The Super Bowl between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots has a chance to be one of the best in recent memory. As such, it is a prime opportunity for some former Big Ten stars to show out on one of the biggest stages in sports.
More specifically, among the Seahawks, four former Big Ten players stand out, each with a uniquely different path to where they are today. Those would be Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, cornerback Devon Witherspoon and quarterback Sam Darnold.
For those who may have forgotten, Smith-Njigba was a one-man show at Ohio State with an electrifying offensive presence around him. In 2021, he had a breakout season for the Buckeyes with 1,606 receiving yards and nine touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Walker III was as reliable as ever on Michigan State teams that were a far cry from what fans in the mid-2010s were used to. In his one season with Michigan State before heading off to the NFL, he scored 19 total touchdowns
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Now he's duplicating his collegiate success in the NFLas he scored a touchdown in Sunday's NFC Championship en route to a 31-27 win against the Los Angeles Rams.
Signaling out the many accolades that make Darnold one of the NFL's best comeback stories in recent memory, the fact that he is the first-ever ex-USC Trojan set to start a Super Bowl is truly remarkable.
Concerning Witherspoon, it just goes to show that Illinois coach Bret Bielema's model of "sustained success" and wearing the developmental program mantra with pride is what makes Witherspoon's success story as memorable as ever.
In fact, he may just be the unsung hero who put the Seahawks in a position to win to begin with.
Nonetheless, all four stars are just four of a select few that will have a chance to make their mark on NFL history for years to come.
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In 12 days, we'll see how far they come.
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