Big Ten writers' 2012 mock draft: Rounds 3 & 4

Our Big Ten writers' 2012 Big Ten mock draft is gaining steam and through Round 4. Relive all the Round 1 selections and Round 2 picks. Here's how this works: writers from all 12 Big Ten teams partake in the six-round draft, picking a QB, WR, RB, TE, Defensive player and K. Check out all the Round 3 and Round 4 selections in this post.

We didn?t include offensive linemen because they don't collect stats. To be clear, this is not a 2012 NFL mock draft and it is not fantasy football. There are no weekly standings, trades, points per reception or anything of that ilk.

Editor's note: Because teams can have only one player from each position and all positions have varying degrees of depth, there will be examples of inferior players going before superior players.

ROUND 3

25. Bob Asmussen (@BobAsmussen), Champaign News-Gazette – Caleb TerBush, QB, Purdue
My take: With TerBush off the board, that leaves Andrew Maxwell and Danny O'Brien, quarterbacks of arguably the Big Ten's two top teams, as the lone starters available. Surprising.
2012 roster: QB – Caleb TerBush, Purdue; RB – Montee Ball, Wisconsin; K – Brett Maher

[Mock draft results: Round 1 | Round 2 | Rounds 3 & 4 | Rounds 5 & 6]

26. Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak), Bloomington Herald Times – Carlos Hyde, RB, Ohio State
My take: Someone has to carry the ball for Ohio State, right? And Hyde isn't a terrible option after rushing for 566 yards and six touchdowns last season.
2012 roster: QB – Denard Robinson, Michigan; WR – Demetrius Fields, Northwestern; RB – Carlos Hyde, Ohio State

27. Marc Morehouse (@marcmorehouse), TheGazette.com – C.J. Fiedorowicz, TE, Iowa
My take: The first tight end to come off the board, Fiedorowicz is a prime breakout candidate. Look for him to become one of James Vandenberg's favorite targets, especially in the red zone.
2012 roster: QB – Braxton Miller, Ohio State; RB – Fitz Toussaint, Michigan; TE – C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa

28. Kyle Meinke (@KMeinke), AnnArbor.com – Stephen Houston, RB, Indiana
My take: Put Houston on another team, say Michigan, and he'd be a much bigger name and more respected running back entering the 2012 season. As it is, he's a powerful back fresh off an 800-yard, eight-score season.
2012 roster: QB – Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois; RB – Stephen Houston, Indiana; Defense – John Simon, Ohio State

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29. Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode), Lansing State Journal – Jake Stoneburner, TE, Ohio State
My take: Consider this: half of Stoneburner's 14 catches went for touchdowns last season. Urban Meyer loves pass-catchers in the mold of Stoneburner, so he could be in store for a huge campaign.
2012 roster: WR – Antavian Edison, Purdue; RB – Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State; TE – Jake Stoneburner

30. Marcus R. Fuller (@GophersNow), Pioneer Press – Jacob Pedersen, TE, Wisconsin
My take: Let the tight end run begin! That's three tight ends in the last four picks, and some would argue Pedersen is the best of the bunch.
2012 roster: QB – MarQueis Gray, Minnesota; RB – Rex Burkhead, Nebraska; TE – Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin

31. Brian Christopherson (@HuskerExtraBC), Lincoln Journal Star – Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin
My take: The Big Ten's tackling machine will continue chasing opponents from sideline to sideline. It's crazy to think what Borland could do if he'd stay healthy.
2012 roster: QB – Taylor Martinez, Nebraska; WR – Keenan Davis, Iowa; Defense – Chris Borland, Wisconsin

32. Teddy Greenstein (@TeddyGreenstein), Chicago Tribune – James White, RB, Wisconsin
My take: Who knows exactly how White will be worked into Matt Canada's new offense, but the fleet-footed junior is a weapon who could start for many Big Ten teams.
2012 roster: QB – Kain Colter, Northwestern; WR – Roy Roundtree, Michigan; RB – James White, Wisconsin

33. Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland), ElevenWarriors.com – Akeem Shavers, RB, Purdue
My take: Perhaps the best starting running back remaining, Shavers finished last season on a high note (149 yards in bowl game) and should expect to see a heavier workload in 2012.
2012 roster: QB – Tre Roberson, Indiana; RB – Akeem Shavers, Purdue; Defense – Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State

34. Ron Musselman (@rmusselmansc), StateCollege.com – Justin Brown, WR, Penn State
My take: Make it three Nittany Lions in as many rounds for Ron. Brown is a big, talented receiver who finished last season with 517 receiving yards despite totaling three receptions in the final three games.
2012 roster: QB – Matt McGloin, Penn State; WR – Allen Robinson, Penn State (Justin Brown transfer); RB – Bill Belton, Penn State (Silas Redd transfer)

35. Ryan and J (@BoiledSports), BoiledSports.com – Andrew Maxwell, QB, Michigan State
My take: Kirk Cousins' much-talked-about replacement finally finds his team. The way the Michigan State staff raves about Maxwell, the Spartans offense shouldn't suffer as big of a setback as some think.
2012 roster: QB – Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State; WR – Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin; Defense – Kawann Short, Purdue

36. John Velduis (@JohnVeldhuis), BadgerBlitz.com – Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
My take: This is John's third solid value pick in as many rounds. While Bell may not be a huge name yet, he's coming off a redshirt freshman season that included 461 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
2012 roster: QB – James Vandenberg, Iowa; WR – Kenny Bell, Nebraska; Defense – William Gholston, Michigan State

ROUND 4

37. John Velduis (@JohnVeldhuis), BadgerBlitz.com – Ben Cotton, TE, Nebraska
My take: Let's allow John's email response to this pick serve as the analysis: "I'm relying on T-Magic a little more than I feel comfortable with, so I can only imagine how Pelini feels."
2012 roster: QB – James Vandenberg, Iowa; WR – Kenny Bell, Nebraska; TE- Ben Cotton, Nebraska; Defense – William Gholston, Michigan State

38. Ryan and J (@BoiledSports), BoiledSports.com – Gabe Holmes, TE, Purdue
My take: Despite only 12 career receptions and one touchdown, Holmes has all the tools for a breakout season. Expect him to shatter his 11 receptions from 2011.
2012 roster: QB – Andrew Maxwell, Michigan State; WR – Jared Abbrederis, Wisconsin; TE – Gabe Holmes, Purdue; Defense – Kawann Short, Purdue

39. Ron Musselman (@rmusselmansc), StateCollege.com – Dan Conroy, K, Michigan State
My take: Any talk of the Big Ten's best kicker must include Conroy. The senior plays for a team that figures to boast a potent offense, plus he missed the 100-point barrier by one point last season.
2012 roster: QB – Matt McGloin, Penn State; WR – Allen Robinson, Penn State (Justin Brown transfer); RB – Bill Belton, Penn State (Silas Redd transfer); K – Dan Conroy, Michigan State

40. Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland), ElevenWarriors.com – Devin Smith, WR, Ohio State
My take: The Buckeyes will throw the ball a lot more this season in Braxton Miller's sophomore season, and Smith, he of the game-winning catch against Wisconsin, could be one of the bigger beneficiaries.
2012 roster: QB – Tre Roberson, Indiana; WR – Devin Smith, Ohio State; RB – Akeem Shavers, Purdue; Defense – Johnathan Hankins, Ohio State

41. Teddy Greenstein (@TeddyGreenstein), Chicago Tribune – Dion Sims, TE, Michigan State
My take: There isn't a bigger tight end in the Big Ten, but don't let Sims' 280-pound frame fool you. This guy can get open and catch the ball.
2012 roster: QB – Kain Colter, Northwestern; WR – Roy Roundtree, Michigan; RB – James White, Wisconsin; TE – Dion Sims, Michigan State

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42. Brian Christopherson (@HuskerExtraBC), Lincoln Journal Star – Donovonn Young, RB, Illinois
My take: It remains to be seen how Young and fellow youthful RB Josh Ferguson will be used, however expect the former to get his share of carries. After all, he scored six touchdowns as a true freshman.
2012 roster: QB – Taylor Martinez, Nebraska; WR – Keenan Davis, Iowa; RB – Donovonn Young, Illinois; Defense – Chris Borland, Wisconsin

43. Marcus R. Fuller (@GophersNow), Pioneer Press – Gerald Hodges, LB, Penn State
My take: Hodges really came into his own last year after Michael Mauti was lost to a season-ending knee injury, and he should reap the benefits of offenses having to account for Mauti again.
2012 roster: QB – MarQueis Gray, Minnesota; RB – Rex Burkhead, Nebraska; TE – Jacob Pedersen, Wisconsin; Defense – Gerald Hodges, Penn State

44. Joe Rexrode (@joerexrode), Lansing State Journal – Denicos Allen, DE, Michigan State
My take: I'm not sure a Big Ten player has collected a quieter 11 sacks than Allen's last season. Guess that's the result of playing on a defense loaded with talent.
2012 roster: WR – Antavian Edison, Purdue; RB – Le'Veon Bell, Michigan State; TE – Jake Stoneburner; Defense: Denicos Allen, Michigan State

45. Kyle Meinke (@KMeinke), AnnArbor.com – Kevonte Martin-Manley, WR, Iowa
My take: Record-setting receiver Marvin McNutt's graduation leaves a big hole in the Iowa passing game, and Martin-Manley is one of the guys expected to help make up for the lost production.
2012 roster: QB – Nathan Scheelhaase, Illinois; WR – Kevonte Martin-Manley; Iowa; RB – Stephen Houston, Indiana; Defense – John Simon, Ohio State

46. Marc Morehouse (@marcmorehouse), TheGazette.com – Kofi Hughes, WR, Indiana
My take: Hughes, who caught 35 balls for 536 yards in 2011, has a couple things in his favor: 1) QB Tre Roberson is no longer a true freshman; and 2.) he'll have an entire season as the top target.
2012 roster: QB – Braxton Miller, Ohio State; WR – Kofi Hughes, Indiana, RB – Fitz Toussaint, Michigan; TE – C.J. Fiedorowicz, Iowa

47. Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak), Bloomington Herald Times – Michael Buchanan, DE, Illinois
My take: Lost in the hoopla surrounding Whitney Mercilus' nation-leading 16 sacks was Buchanan's breakout 2011 season that included 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
2012 roster: QB – Denard Robinson, Michigan; WR – Demetrius Fields, Northwestern; RB – Carlos Hyde, Ohio State; Defense – Michael Buchanan, Illinois

48. Bob Asmussen (@BobAsmussen), Champaign News-Gazette – Jeremy Gallon, WR, Michigan
My take: The diminutive Gallon is a big-time steal at the end of the fourth round. With Junior Hemingway out of eligibility, expect the 5-8 junior to surpass last year's 31 receptions, 453 yards and three scores.
2012 roster: QB – Caleb TerBush, Purdue; WR – Jeremy Gallon, Michigan; RB – Montee Ball, Wisconsin; K – Brett Maher

[Mock draft results: Round 1 | Round 2 | Rounds 3 & 4 | Rounds 5 & 6]

Brent Yarina is a web editor and blogger for BTN.com. Find all of his work here and follow him on twitter at @BTNBrentYarina.