Tom Dienhart, BTN.com Senior Writer, November 27, 2017

The buzz about Wisconsin running back Jonathan Taylor was building during camp in August. Most everyone connected to the team would tell you: "Watch this kid. He?s good." Well, they were wrong: Taylor wasn?t good ? he was great.

Taylor leads the Big Ten in rushing and ranks third in the nation, carrying 258 times for 1,806 yards with 13 TDs for 12-0 Wisconsin, which will play for the Big Ten title and a likely playoff berth on Saturday in the league championship game vs. Ohio State. No doubt, the true freshman looks primed to join Ron Dayne and Melvin Gordon as a Badger all-time great after a season that earned him BTN.com Offensive Freshman of the Year accolades.

Northwestern linebacker Paddy Fisher has had almost as big of an impact as Taylor. Fisher is No. 4 in the Big Ten in tackles, averaging 9.1 per game. The redshirt freshman has been a steady force for an underrated Wildcat defense that has been the backbone for a 9-3 regular-season en route to earning BTN.com Defensive Freshman of the Year honors.

Here is a look at BTN.com?s 2017 All-Freshman Team.

2017 BTN.com BIG TEN ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM

OFFENSE
WR Cody White, 6-3/206, Michigan State*
WR JD Spielman, 5-9/180, Nebraska
TE Louis Dorsey, 6-6/225, Illinois*
L (C) Tyler Biadasz, 6-3/316, Wisconsin
L (T) Luke Campbell, 6-5/293, Michigan State
L (T) Alaric Jackson, 6-7/285, Iowa
L (T) Rashawn Slater, 6-3/289, Northwestern*
L (G/C) Conner Olson, 6-5/297, Minnesota
QB Peyton Ramsey, 6-2/210, Indiana
RB Jonathan Taylor, 5-11/214, Wisconsin*
RB J.K. Dobbins, 5-10/208, Ohio State*

OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: RB Jonathan Taylor, 5-11/214, Wisconsin*

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DEFENSE
L (E) A.J. Epenesa, 6-5/270, Iowa*
L (E) Bobby Roundtree, 6-5/245, Illinois*
L (E) Samdup Miller, 6-3/261, Northwestern*
L (E) Shaka Toney, 6-3/233, Penn State
LB Ben Stille, 6-5/255, Nebraska
LB Tuf Borland, 6-1/229, Ohio State
LB Paddy Fisher, 6-3/235, Northwestern
DB (CB) Josiah Scott, 5-10/173, Michigan State*
DB (SS) Bennett Williams, 6-0/200, Illinois*
DB (CB) Nate Hobbs, 6-0/180, Illinois*
DB (CB) Dontye Carriere-Williams, 5-10/192, Wisconsin

DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: LB Paddy Fisher, 6-3/235, Northwestern

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SPECIAL TEAMS
K Matt Coghlin, 5-9/188, Michigan State
P Blake Hayes, 6-6/230, Illinois*
KR JD Spielman, 5-9/180, Nebraska
PR Donovan Peoples-Jones, 6-2/199, Michigan*

 

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HONORABLE MENTION

Illinois: OT Larry Boyd*; C Doug Kramer; OT Vederian Lowe*; G Alex Palczewski*; WR Ricky Smalling, Illinois*; DT/DE Jamal Woods*

Indiana: RB Morgan Ellison*; DT Jerome Johnson; WR Whop Philyor*

Iowa: TE T.J. Hockenson; WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette*; OT Tristan Wirfs*

Maryland: QB Kasim Hill*

Michigan: K Quinn Nordin; QB Brandon Peters; G Cesar Ruiz*; NT Aubrey Solomon*; KR/CB Ambry Thomas*

Michigan State: G Kevin Jarvis*

Minnesota: S Ken Handy-Holly*; WR Phillip Howard; OT Sam Schlueter; CB Kiondre Thomas; DE Nate Umlor*

Nebraska: OT Brenden Jaimes*

Northwestern: K Charlie Kuhbander*

Ohio State: QB Dwayne Haskins; CB Jeffrey Okudah*; DE Chase Young*

Penn State: CB Tariq Castro-Fields; OT Will Fries; DE Yetur Gross-Matos*; DE Shane Simmons; CB Lamont Wade*

Purdue: WR Jackson Anthrop; LB Derrick Barnes*; OT Grant Hermanns; WR/QB Jared Sparks

Rutgers: RB Raheem Blackshear*; K Justin Davidovicz*; DE Elorm Lumor; C Michael Maietti; DT Julius Turner

Wisconsin: WR Danny Davis*

*true freshman