Big Ten football recruiting primer: 18 thoughts on 18 teams in the critical month of June (2024)

Recruiting moved to the forefront last weekend as programs across the country started hosting high-profile recruits on official visits.

Where do teams in the expanded Big Ten stand six-plus months before the early signing period? Here is one thought on each team in the league.

Illinois

National rank: 51
Number of commits: 6
Average player rating: 86.75

There has been a bit of variance, but Illinois has typically been in the 45 to 55 range in the national recruiting rankings over the last decade. So though it’s still early, this is probably where the Illini will end up in December — from a team ranking and an average player rating. The most interesting subplot with Illinois is its pursuit of four-star edge rusher LaJesse Harrold, a Tampa, Fla., native who ranks No. 120 nationally. The Illini offered Harold in mid-May, and he’s visiting campus this weekend. Outside linebackers coach Clint Sintim was hired in March after a four-year stint at Virginia and is the key recruiter for Harrold, who will also take visits to UCF, LSU and Texas A&M, per 247Sports.

Indiana

National rank: 29
Number of commits: 10
Average player rating: 86.69

This is Curt Cignetti’s first full recruiting cycle after being hired in late November. He collected most of his nine commitments in the early part of this year but added a pledge from three-star corner Jaylen Bell on Monday. The headline visitor last weekend, though, was five-star quarterback Julian Lewis, a USC commit who has a long-standing relationship with Hoosiers quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri. It’s unlikely Lewis will sign with Indiana, but it’s still a positive sign that the new staff was able to get him on campus.

@CCignettiIU saw Production Over Potential.. I am 100000% committed to the NEW Indiana University @CoachTSunseri @CoachOjong @CoachEddie2 @CoachMeehanF #IUFB pic.twitter.com/y9U1A2eib5

— Jaylen Hollywood Bell (@4problem_) June 1, 2024

Iowa

National rank: 48
Number of commits: 7
Average player rating: 87.81

The Hawkeyes have never been the flashiest recruiting program — it’s more about evaluation and development. Iowa’s 2025 class includes two blue-chip prospects — tight end Thomas Meyer from Iowa and linebacker Carson Cooney from Illinois. The top-rated player in the state is four-star offensive tackle Nick Brooks (No. 170 overall), who has Iowa in his top six. It’s the third straight year the top player in the state is an offensive lineman. In the 2023 cycle, five-star Kadyn Proctor flipped from Iowa to Alabama during the early signing period, and in 2024, four-star Grant Brix was a late bloomer who ultimately signed with Nebraska. We’ll see whether the state’s top recruit ends up at Iowa this time around.

Maryland

National rank: 43
Number of commits: 7
Average player rating: 87.04

Mike Locksley was hired in part to elevate Maryland’s recruiting profile. That hasn’t really happened as he enters his sixth season on the job. There were 14 blue-chip prospects in Maryland last recruiting cycle — the Terrapins signed just two of them. There are 10 blue-chippers in the state in the 2025 class, and Maryland has yet to land a pledge from any of them. That’ll have to change if Locksley is going to upgrade the Terrapins’ talent.

Michigan

National rank: 46
Number of commits: 5
Average player rating: 92.14

It’s difficult to project Michigan in the 2025 cycle. We don’t know much about Sherrone Moore’s recruiting vision, and there are questions about the coaching staff from a recruiting perspective. The Wolverines have landed just two commitments since Moore took over — four-star defensive lineman Nathaniel Marshall and four-star offensive tackle Avery Gach. So it seems likely the line of scrimmage will still be a major point of emphasis. It’ll be worth checking back at the end of June to see how much progress Michigan has made with this class after it hosts a slew of highly rated prospects.

Michigan State

National rank: 58
Number of commits: 5
Average player rating: 86.93

Like several other teams in the Big Ten, the Spartans aren’t the sexiest recruiting program but have been at their best when they evaluate and identify under-the-radar prospects and develop them into solid players. Jonathan Smith did that extremely well at Oregon State, landing players from California and Texas to turn the Beavers into a 10-win program. Will those same traits translate to a new region that he doesn’t have much experience in after spending most of his career out West? That remains to be seen. It is worth noting that none of the Spartans’ five commitments ranks in the top 500 nationally.

Minnesota

National rank: 40
Number of commits: 7
Average player rating: 87.57

Minnesota has done a solid job of keeping some of the best players in-state. P.J. Fleck and his staff have signed at least one blue-chipper from Minnesota in the last four cycles, and they have a commitment from four-star edge rusher Emmanuel Karmo, the only blue-chip prospect in the state in the 2025 class. The Golden Gophers went to California for their quarterback, landing a pledge from Jackson Kollock, a top-500 national prospect from Laguna Beach. Karmo and Kollock are scheduled to visit this weekend.

I appreciate all the schools that have recruited me through this process. It’s been an amazing process for sure but with that said, I have made my decision. @77williehoward @TPatt17 @Coach_DeBo46 @Coach_Fleck @AllenTrieu #RTB #AGTG pic.twitter.com/59GfaSsvFH

— Emmanuel Karmo (@EmmanuelKarmo28) April 13, 2024

Nebraska

National rank: 35
Number of commits: 8
Average player rating: 87.45

The Cornhuskers have been a top-25 recruiting program for most of the past decade. During his first full cycle, Matt Rhule signed the No. 18 class in the country. Nebraska’s 2025 class includes just one blue-chip commitment — four-star quarterback TJ Lateef. The Cornhuskers’ 2024 class consisted of eight blue-chip signees, so Rhule and his staff have some ground to make up over the next six months.

Northwestern

National rank: 29
Number of commits: 11
Average player rating: 85.79

This is David Braun’s first real recruiting cycle, so we’ll soon gain a better grasp of his methods. Northwestern has typically finished in the top 50 nationally, but its 2024 class ranked 80th amid a wild cycle that included an abrupt coaching change. With Braun now installed as coach on a full-time basis, it shouldn’t be as much of an uphill battle. There’s more stability within the program, and we’re seeing that pay off on the recruiting trail. The Wildcats pickedup seven commitments in May. Marquet Dorsey Jr., a three-star corner, is the highest-rated player of the bunch. Braun has Northwestern in a good position to get the program back on track.

Ohio State

National rank: 2
Number of commits: 13
Average player rating: 94.92

The Buckeyes are second in the national rankings, but it’s clear they have the best class in the country. All 12 commitments are blue-chippers, and half of the class ranks in the top 60 nationally. And the average player rating of 94.85 is the highest in the country. The secondary is the strength of the class, but the position worth watching is the offensive line — the biggest area of need on Ohio State’s roster. Four-star in-state offensive tackle Carter Lowe has been committed since January. Can the Buckeyes add more to the group, most notably five-star tackle David Sanders Jr.? Four-star tackles Jackson Lloyd, Micah DeBose and Josh Petty are slated to visit this month as well. It’s tough to nitpick Ohio State, but the offensive line is still an area where it could use a boost.

Oregon

National rank: 22
Number of commits: 7
Average player rating: 94.23

The Ducks’ national ranking is relatively low because they have only seven commitments. The average player rating speaks for itself. Oregon’s class includes four top-150 prospects, and the Ducks have been one of the best closing programs under Dan Lanning, so you know they’ll add to that by December. Oregon has been nationally relevant in recruiting for a while, but now it feels as though the program can land any prospect.

Penn State

National rank: 9
Number of commits: 13
Average player rating: 89.56

The Nittany Lions are in the top 10 of the national rankings, but can they stay there? James Franklin has signed only two top-10 classes in his decade at Penn State. This program always produces a solid amount of talent but can’t get over the hump against Ohio State and Michigan. The Nittany Lions need to reach another level. This 2025 class is good, but the average player rating is only 19th nationally, so there’s a need for more elite-level talent. Franklin and staff will be hosting several top-100 players this weekend.

Purdue

National rank: 52
Number of commits: 6
Average player rating: 86.22

Ryan Walters had an impressive first full recruiting cycle with a 2024 class that ranked 27th nationally — the program’s second top-30 haul since 2010. Included in that class were four-star quarterback Marcos Davila and Tarrion Grant, a top-100 cornerback who reclassified from the 2025 cycle. Purdue’s 2025 class consists of just six commitments. The Boilermakers do, however, have their quarterback, and, like Davila, it’s another native Texan in Sawyer Anderson.

Rutgers

National rank: 11
Number of commits: 18
Average player rating: 86.85

It would be hard to find a program that has been more active in the first few days of June than the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers landed a whopping 10 commitments after hosting official visitors last weekend. Three-star offensive lineman N’Kye Wynn, No. 436 overall, was one of those commitments and is the highest-rated player in the Scarlet Knights class. The No. 11 national ranking stands out, but that’s mostly based on the number of commitments as opposed to the star power. It’s clear Greg Schiano and his staff came in with a plan to build a solid chunk of the class early, but we’ll see whether they can add some blue-chip prospects to the bunch. All 18 commits are three-star prospects.

UCLA

National rank: 32
Number of commits: 8
Average player rating: 88.46

The Bruins haven’t signed a top-25 class since the 2018 recruiting cycle. The struggles were largely a product of Chip Kelly’s lack of emphasis on high school recruiting. DeShaun Foster took over in mid-February with a much different philosophy and has been far more active on the high school front, especially locally. The Bruins landed a commitment from four-star QB and top-100 prospect Madden Iamaleava in late May. That’s a solid centerpiece for UCLA’s 2025 class. If Foster can finish with a top-25 class this cycle, that would be a solid first step in his tenure (especially if the season goes as poorly as some might expect), but there is still plenty of work to be done to re-establish the Bruins’ recruiting brand.

USC

National rank: 4
Number of commits: 12
Average player rating: 92.30

The Trojans have two five-stars committed in the 2025 class — Lewis and defensive lineman Justus Terry — after failing to sign one in the 2024 cycle. Those are two of the five top-100 players in USC’s top-heavy 2025 class. But four of those five are out-of-state prospects, and those can be difficult to hold on to. Can the Trojans weather the storm when other high-profile programs put on the full-court press in the summer and fall? And what can the staff do to add to the class? USC will host several high-profile prospects this weekend and the weekend of June 21.

Washington

National rank: 62
Number of commits: 5
Average player rating: 88.40

The Huskies rank last in the Big Ten in recruiting, but it’s far too early — in the cycle and in Jedd Fisch’s tenure — to make any judgments about the program. Fisch wasn’t hired until mid-January, which put the staff in a tough spot for the 2025 class. Receiver Raiden Vines-Bright, an Arizona native who plays at IMG Academy in Florida, is the Huskies’ only blue-chip commitment so far. They’ll host several highly rated prospects over the next few weeks, and they’re the only West Coast program still in the mix for California’s top recruit — five-star corner Dijon Lee.

Wisconsin

National rank: 16
Number of commits: 13
Average player rating: 88.10

The Badgers bolstered their class with a recent commitment from four-star tackle Logan Powell. A blue-chip offensive lineman choosing Wisconsin isn’t a surprise given the program’s track record at the position. What’s interesting is that Powell plays at Brophy Prep in Phoenix. Now that Big Ten programs will have a natural tie to the West Coast, will it benefit programs like Wisconsin and others that typically don’t land prospects from that region? We’ve already seen it a bit at quarterback — Nebraska, Minnesota and Michigan State all have commitments from Southern California natives.

(Photo: Barbara J. Perenic / The Columbus Dispatch / USA Today)

Antonio Morales covers USC football for The Athletic. Previously, he spent three years at the Clarion Ledger in Mississippi, where he covered Ole Miss for two seasons and Jackson State for another. He also spent two years covering preps for the Orange County Register and Torrance Daily Breeze. Follow Antonio on Twitter @AntonioCMorales