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          Big Ten Blog

          Big Ten postseason player rankings: No. 7

          • Josh Moyer, ESPN Staff WriterJan 29, 2014, 08:30 PM
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            • Covers Penn State and Big Ten.
            • Joined ESPN in 2012.
            • Graduate of Penn State University and Columbia University.
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          We're getting closer and closer to best overall player in the Big Ten, based solely off performance from the 2013 season. But that doesn't mean the players just outside the top five are slouches. Up next is a player who belongs in the conversation as one of his school's greatest players at his position.

          No. 7: Allen Robinson, WR, Penn State

          Previous ranking: No. 8

          Making the case for Robinson: After this past season, Robinson cemented his status as one of the greatest Nittany Lions receivers ever -- and his importance to the offense cannot be overstated.

          The two-time Big Ten Receiver of the Year set single-season school records for both catches (97) and yards (1,432) in 2013, but even that doesn't tell the full story of A-Rob's ability. He accounted for 46 percent of Penn State's passing yards, the biggest PSU percentage in more than three decades, and about half of his yards came after the catch.

          Christian Hackenberg might have never earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors without his favorite target. Robinson caught more balls than the Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5 targets combined.

          He improved his speed to run the 40-yard dash in the high 4.4s, and he boasted a 37-inch vertical leap that allowed him to win 50-50 balls. None of those catches were likely more important than his "SportsCenter" Top Play against Michigan, when he leaped for a 36-yard completion that put PSU 1 yard shy of the end zone with 27 seconds left in regulation.

          Even before the season's end, some former PSU greats weighed in on A-Rob and agreed he belonged near the top in Penn State history. Said O.J. McDuffie, who was Dan Marino's favorite NFL target in the 1990s: "He's got every tool we had -- and every physical tool we wish we had."

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