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Aidan Chiles entered the college football scene as a highly rated player out of Downey High School in Downey, California, one who caught the eye of a famous offensive coordinator named Chip Kelly. 

Chiles' high school tape landed him a scholarship with the Oregon State Beavers, then a chance to take his career to the next level at Michigan State, followed by a scholarship with the Northwestern Wildcats this offseason.

Soon, Chiles will have a chance to put his considerable natural talents, and Kelly's tutelage, to the test against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

Before he takes the field, countless articles and rankings will be released about the upcoming season and what fans should expect.

One such ranking was released earlier this week, and it placed Chiles surprisingly low among a full list of 18 Big Ten quarterbacks. 

Chiles Clocks In At No. 13

Chiles was ranked 13th out of 18 Big Ten quarterbacks by Brad Crawford of CBS Sports, a ranking that seems a bit lower than most fans were expecting.

Chiles stands 6-feet-4 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds, giving him prototypical size for a quarterback. He's also roughly the same size and a similar build to former Kelly protege and Heisman Trophy favorite (prior to a torn ACL injury) Dennis Dixon. 

The Dixon-Chiles similarities and Chiles' early and promising start to his college football career have inspired hope in countless Northwestern Wildcats fans, but Crawford isn't sold on him as a top tier Big Ten QB. 

"Chip Kelly could be exactly what Chiles needs after two largely disappointing seasons at Michigan State," he wrote.

"Chiles' physical tools have never been the issue. He can drive the football, extend plays and pressure defenses with his legs, but turnovers and inconsistency stalled his development," Crawford added in his rankings. 

Cutting down on the turnovers could open the door for a season to remember in Evanston, Ill. 

Kelly wants Chiles to play fast while trusting his teammates and physical gifts, a blueprint that could pay huge dividends. 

Crawford: Decision Making Must Improve

Chiles must improve his decision making this season according to Crawford if he hopes to take the big step forward fans think he can with the Wildcats. 

Chiles, for his part, was part of a dysfunctional system in Michigan State that got former head coach Jonathan Smith fired. 

Kelly's system looks like a good fit for Chiles in terms of its ability to put him in position to make plays. 

"Kelly's quarterback-friendly season should simplify reads, create favorable matchups and put put Chiles in position to play faster," Crawford wrote. 

"Northwestern represents a reset without the previous expectations. If Kelly rebuilds his confidence and sharpens his decision-making, Chiles could finally become the dynamic quarterback many expected him to be when he initially impressed at Oregon State in 2023." 

Such an outcome would almost certainly place Chiles toward the top half of the list by the time the season is done and accounted for in Big Ten play.

Chiles has excellent pieces to work with on offense including Griffin Wilde and Caleb Komolafe at the receiver and running back positions, now it's time to see how well he and his famous offensive coordinator can utilize them all with the eyes of the Big Ten Conference watching. 

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