VIDEO: Bulaga talks NFL, insurance and matchups

Iowa offensive lineman Bryan Bulaga laughs off the NFL question, but he said he is looking into and probably will purchase the insurance on this season. He could go privately or buy the insurance the NCAA offers to athletes. An NCAA football player has to project into the top three rounds of the draft to be eligible. The student is issued a loan and must repay it when eligibility is up.

This insurance covers more than $3 million for football. The premiums range between $5,000 and $25,000.

At 1:43, Bulaga is asked what he needs to work on this season for the NFL talk to turn into a real decision. At 2:06, he was asked if he remembered a play he got beat on last year and if that stuck with him over the winter. He mentioned Purdue and Iowa State.

From 2:40 to 3:19, he's asked about this year's O-line.

At 4:11, Bulaga was asked about the extra work it takes to be the kind of player that he's become.

His weight is cleared up, sort of, at 5:03. He's asked if he's looking forward to going up against Penn State D-tackle Jared Odrick at 5:30 and then, at 5:52, talks about going up against Penn State D-end Aaron Maybin last season.

At 6:30, he talks about how going up against Iowa's D-line makes him a better player everyday.

Hawkeye thought of the day -- You probably don't even want to go here, but say Bulaga's dreams are realized this season. He earns the many preseason all-America honors that have been thrust upon him. What if he becomes a clear top 10 pick in next April's NFL draft?

Who's next?

Tough to say, because I haven't even gotten that far and that's part of my job. I'd handicap it this way:

Riley Reiff (55 percent) -- He currently holds a spot at guard in camp, but that could change with junior Julian Vandervelde's return. Next year, he'd be a sophomore. He's currently listed at 6-6, 280, so 300 might not be out of the question next season.

Kyle Haganman (25 percent) -- Last Saturday, the 6-5, 285-pound walk-on junior stepped in with Bulaga on the sidelines nursing a leg injury. He lost a few battles to sophomore D-end Lebron Daniel, but he won a few, too. If he's the first one in for Bulaga during the season, that's a pretty good indication that the job would be his, but we're not that far yet. Great program guy. Started at 250 or so and has worked his way up the ladder.

Markus Zusevics (15 percent) -- The 6-5, 278-pound sophomore started his career as a project. He came in about 240-ish and has built the bod. Interesting fact that tells me a little about his athleticism, he was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball at Prospect (Ill.) High School as an outside hitter. Helped Prospect to a state football title in 2005.

J.D. Griggs (5 percent) -- You knew I was saving that 5 percent for something off-the-wall, right? Everytime my eye falls on Griggs at a practice or scrimmage, I think "Julius Peppers starter kit." Long arms, lean build and just a good-looking football player. He moves well enough to stand about four or five on the TE depth chart right now as a redshirt freshman. Ferentz hasn't converted a tight end into an OL for a while now (Reiff was a DE). I'm just spitballing here. Griggs is listed at 6-5, 255. I'm just saying.

Big Ten thought of the day -- I received a late release today from the Champs Sports Bowl, the other Orlando bowl that includes the Big Ten:

"Champs Sports Bowl Partners with Big East Conference

Orlando bowls now feature three of the potential top six picks after the BCS plus Notre Dame

ORLANDO – Florida Citrus Sports CEO Steve Hogan and BIG EAST Conference commissioner John Marinatto have announced a partnership agreement for the Champs Sports Bowl. The agreement with the BIG EAST will bring Orlando the first pick after the Bowl Championship Series selection (i.e. the conference's second overall pick) as well as the right to select Notre Dame once over the course of the four-year term and makes the BIG EAST the bowl's first signed conference partner for the 2010-2013 cycle."

No word on what conference the other participant will come from, but either the Big Ten or ACC are out. I'm guessing Big Ten.

Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema, he of the Hawkeye tattoo, is calm and cool as he tries to improve on 7-6 from a year ago, writes ESPN.com's Adam Rittenberg.

SI.com's Stewart Mandel picks his three sleepers in the Big Ten. (This is here because Stewart names the Hawkeyes, so yeah, no mystery but click away!)

National thought of the day -- Duke basketball player Greg Paulus is now

Syracuse quarterback Greg Paulus. Get used to him, Big Ten fans. You'll see him

three times this year. . . . Here's a

piece from CBS Sportsline's Dennis Dodd sort of punctuating the post yesterday on the SEC's soft non-con schedules. . . . Hey! Remember

Nebraska? SI.com's George Schroeder does.