-breaking back will look to elevate the Chiefs' backfield for another championship run. 

Minnesota Golden Gophers — Antoine Winfield Jr. (S, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 

A unanimous All-American during Minnesota’s 2019 season, Winfield Jr. brought his high-octane playmaking straight to the NFL. Drafted in 2020, he earned immediate starting status, capping his rookie year with a key Super Bowl LV interception to secure a ring. Now entering year seven, the two-time Pro Bowler and 2023 First-Team All-Pro selection is the soul of Tampa Bay’s secondary. With 500+ total tackles, 18 sacks, and 12 forced fumbles, Winfield stands as one of the league’s superior safeties.

Nebraska Cornhuskers — Cam Jurgens (C, Philadelphia Eagles) 

Philadelphia's Super Bowl-winning center anchors the top of the Cornhusker rankings. A former Third-Team All-Big Ten selection in Lincoln, the 2022 second-round pick has earned two Pro Bowl nods while leading one of the strongest offensive lines in professional football. Along with his Super Bowl ring, he helped Philadelphia reach the final game as a rookie in 2022, where he appeared in all 17 regular season and three postseason games. 

Northwestern Wildcats — Rashawn Slater (OT, Los Angeles Chargers) 

Selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft, Slater earned Second-Team All-Pro honors as a rookie and hasn't looked back. The Chargers secured their franchise tackle with an extension through 2029, making him one of the highest-paid tackles in NFL history and cementing the two-time Pro Bowler as a cornerstone up front. Now going into his sixth season, Slater protects fellow Big Ten school alum Justin Herbert while being led by former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh. 

Ohio State Buckeyes — Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR, Seattle Seahawks) 

Andrew McDevitt’s top spot in Ohio State's ever-expanding NFL pipeline belongs to the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl LX Champion. Smith-Njigba took over the league in his third season, shattering the Seahawks’ franchise record for single-season receptions (119) and leading the NFL with an astonishing 1,793 receiving yards to go along with 10 touchdowns. Now entering his fourth NFL season, the former Rose Bowl Offensive MVP represents the absolute gold standard of Big Ten alumni in the pros. While Columbus keeps churning out superstar receivers like Marvin Harrison Jr., Garrett Wilson, and Chris Olave, JSN’s historic season has placed him in a league of his own entering 2026.

Oregon Ducks — Penei Sewell (OT, Detroit Lions) 

The 2019 Outland Trophy winner and unanimous First-Team All-American at Oregon has shown why Detroit snatched him seventh overall in 2021. Anchoring the Lions' offensive front, Sewell has already stacked four Pro Bowls and three First-Team All-Pro honors early in his career. At just 25 years old, the former Duck is one of the best offensive linemen in the entire NFL. 

Penn State Nittany Lions — Saquon Barkley (RB, Philadelphia Eagles) 

After bursting onto the pro scene as the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with the New York Giants, Barkley crossed NFC East rivalry lines to Philadelphia. In his first season with the Eagles, he delivered one of the most productive stretches ever by a running back, becoming just the ninth player in NFL history to break the 2,000-yard regular-season rushing mark. He accumulated a single-season running back record 2,283 combined yards across the regular season and playoffs to earn NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors. The star back capped off that campaign with a Super Bowl ring and heads into 2026 looking for his fifth consecutive 1,000+ yard season. 

Purdue Boilermakers — George Karlaftis (DE, Kansas City Chiefs) 

Born in Athens, Greece, Karlaftis earned First-Team All-Big Ten accolades at Purdue before the Chiefs selected him 30th overall in 2022. He solidified his role as a staple on Kansas City’s defensive line, recording six sacks as a rookie and 10.5 sacks in year two during the Chiefs’ back-to-back Super Bowl runs. That rapid rise earned Karlaftis a massive four-year, $93 million contract extension in 2025, solidifying his crucial, ongoing role in Kansas City's defense. 

Rutgers Scarlet Knights — Kyle Monangai (RB, Chicago Bears) 

A former First-Team All-Big Ten selection in Piscataway, Monangai burst onto the NFL scene in 2025 after being selected in the seventh round by Chicago. After rushing for over 3,000 yards in Piscataway, Monangai finished second on the Bears’ roster with 783 rushing yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season, helping power the team back to the playoffs. This season, Monangai returns as a vital piece of Chicago's backfield. 

UCLA Bruins — Quentin Lake (S, Los Angeles Rams)

Entering his fifth NFL season with the Rams, the former UCLA safety has established himself as a reliable secondary starter. After recording a career-high 111 tackles in 2024, an elbow injury cut his 2025 campaign short. Lake, who had six interceptions at UCLA, anchors a reloaded Rams defense boosted by reigning DPOY Myles Garrett, the unretired Aaron Donald, and secondary additions Trent McDuffie (former Washington Husky) and Jaylen Watson. 

USC Trojans — Amon-Ra St. Brown (WR, Detroit Lions) 

Selected in the fourth round of the 2021 draft, St. Brown has four Pro Bowls and two First-Team All-Pro nods over five seasons. With over 6,000 receiving yards and 44 touchdowns heading into year six, he stands at the top of a deep group of NFL Trojan wideouts. His relentless work ethic, elite route-running, and physical run-after-catch style make him the standard-bearer for a stacked L.A.-to-NFL pipeline that features Drake London, Jordan Addison, and Michael Pittman Jr. 

Washington Huskies — Budda Baker (S, Arizona Cardinals) 

Entering his 10th NFL season in 2026, the Bellevue native and Husky icon remains a dominant force in Arizona. Baker has racked up over 1,000 career tackles and six 100-tackle seasons, leading all NFL defensive backs in total tackles since entering the league in 2017. An eight-time Pro Bowler, two-time First-Team All-Pro selection, and winner of the NFL's Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award, Baker has put together nearly a decade of high-level consistency. 

Wisconsin Badgers — T.J. Watt (LB, Pittsburgh Steelers) 

The 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year enters his 10th season in Pittsburgh as one of the most prolific pass rushers of his generation. Pittsburgh's all-time franchise sack leader boasts 115 career sacks, eight Pro Bowls, and four First-Team All-Pro selections, anchored by an iconic 2021 campaign in which he matched Michael Strahan’s single-season NFL record with 22.5 sacks. (Myles Garrett surpassed the mark with 23.0 in 2025). A three-time NFL sack leader, the former First-Team All-American earned his spot on McDevitt’s list as the crown jewel of Wisconsin’s pipeline. 

Honorable Mentions Across the Big Ten 

These are just some of the former Big Ten school stars that'll shine on Sundays in 2026, in addition to heavy hitters like Micah Parsons (Penn State), Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin), Justin Herbert (Oregon), and Cooper DeJean (Iowa). Be sure to catch all the action this NFL season, and don't forget to watch closely on Saturdays as the Big Ten's next generation of pro talent takes center stage.