Nebraska junior defensive tackle Maliek Collins and sophomore receiver/punt returner De’Mornay Pierson-El are among 11 Big Ten players named to the conference’s preseason Players to Watch list Thursday morning. A media panel voted for the top five players from both the East and West Division, with one additional honoree because of a tie.
Nebraska was one of four schools with two players on the list, including Wisconsin in the West Division and Ohio State and Michigan State in the East Division.
The 6-2, 300-pound Collins will man the interior of the Nebraska defensive front in 2015. Last season, Collins emerged as a dominant force at defensive tackle, leading the team with 14 tackles for loss, while adding 4.