As one would expect, Ohio State – off a pretty good run since Urban Meyer arrived in Columbus – is running like a well-oiled recruiting machine. Coaching changes, including the pivotal departures of Tom Herman and Stan Drayton, have not slowed down the momentum in Columbus, as Tim Beck and Tony Alford have stepped in without missing a beat on the recruiting trail. Nationally, Ohio State's 2016 class is ranked third at the moment, and it'd be a major surprise – almost a disappointment – if they finished outside of the top three come next February.
The rest of the Big Ten conference, dealing with their own coaching changes due to firings, unexpected departures and more, has started to pick up the pace, but can anyone catch up to Ohio State?
Last year's final rankings showed that once again, the Big Ten's rich are getting richer.
Let's take a look at who is where in the current Big Ten recruiting rankings.
14. PURDUE // LOL // ARE YOU KIDDING ME
Purdue does not have any commitments yet for 2016.
13. INDIANA // 1 COMMITMENT // 3.0 AVG STAR RANKING
As you can see, the Hoosiers are not off to a great start, despite a reasonably strong finish to their 2015 class, which finished ninth in the final rankings in February.
If you're going to start a class, a quarterback is a good place to begin, however, and Peyton Ramsey is one of Ohio's most underrated at the position and comes from a powerhouse program in Cincinnati Elder.
Kevin Wilson's program has been on the rise, and a strong draft showing from running back Tevin Coleman this week won't hurt.
12. IOWA // 2 COMMITMENTS // 3.00 AVG STAR RANKING
Perpetual Coach of the Year Kirk Ferentz has long made his mark on the Big Ten with solid coaching and development rather than big-time recruiting efforts, and he's off to another pedestrian start.
Three-star quarterback Nate Stanley is a nice get from neighboring Wisconsin, but a three-star quarterback and an unranked running back are not going to turn around a suddenly floundering football program. Ferentz and his Hawkeyes are going to need a big summer or risk a severe downward spiral.
11. NORTHWESTERN // 2 COMMITMENTS // 3.00 AVG STAR RANKING
It's April 28th and Pat Fitzgerald's recruiting class has already seen ups and downs. The Wildcats received a commitment from Tennessee quarterback Deuce Wallace on March 14th, and he decommitted from Northwestern on April 19th, flipping his pledge to Vanderbilt and leaving Fitzgerald's class without a headliner.
I'm a big fan of Nik Urban, and to be honest a big fan of Pat Fitzgerald, but as he continues his hardline stance on commits talking to other schools, taking visits to other schools, etc. he's going to find himself on the receiving end of more and more decommitments. There's a lot of talent in Illinois and Fitzgerald will have to do a better job of keeping the kids he can (due to strict academic standards) at home.
10. WISCONSIN // 4 COMMITMENTS // 2.75 AVG STAR RANKING
Paul Chryst's initial recruiting class at Wisconsin has been...well, not good. The Badgers lost out on two "sure thing" linebackers in Tristian Pipp and Tuf Borland, losing out on Pipp to MAC powerhouse Western Michigan.
Quarterback Karé Lyles is an excellent prospect from Arizona's premier program at Saguaro, and the Badger legacy has a Top 100 prospect younger brother in the 2017 class that he could help land. North Carolina running back Antonio Williams is another four-star running back that a legacy of greatness at the position helped land. For the Badgers, offensive tackle Ben Bredeson, a five-star prospect from Hartland, Wisconsin is a must get. Missing on Bredeson, whose brother plays baseball at Michigan, would be tough blow for Chryst's first full class to recover from.
9. ILLINOIS // 4 COMMITMENTS // 3.00 AVG STAR RANKING
The Illini surprised some when they decided to retain head coach Tim Beckman at the end of last season, but that commitment to Beckman has given the program a bit of needed continuity. So far that has paid off for Illinois, and if they can win a few games this fall, expect Beckman – known as a good recruiter – to capitalize on that goodwill.
Running back Kentrail Moran is the star of the class right now, and as another four-star, homegrown product, keeping him in the class is a vital piece of the puzzle for Illinois. Sandalwood (Jacksonville) quarterback Eli Peters is a nice snag from Florida as well. Kenney Lyke and other Illinois natives are what will make this class a surprise success, but Beckman is going to have to show proof of the program's revitalization.
8. RUTGERS // FOUR COMMITMENTS // 3.00 AVG STAR RANKING
It could have been a big recruiting year for Rutgers and head coach Kyle Flood. Unfortunately, huge New Jersey names like Kareem Walker and Jarrett Guarantano have already committed to other, non-Rutgersy schools, and players like Rashan Gary, Ahmir Mitchell and Jordan Fuller are likely to end up elsewhere.
Still, Flood is working hard to steal Dwayne Haskins, Jr. from Maryland and the Scarlet Knights are still working hard to keep New Jersey's best in the state. Flood's reputation among recruits is excellent, and with a few key home games on the docket this fall, they could move up this list with one or two key pledges.
7. NEBRASKA // THREE COMMITMENTS // 3.33 AVG STAR RANKING
Another first year Big Ten coach, Nebraska's Mike Riley has brought a lot of enthusiasm to the Cornhuskers program but it's not yet translated to much success in recruiting.
The Huskers program has been on the precipice of real success the last few years, but the decision to remove the wildly popular (and controversial) Bo Pelini may have put Riley in a tough spot recruiting-wise. Still, he's reeled in the best player from Big Ten rival Iowa's home turf in John Raridon, the country's top-ranked offensive guard. Known for his quarterbacks during his time at Oregon State, Riley will no doubt be on the search for a big-timer at the position to buoy his class this summer. Can the new staff get back to Nebraska's tradition of Texas recruiting? That will be a key for the Huskers.
6. MINNESOTA // SIX COMMITMENTS // 3.16 AVG STAR RANKING
Jerry Kill's recent on the field success at Minnesota has started to turn into some big recruiting wins for the Gophers. Minnesota landed Carter Coughlin, a four-star linebacker from the shadows of Minneapolis, who picked the maroon and gold over Ohio State. They've also picked up a commitment from four-star Illinois offensive lineman Sean Foster, a player Ohio State had hoped to see this summer at camp.
The Gophers have a great man in charge of the program, excellent new facilities and should continue their strong start through the summer.
5. MARYLAND // SEVEN COMMITMENTS // 3.00 AVG STAR RANKING
Much like Rutgers, the 2016 recruiting cycle for Maryland relies heavily on keeping their in-state stars home. The Terrapins lost out on Terrell Hall, the big-time defensive end who committed to Ohio State, but they're still in the mix for Dwayne Haskins, Jr. and Trevon Diggs, who claim they will attend the same school.
Linebacker Keandre Jones reaffirmed his pledge to Maryland a few weeks ago after a brief flirtation with Ohio State and others, and wide receiver Darryl (DJ) Turner could be one of the most underrated players in the country, drawing appropriate comparisons to my favorite 2015 wide receiver, Texas A&M freshman Christian Kirk. If Randy Edsall can convince Haskins, Diggs and defensive tackle Ellison Jordan home, the Terps should stay in the upper tier of the Big Ten's recruiting rankings.
4. MICHIGAN // SIX COMMITMENTS // 3.50 AVG STAR RANKING
After a slow start to the 2016 recruiting class, Jim Harbaugh's impact is starting to have an affect in Ann Arbor. Tackle Erik Swenson has been committed to Michigan for what feels like a decade now, and he's a key anchor to the class and will protect Indiana quarterback Brandon Peters.
For Harbaugh's class to really take off, he'll need to continue taking back the state of Michigan, and he's off to a good start, adding running back Matthew Falcon recently. Players like Dez Fitzpatrick, Khalid Kareem, Michael Jordan, Thiyo Lukusa and Donnie Corley, Jr. – all from Michigan – could propel this class into a top 10 group nationally by next February.
3. MICHIGAN STATE // SEVEN COMMITMENTS // 3.29 AVG STAR RANKING
Michigan State is coming off a big recruiting weekend that propelled them all the to way third in the Big Ten's rankings.
The Spartans class is led by a pair of wide receivers, Justin Layne and Cameron Chambers, each of whom held a Buckeye offer. Quarterback Messiah deWeaver looks to be a vital cog and is taking his role as class leader and recruiter very seriously, focusing on a number of players targeted by Ohio State, such as the aforementioned Lukusa, Jordan and Corley. Matthew Allen, a center from Hinsdale, Illinois is – and I might need to fact check this – the 86th person in his family who will suit for the Spartans. Expect another big year on the field from Michigan State and with that, continued success on the recruiting trail.
2. PENN STATE // SIX COMMITMENTS // 3.66 AVG STAR RANKING
As long as James Franklin is in charge of a college football program, you can expect that team to near the top of its respective conference in recruiting. Franklin's energetic and often pressure-packed approach continues to be successful in the Big Ten and he's on the verge of another excellent class.
Detroit cornerback Lavert Hill will be a battle to the end, but Franklin's dominance in Pennsylvania and along the eastern seaboard has put Penn State in a great spot moving forward. The interesting dynamic to watch here is the encroaching success of new Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi, who is making a serious push for running back Miles Sanders and others in the Keystone State. Michal Menet, Cary Angeline, Andrew Pryts and Philadelphia's Karamo Dioubate are all leaning towards the Nittany Lions and they've made strides with a number of national prospects as well. This could be a defining class for Franklin's Penn State legacy.
1. OHIO STATE // 12 COMMITMENTS // 4.00 AVG STAR RANKING
It's a good time to be a Buckeye.
It's going to get better, too.
