Brent Yarina, BTN.com Senior Editor, August 21, 2013

We're eight days from the 2013 football season kicking off. Indiana (Indiana State) and Minnesota (UNLV) get things started for the Big Ten on Thursday, Aug. 29 on BTN/BTN2Go. To help count down the days to kickoff, BTN.com is ranking the top 25 players. Join us as we count it down, from 25-1, every day.

No. 8: Devin Gardner, QB, Michigan

The only thing keeping Devin Gardner from landing higher on this list is his small sample size. All things considered, Gardner dazzled in his five-start cameo in relief of Denard Robinson late last season. The quarterback-turned-receiver-turned-quarterback amassed 1,320 total yards and 18 touchdowns (11 passing; 7 rushing) in his handful starts, three of which came against Northwestern, Ohio State and South Carolina. Small sample size or not, Gardner is legit; in fact; he's the Big Ten's best QB after dual-threat stars Braxton Miller and Taylor Martinez. Not bad for a guy with five starts.

View Gardner's career stats:

Year Team G Cmp Att Comp % Yds Yd/A TDs Int Sacked Yds
2010 Mich 4 7 10 70.0 85 8.5 1 0 – –
2011 Mich 9 11 23 47.8 176 7.7 1 1 5 48
2012 Mich 13 75 126 59.5 1219 9.7 11 5 11 76
Career 26 93 159 58.5 1480 9.3 13 6 16 124

BTN.com?s top 25 players of 2013
1. Aug. 28
2. Aug. 27
3. Aug. 26
4. Aug. 25
5. Aug. 24
6. Aug. 23
7. Aug. 22
8. Devin Gardner, QB, Michigan
9. Chris Borland, LB, Wisconsin
10. Max Bullough, LB, Michigan State
11. Ra'Shede Hageman, DT, Minnesota
12. Kenny Bell, WR, Nebraska
13. Tyler Scott, DE, Northwestern
14. Ameer Abdullah, RB, Nebraska
15. Brandon Vitabile, C, Northwestern
16. Jack Mewhort, OT, Ohio State
17. Kain Colter, QB, Northwestern
18. Jared Abbrederis, WR, Wisconsin
19. Spencer Long, G, Nebraska
20. Darqueze Dennard, CB, Michigan State
21. Melvin Gordon, RB, Wisconsin
22. Deion Barnes, DE, Penn State
23. Isaiah Lewis, S, Michigan State
24. James White, RB, Wisconsin
25. Anthony Hitchens, LB, Iowa