Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings: 4th of July Weekend
Additions to the commit list for the Maize and Blue means the rankings go on the front page. There was a ton of action across the league (plus future member and Michigan recurring opponent), with only Purdue and Indiana not grabbing any new ones.
Action since last rankings:
6-28-10 Notre Dame gains commitment from Ben Councell. Northwestern gains commitment from Matt Frazier. Illinois gains commitment from Reilly O'Toole.
6-29-10 Michigan gains commitments from Jack Miller and Kevin Sousa. Northwestern gains commitment from Zack Oliver. Wisconsin gains commitment from Derek Landisch.
6-30-10 Ohio State gains commitment from Nick Vannett. Nebraska gains commitment from Nicklas Sade. Iowa gains commitments from John Raymon and Ray Hamilton. Minnesota gains commitment from Samuel Oyenuga. Illinois gains commitment from Justin DuVernois.
7-1 Iowa gains commitment from Jake Rudock. Michigan State gains commitment from Joel Heath.
7-2-10 Ohio State gains commitment from Ron Tanner. Penn Satte gains commitment from Shawn Oakman.
| Big Ten+ Recruiting Class Rankings | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | School | # Commits | Rivals Avg | Scout Avg | ESPN Avg |
| 1 | Ohio State | 17 | 5.75 | 3.71 | 79.18 |
| 2 | Notre Dame | 12 | 5.64 | 3.50 | 73.17 |
| 3 | Nebraska | 13 | 5.62 | 3.08 | 70.46 |
| 4 | Michigan | 7 | 5.69 | 3.14 | 78.14 |
| 5 | Michigan State | 7 | 5.54 | 3.00 | 76.29 |
| 6 | Indiana | 18 | 5.49 | 2.33 | 72.11 |
| 7 | Iowa | 8 | 5.50 | 2.00 | 69.70 |
| 8 | Northwestern | 7 | 5.53 | 2.43 | 68.29 |
| 9 | Purdue | 5 | 5.34 | 3.00 | 70.00 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 6 | 5.42 | 2.00 | 65.67 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | 5 | 5.44 | 2.20 | 64.40 |
| 12 | Illinois | 6 | 5.27 | 2.17 | 60.50 |
| 13 | Penn State | 2 | 5.60 | 2.50 | 76.50 |
Rivals rankings have been converted to their "RR" scale, which is on a scale from about 5 to about 6.1. Unrated prospects are given a 5.1 rating, on par with the worst of any Big Ten commit last year. Scout is on the 5-star system, and ESPN uses grades out of 100.
| #1 Ohio State - 17 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Michael Bennett | DT | 6.0 | 4 | 80 |
| Braxton Miller | QB | 5.9 | 5 | 84 |
| Kenny Hayes | DE | 5.9 | 4 | 78 |
| Steve Miller | DE | 5.8 | 5 | 84 |
| Nick Vannett | TE | 5.8 | 4 | 80 |
| Brian Bobek | OL | 5.8 | 4 | 79 |
| Chase Farris | DE | 5.8 | 4 | 79 |
| Jeremy Cash | S | 5.8 | 3 | 80 |
| Evan Spencer | WR | 5.7 | 4 | 81 |
| DerJuan Gambrell | CB | 5.7 | 4 | 77 |
| Jeff Heuerman | TE | 5.7 | 3 | 80 |
| Joel Hale | DT | 5.7 | 3 | 79 |
| Chris Carter | OL | 5.7 | 3 | 78 |
| Devin Smith | WR | 5.7 | 3 | 76 |
| Ron Tanner | S | 5.6 | 4 | 78 |
| Tommy Brown | OL | 5.6 | 3 | 78 |
| Antonio Underwood | OL | 5.6 | 3 | 75 |
Buckeyes pick up a couple highly-rated guys to stay atop the heap.
| #2 Notre Dame - 12 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Ben Koyack | TE | 5.9 | 5 | 81 |
| Matt Hegarty | OL | 5.9 | 4 | 83 |
| Eilar Hardy | S | 5.8 | 4 | 79 |
| Jordan Prestwood | OL | 5.7 | 4 | 80 |
| Jarrett Grace | LB | 5.7 | 4 | 78 |
| Tony Springmann | OL | 5.7 | 4 | 78 |
| Conor Hanratty | OL | 5.6 | 4 | 76 |
| Brad Carrico | OL | 5.6 | 3 | 77 |
| Clay Burton | DE | 5.6 | 3 | 79 |
| Ben Councell | DE | 5.6 | 3 | NR |
| Matthias Farley | CB | 5.5 | 3 | 77 |
| Kyle Brindza | K | NR | NR | NR |
Notre Dame picks up a commit and moves ahead of Nebraska on the basis of average ranking. They have a better average by all three services.
| #3 Nebraska - 13 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Tyler Moore | OL | 5.9 | 4 | 78 |
| Bubba Starling | QB | 5.8 | 4 | 81 |
| Jamal Turner | QB | 5.8 | 4 | 81 |
| Ryne Reeves | OL | 5.8 | 4 | 79 |
| Ryan Klachko | OL | 5.8 | 4 | 78 |
| Tevin Mitchell | CB | 5.8 | 3 | 79 |
| Zach Sterup | OL | 5.8 | 3 | 78 |
| Kevin Williams | DT | 5.7 | 3 | 79 |
| Dylan Admire | OL | 5.6 | 3 | 77 |
| Daniel Davie | S | 5.5 | 2 | NR |
| Aaryn Bouzos | CB | 5.4 | 2 | 76 |
| Daimion Stafford | S | NR | 3 | NR |
| Nicklas Sade | K | NR | NR | NR |
Nebraska picks up a kicker, which actually brings their ranking down to #2, as they're passed by Notre Dame. When a of their commits are ranked, they could move back ahead.
| #4 Michigan - 7 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Brennen Beyer | DE | 5.8 | 4 | 79 |
| Delonte Hollowell | CB | 5.8 | 3 | 79 |
| Chris Rock | DE | 5.7 | 3 | 78 |
| Shawn Conway | WR | 5.7 | 3 | 78 |
| Greg Brown | CB | 5.7 | 3 | 77 |
| Kevin Sousa | QB | 5.6 | 3 | 78 |
| Jack Miller | OL | 5.5 | 3 | 78 |
Michigan picks up a pair of commits, helping keep them ahead of Michigan State. Don't be surprised if Sousa ends the year much more highly-rated.
| #5 Michigan State - 7 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Lawrence Thomas | LB | 6.1 | 5 | 80 |
| Connor Cook | QB | 5.7 | 2 | 76 |
| Onaje Miller | RB/Ath | 5.6 | 4 | 78 |
| Taiwan Jones | Ath/LB | 5.6 | 3 | 78 |
| AJ Sims | CB | 5.6 | 2 | 78 |
| Joel Heath | DE | NR | 3 | 76 |
| Paul Lang | TE | NR | 2 | 68 |
Spartans pick up an under-the-radar DE in Joel Heath.
| #6 Indiana - 18 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Raymon Taylor | CB | 5.8 | 3 | 77 |
| Zack Shaw | LB | 5.8 | 2 | 76 |
| Max Pirman | LB | 5.6 | 3 | 78 |
| Jake Reed | TE | 5.6 | 3 | 77 |
| Jalen Schlachter | TE | 5.6 | 3 | 75 |
| Ralston Evans | OL | 5.6 | 3 | 74 |
| Tre Roberson | QB | 5.6 | 2 | 76 |
| Nick Stoner | S | 5.5 | 3 | 74 |
| Kirk Harris | OL | 5.5 | 2 | 77 |
| Kyle Kennedy | LB | 5.5 | 2 | 76 |
| CJ Robbins | DE | 5.5 | 2 | 75 |
| Mark Murphy | S | 5.5 | 2 | NR |
| Kenny Mullen | CB | 5.4 | 3 | 74 |
| Mike Replogle | LB | 5.4 | 2 | 74 |
| Donte Phillips | DE | 5.4 | 2 | 74 |
| Jay McCants | WR | 5.4 | NR | NR |
| Shafer Johnson | DT | NR | 2 | 77 |
| Nick VanHoose | DB | NR | 2 | 74 |
Hoosiers still lead the way in number of commits, but their average ratings aren't so hot.
| #7 Iowa - 8 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Austin Blythe | OL | 5.8 | 3 | 79 |
| Ray Hamilton | TE | 5.7 | 3 | 79 |
| JaCorey Shepherd | WR | 5.6 | 3 | 78 |
| Jake Rudock | QB | 5.6 | 2 | 78 |
| Marcus Grant | WR | 5.6 | 2 | 76 |
| Henry Krieger-Coble | WR | 5.5 | NR | 78 |
| Austin Vincent | WR | NR | NR | NR |
| John Raymon | DE | NR | NR | NR |
Iowa had a couple big days in the middle of the week, but their average rating numbers didn't do so hot. Once all their commits are ranked, they should look much better.
| #8 Northwestern - 7 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Sean Cotton | S | 5.7 | 3 | 79 |
| Zack Oliver | QB | 5.6 | 3 | 78 |
| Jarrell Williams | CB | 5.6 | 3 | 76 |
| Shane Mertz | OL | 5.6 | 3 | NR |
| Matt Frazier | OL | 5.6 | 2 | NR |
| Mark Szott | TE | 5.5 | 2 | 77 |
| Max Chapman | DE | NR | NR | 78 |
Northwestern bumped past Purdue on total commits, even though their average ratings are slightly lower. Once their guys are fully ranked, this should look better.
| #9 Purdue - 5 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Russell Bellomy | QB | 5.5 | 3 | 78 |
| Robert Kugler | TE | 5.5 | 3 | 78 |
| Brandon Cottom | LB | 5.5 | 3 | 76 |
| Michael Rouse | DT | NR | 3 | 73 |
| Randy Gregory | DE | NR | 3 | NR |
Purdue stays behind Iowa on the basis of fewer commits with about the same averages. They slide behind Northwestern, because the 'Cats have about the same ratings among their top 5 commits, plus two more guys.
| #10 Minnesota - 6 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Tommy Olson | OL | 5.7 | 2 | 79 |
| Max Shortell | QB | 5.6 | 3 | 74 |
| Quinn Bauducco | LB | 5.6 | 2 | NR |
| Sam Rohr | TE | 5.4 | 2 | 74 |
| Jephete Matilus | LB | NR | 2 | 77 |
| Samuel Oyenuga | CB | NR | NR | NR |
Another week, another as-yet-unranked commitment for the Gophers.
| #11 Wisconsin - 5 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Jake Keefer | LB | 5.8 | 3 | 78 |
| Sam Arneson | TE | 5.7 | 2 | 78 |
| Austin Maly | TE | 5.5 | 2 | 76 |
| Eric Steffes | TE | NR | 2 | NR |
| Derek Landisch | LB | NR | 2 | NR |
Badgers are seriously forming a recruiting class composed entirely of tight ends and linebackers. Behind Minnesota on the basis of fewer commits with approximately equal averages.
| #12 Illinois - 6 Commits | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Zeph Grimes | S | 5.6 | 3 | 77 |
| Chris O'Connor | DE | 5.4 | 3 | 75 |
| Hunter Wells | OL | 5.3 | 3 | NR |
| Reilly O'Toole | QB | NR | 2 | 76 |
| Marquise Mosley | WR | NR | NR | NR |
| Justin DuVernois | K | NR | NR | NR |
The Illini are set for a big bump once all their commits are ranked.
| #13 Penn State - 1 Commit | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Rivals | Scout | ESPN |
| Shawn Oakman | DE | 5.8 | 3 | 77 |
| Kyle Carter | TE | 5.4 | 2 | 76 |
Slightly less lol Penn State, but still some.
Someone named Reilly O'Toole didn't go to ND?
I'm a big fan. So how did I miss it when did two DE's named Steve Miller, one a 5* and the other a 4*, join OSU? Are they brothers?
Whoops, the second one is supposed to be Vannett.
Am I the only one getting a bit nervous about what Brian Kelly might be able to do at ND with talent at a level that could only be dreamed of at Cinci?
I'd be nervous offensively, but he still hasn't shown much ability to coach up a defense. That obviously relies heavily upon assistant and position coaches, as Weiss's offenses (outside of the 3-9 season) were never the problem at ND. I think Kelly is a good coach, but scoring 30 and giving up 24 won't return ND to glory.
Because that's exactly what michigan is doing. Scoring points and cant stop anyone on offense.
No
However the Bearcats schedule is a little lighter then the ND schedule.
I think our ranking rise at the end of the summer after a few more commits we could have.
A Michigan recruit could rise in rank after committing to Michigan?
*sarcasm*
How can you go wrong with a QB named Bubba Starling?
(like the current administration does). It shows the osu & michigan ave ranking as only 3.7 to 3.17.......but Osu has TEN 4 or 5 star committments, while michigan has ONE. Its only Osu' larger overall number of recruits (17) that makes things seem closer than they are. We better win this year, or lessor recruiting classes will be the norm, and less talent will be a self fulfilling prophecy....
a 1/2 star advantage is significant. I'm sorry you don't perceive it to be so. Also, your mathematical and reasoning skills are suspect.
Ohio State.....TEN 4/5 star recruits......
Michigan....ONE
10 and 1....go play with those numbers
Coaches evaluate talent and select guys that fit their system. Look at teams like BYU, TCU, Utah and Boise St. as far as star rankings go. They shouldn't be able to stay on the same field as the "Big Boys" yet look what Utah did to Alabama to years ago and what Bose did to Oklahoma. The rankings are purely subjective as is talent evaluation after the upper etchelon guys. Some pan out and many don't. Watched the Penn St. spring game replay last night and announcers complimented JoePa on recruiting athletes. This is RR and staff's apparent strategy. Recruit true athletes and then put them in a position that will be most advantageous to themselves and the team. Win and we will get our share of 5 stars. Until then, we will develop the athletes we have with the help of Barwis and company.
I suppose you could look at all the 2-star/3-star guys at TCU, BYU, Utah, and Boise St. to point out that recruiting rankings don't mean anything . . .
. . . or you could point to the 2-star/3-star guys at Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Toledo, Southern Mississippi, Tulane, Akron, Memphis, Southern Mississippi, Middle Tennessee State, Rice, Tulsa, Colorado State, Louisiana Tech, Florida Atlantic, etc. and see that yeah, maybe recruiting rankings mean something.
If we ever go to mountain west or big sky conference, I think talking about their recruiting ranks would be relevant.
If you believe Utah will have as good a record in the next 6 years after joining the pac 10 compared to the prior 6 years with the same level of recruits, I would disagree.
It's nice to win an impressive bowl game (not saying otherwise) after 4-6 weeks of prep, but if you want to be a major conference and win week-in and week-out, you need the talent.
If you really want to see how much Michigan fans should be concerned about recruit rank, you should:
1. Only look at major conferences (SEC, Big 12, Big 10, Pac 10...)
2. Look at teams' records versus top 50 teams. I really don't care if UW beat 4 super weak non-con teams. And quite honestly, when UM is playing like a UM should, they would rarely lose to a team outside the top 50.
3. Average the prior 5 classes recruit ranks
4. See if there is a correlation b/n rank and record. And probably, more relevant to our fans, see if there's a correlation at the top end. I wouldn't care if there is no correlation for the 5th-11th rank teams. Not relevant to where UM wants to be.
The title of the article is Big Ten recruiting rankings. For some reason Notre Dame is ranked third. NOTRE DAME IS NOT IN THE BIG TEN!!
ND has been included in this ranking since the VB days many moons ago. It is a geographically, prestige, and competitive relevance.
Even if you are new around here - we play ND every year, and will for quite a while, so they are as relevant to a Michigan fan as any Big Ten team, for all intents and purposes.
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