The Big Ten was known as a running back league in 2014, and there has already been talk that it could be a quarterback league in 2015 with the return of Connor Cook, Christian Hackenberg and the dynamic duo under center at Ohio State.

That’s all fine and dandy if you’re talking about offense, but on defense it could be the year of the pass rusher in the B1G this season.

Wisconsin’s Derek Landisch, Maryland’s Andre Monroe and Nebraska’s Randy Gregory are gone, but some of the best pass rushers in the conference – and the country – are back in 2015.

Today, we take a look at the best pass rushers in the Big Ten for the upcoming college football season.

5. Vince Biegel, LB, Wisconsin

2014 statistics: 7.5 sacks, 4 quarterback hurries

In his first season as a starter for the Badgers, Biegel teamed with Landisch to give Wisconsin a formidable pair of pass rushers from the linebacker spot. Landisch led the team in sacks with nine, while Biegel led Wisconsin in tackles for loss with 16.5. With another year of experience under his belt – and with Landisch gone – it seems as though Biegel could eclipse the 10-sack barrier for the Badgers in 2015.

4. Darron Lee, LB, Ohio State

2014 stats: 7.5 sacks, 3 QB hurries

Lee is a former high school quarterback who was third on the team in tackles with 81, and was second to Joey Bosa with 16.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. Lee had a breakout year last season and will be a big part of the OSU defense in 2015. One Big Ten assistant coach told us Lee was the best player on the Ohio State team. “It’s not even close,” the coach said. “He’s so explosive. If he’s not making every tackle, he’s in on every play and he’s a phenomenal blitzer.”

3. Anthony Zettel, DT, Penn State

2014 stats: 8 sacks, 17 tackles for loss

Zettel is a relentless rusher who thrived after moving inside to tackle from defensive end. A good athlete, Zettel is small for a tackle but his quickness makes him very difficult for interior linemen to handle on the inside. He has learned to work well in smaller spaces, and the fact that he has a big space-eater in Austin Johnson next to him on the interior helps open things up for Zettel. Though he is smaller than most defensive tackles, he is still very strong. How strong? The guy tackles trees for fun in the offseason.

2. Shilique Calhoun, DE, Michigan State

2014 stats: 8 sacks, 8 QB hurries

Calhoun surprised many by electing to skip the NFL draft and return to school, and he’ll lead a talented Spartans defensive line next season. Calhoun was the Big Ten defensive lineman of the year in 2013 and followed that up with a solid year for a very good Michigan State team. He would have been drafted high on potential, but he has a chance to address scouts’ concerns and put up another excellent statistical season to ensure he’ll be a first-round pick. Calhoun has 15.5 sacks in the past two seasons and 26.5 tackles for loss. Linebacker Ed Davis had seven sacks last season, and his injury will allow teams to focus more on Calhoun.

1. Joey Bosa, DE, Ohio State

2014 stats: 13.5 sacks, 4 QB hurries

Bosa was one of the best players in the country last season, and he is listed No. 1 overall on Mel Kiper Jr.’s initial “Big Board” for draft-eligible prospects for next season. He has a great combination of speed and strength, which allows him to get to the quarterback in different ways. Even when he isn’t sacking the quarterback, Bosa is causing problems in the opponent’s backfield. He has 34.5 tackles for loss in two seasons, including 21 in the 2014 national championship season. With other standouts like Lee, Adolphus Washington, Josh Perry and Raekwon McMillan on the Buckeyes defense, it’s difficult for teams to give Bosa all the attention he deserves. Expect him to be the most talked-about defensive player since Jadeveon Clowney, and expect him to be a top-10 pick in the 2016 NFL draft.

Also considered (in alphabetical order): Theiren Cockran, Minnesota; Maliek Collins, Nebraska; Darius Hamilton, Rutgers; Yannick Ngakoue, Maryland; Drew Ott, Iowa; Kemoko Turay, Rutgers and Jihad Ward, Illinois.