Here are 10 Big Ten players tasked with replacing those who are leaving school early to enter the 2023 NFL Draft.

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The Big Ten is a conference full of NFL talent and will once again be pumping the draft pool with players worthy of high-round draft picks across the board. In addition to the wealth of players maxing out their college eligibility, the Big Ten has a good number of early entrants hoping to be selected in the early rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft this spring.
The NIL game may have impacted the early entrant counts in recent years, but the Big Ten still has some players that are making good business decisions to turn pro. It could be the home conference to the No. 1 overall draft pick and a handful of other first-round picks just from the early entrant pool. But who will be replacing these early departures on their former campuses in the fall? That's what we are exploring here with a look at 10 potential successors to players around the Big Ten making the decision to jump to the NFL in 2023.
Iowa
Gone: Lukas Van Ness, DL
Van Ness declaring for the NFL was a bit surprising and he will leave some production in need of replacing after recording 10.5 tackles for a loss and six sacks this past season. Fortunately, Iowa will have some key upperclassmen returning to the line to help soften the blow of losing Van Ness.
In: Aaron Graves
And the player to look to being a possible fixture on the line as he continues to develop should be Graves. Last season, he appeared in 12 games and posted a pair of sacks and five tackles for a loss when on the field. He should be a player on the rise in a great situation on the stingy defensive line in 2023.
Michigan
Gone: Mazi Smith, DL
Michigan’s defensive line will once again be sending some talent off to the NFL this year, including All-Big Ten performer Smith. A team captain who burst onto the scene for the Wolverines in 2021, Smith collected 48 tackles and 2.5 tackles for a loss last season.
In: Mason Graham
Graham is a player Michigan fans should be excited to see take the next step after making appearances in all 14 games during the run to the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff. The freshman had 2.5 sacks, offering a taste of big things to come on the line.
Michigan
Gone: Mike Morris, DE
Another key loss up front for the Michigan defense will be Morris, who recorded 11 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks this past season. The edge rusher stepped his game up after the Wolverines lost a killer defensive line combo from the previous season, but he knows there are players ready to step up in his absence next season.
In: Derrick Moore
One of the players to watch fill the position up front should be Moore. He is coming off a freshman campaign in which he appeared in all 14 games and recorded a pair of sacks. Expect that production to increase as he gets settled into a more prominent role in 2023.
Northwestern
Gone: Peter Skoronski, OT
Northwestern’s results on the field may not have been glorious the past couple of years, but that is not the fault of one of the top offensive linemen in the Big Ten. Skoronski could be one of the first offensive linemen off the boards in the upcoming draft as the Wildcats are losing quite a force on the line.
In: Zachary Franks
Northwestern’s entire offensive line could have a fresh look. The task of succeeding Skoronski could fall on Franks, who is roughly the same size (6-6, 305). Sure, these are big shoes to fill, but Franks could quickly situate himself in a comfortable position at the key position.
Ohio State
Gone: C.J. Stroud, QB
Stroud waited until the last minute to officially declare for the draft, and he could be on his way to being one of the top quarterbacks off the board. And while the idea of the Chicago Bears drafting Stroud while already having Justin Fields is certainly interesting to consider, it may be more likely for the Bears to stick with their former Buckeye quarterback and trade the pick to someone else in need of a dynamic signal-caller.
In: Kyle McCord
The top candidate to be Ohio State’s next quarterback should be McCord, the former highly-rated recruit. With McCord, the Buckeyes' offense should remain in good hands and it won’t be long before he starts making a name for himself as arguably the top passer in the Big Ten. He certainly has the receivers to rely on.
Ohio State
Gone: Paris Johnson Jr., OT
Ohio State will be without one of its top offensive linemen next season, which was to be expected. Johnson was a five-star recruit that lived up to the hype. He should be a quality draft pick for any team in need of some help with its offensive line.
In: Zen Michalski
Ohio State has a couple of options in play here, but we’ll keep an eye on Michalski to make a push to step into the spot on the line in the absence of Johnson. Ohio State could move Donovan Jackson to the opposite side to fill the void, but Michalski still could be the player to watch to fill a spot on the line where it is needed after backing up Johnson last season.
Ohio State
Gone: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, WR
The 2022 season didn’t go quite as planned for Smith-Njigba, but his decision to turn pro is not surprising given his talent and potential as a big-play receiver. And with him being a bit banged up in 2022, Ohio State already got a glimpse of who is next.
In: Brandon Inniss
Ohio State already knows it can rely on Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, but the next name to watch for will be Inniss, one of Ohio State’s five-star additions in this year's class that is expected to get some early opportunities to show what he can do.
Penn State
Gone: Joey Porter Jr., CB
Porter could have turned pro last year but decided to come back and improve his draft outlook. It may have worked as he could be among the top cornerbacks selected in this year's draft.
In: Storm Duck
Penn State went to the transfer portal to pad the depth at cornerback this offseason. And if Johnny Dixon, a former transfer himself, doesn’t lock down the spot vacated by Porter, then look to Duck, a former starter at North Carolina, to make a case for the job.
Penn State
Gone: Parker Washington, WR
Penn State will be losing its leading receiver to the draft as Washington moves to the next level. Washington had a slow start to the 2022 season and suffered a season-ending injury late, but he still showed why he can be effective at the next level.
In: Dante Cephas
Penn State also went to the transfer portal for reinforcements at receiver this offseason. Among the new additions is Cephas from Kent State, who should fit right into the Nittany Lions' passing game. Penn State also added former four-star receiver Malik McClain from Florida State, who could make a push with Mitchell Tinsley also departing.
Penn State
Gone: Brenton Strange, TE
Besides the top two wide receivers, Penn State also is losing its No. 1 tight end. Strange tied for the team lead with five touchdown catches and was second in catches (32). The depth chart isn't completely starting over from scratch with Theo Johnson and Tyler Warren both back, but it won't be easy filling Strange's spot.
In: Jerry Cross
Khalil Dinkins is part of the incoming recruiting class, but keep an eye on Cross as well. He redshirted last season but should get some opportunities this spring to claim his spot in the pecking order and potentially flash his upside potential.
— Written by Kevin McGuire, who is part of the Athlon Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @KevinOnCFB, on Instagram, on TikTok, and Like him on Facebook.