Northwestern Wildcats vs Nebraska Cornhuskers: Five Players to Watch

Maliek Collins

4. Maliek Collins – DT: Maliek Collins is the best of a talented group of defensive lineman for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. He’s tied for third with four tackles for a loss. He also has 1.5 sacks this season, but it’s difficult to measure Collins’ impact by the numbers.

Collins’ presence causes havoc for the entire offensive line. There are times where he commands double teams, and his ability to stuff the run creates opportunities for everybody else on the defense.

So far, many of the defensive lineman have faced injuries for the Huskers. Earlier in the season, they lost Vincent Valentine to an ankle injury. The Huskers also lost Jack Gangwish for a few games with an elbow injury. As soon as Gangwish returned, his replacement Freedom Akinmoladun was hampered by an injury. However, all of those setbacks have created a stronger group.

Collins is great enough to play around all of these teammates, and he will have an inspired effort this weekend. Once the Huskers are successful against the run, they should force Northwestern into some passing situations. It’s imperative for Collins to make his mark. He will likely add to his sack total vs the Wildcats.