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Why Big Ten suddenly is a cornerback league: Crop of stars changing league's reputation

CHICAGO -- D.J. Durkin had to surrender his rights to All-American Jourdan Lewis when he left his post as Michigan's defensive coordinator to become coach at Maryland, but he really just swapped elite Big Ten cornerbacks.

This year, Durkin – or any Big Ten coach – could move around within the conference and still find a star cornerback at almost any stop on the wheel.

With Lewis, 2015 Jim Thorpe winner Desmond King of Iowa, 2015 All-Big Ten selections Will Likely of Maryland, Demetrious Cox of Michigan State, Matthew Harris of Northwestern, Gareon Conley of Ohio State and Sojourn Shelton of Wisconsin, the Big Ten suddenly might be a cornerbacks league.