Updated Big Ten classes in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings

It is not the Big Ten of old, anymore. The last decade has seen incredible change over the college football landscape, perhaps none more important than what the Big Ten has done over the past year.

USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington are all departing the PAC-12 Conference to head to the Big Ten in 2024. The recruiting footprint has never been bigger for the conference, and the impact could be immediate.

Below are the 18 Big Ten recruiting classes and where they rank in the 2024 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

1. Ohio State (93.073)

Breakdown: 3 five-stars | 12 four-stars | 4 three-stars | 19 total commits
Top Commit: Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, No. 1 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: The Buckeyes own the No. 2 class in the nation, behind only Georgia. Ohio State is the only Big Ten program with a committed five-star prospect — and the Buckeyes have three of them. In addition to Smith, the Buckeyes have pledges from Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius five-star defensive lineman Justin Scott and New Haven (Ind.) wide receiver Mylan Graham. The top six prospects in Ohio State’s class are all top-100 players, per the On3 Industry Ranking.

2. Michigan (91.286)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 17 four-stars | 10 three-stars | 27 total commits
Top Commit: Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller running back Jordan Marshall, No. 57 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Ranked behind its rival, Michigan checks in with the No. 6 class in the country. Georgia and Michigan lead the country with 17 four-star commits. Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day quarterback Jadyn Davis, the No. 66 overall player and No. 7 quarterback, sits atop the class next to Marshall. Rochester (Mich.) Adams tight end Brady Prieskorn follows as the No. 84 player and one of only three in-state recruits committed to the Wolverines.

3. Penn State (91.134)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 15 four-stars | 9 three-stars | 24 total commits
Top Commit: Belle Vernon (Pa.) athlete Quinton Martin, No. 43 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Penn State sits just behind the Wolverines at No. 8 nationally. All 15 of the Nittany Lions’ four-star commits rank inside the top 300 overall. 33% of the class comes from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Martin and Erie (Pa.) McDowell four-star interior offensive lineman Cooper Cousins, the top two players in the state, are both committed to James Franklin’s staff.

4. Oregon (90.974)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 13 four-stars | 8 three-stars | 21 total commits
Top Commit: Gardena (Calif.) Junipero Serra cornerback Dakoda Fields, No. 95 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Brand new to the Big Ten Conference, Oregon immediately jumps into the top 5 of the conference recruiting rankings. Fields headlines the group alongside three more top-150 prospects in Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances cornerback Ify Obidegwu, Forney (Texas) safety Aaron Flowers and Newport Beach (Calif.) wide receiver Jordan Anderson.

5. USC (90.513)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 10 four-stars | 5 three-stars | 15 total commits
Top Commit: Los Angeles (Calif.) Sierra Canyon wide receiver Xavier Jordan, No. 59 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: As the Trojans navigate the move from the Pac-12 to the Big Ten, Lincoln Riley and his staff still carry a top-15 recruiting class. USC lost the commitment of Modesto (Ca.) Central Catholic four-star offensive tackle Manasse Itete to Florida State at the end of July, but still hold pledges from 10 four-stars. Just 27% of USC’s pledges come from within the state of California, but that includes each of its top three recruits. In addition to Jordan, in-state prospects Long Beach (Calif.) Millikan four-star receiver Ryan Pellum and Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco four-star cornerback Marcelles Williams are committed to the Trojans.

6. Nebraska (88.813)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 6 four-stars | 18 three-stars | 24 total commits
Top Commit: Ainsworth (Neb.) tight end Carter Nelson, No. 56 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Nebraska has added seven of its 10 highest-ranked prospects in its class since June, highlighted by Nelson, the only top-100 overall player in the group. Three of the top 10 players in the class play for the same high school — Bellevue West — in Nebraska: four-star wide receiver Dae’vonn Hall, four-star quarterback Daniel Kaelin and three-star wide receiver Isaiah McMorris. The Cornhuskers’ class ranks No. 21 in the nation.

7. Wisconsin (88.575)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 5 four-stars | 15 three-stars | 20 total commits
Top Commit: Olney (Md.) Good Counsel running back Dilin Jones, No. 185 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: After just barely cracking the top 50 in the 2023 On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, Wisconsin currently sits at No. 22 in the nation for the 2024 cycle, though it’s still in the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. Jones, the Badgers’ latest commit, is now the highest-ranked prospect in the class for new head coach Luke Fickell.

8. Purdue (88.004)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 4 four-stars | 17 three-stars | 21 total commits
Top Commit: Cincinnati (Ohio) La Salle cornerback Koy Beasley, No. 114 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Under new head coach Ryan Walters, Purdue has made a significant leap in recruiting since a year ago. The Boilermakers finished No. 56 nationally in 2023 and are up to No. 27 in the 2024 cycle through early August. Beasley leads the way in this group, followed by top-300 recruits Lake Dallas (Texas) four-star wide receiver Keonde Henry, Midland (Texas) Lee four-star quarterback Marcos Davila and Naperville (Ill.) North four-star safety Luke Williams.

9. Iowa (87.342)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 18 three-stars | 20 total commits
Top Commit: Williamsburg (Iowa) linebacker Derek Weisskopf, No. 311 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: A pair of in-state commits lead the way for Iowa in its 2024 class. Weisskopf sits atop the class along with Winthrop (Iowa) East Buchanan four-star interior offensive lineman Cody Fox. Of the Hawkeyes’ 20 commits, 35% come from the state of Iowa.

10. Minnesota (87.231)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 21 three-stars | 23 total commits
Top Commit: Mukwonago (Wis.) offensive tackle Nathan Roy, No. 94 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: It has been a busy summer on the recruiting trail for PJ Fleck and Minnesota — spearheaded by Roy, the No. 1 player in Minnesota and No. 6 offensive tackle in the cycle. Esko (Minn.) Lincoln Secondary safety Koi Perich is the No. 308 player in the On3 Industry Ranking, but On3 rates the No. 2 player in Minnesota much higher at No. 144 overall.

11. Washington (87.206)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 4 four-stars | 8 three-stars | 12 total commits
Top Commit: Hesperia (Calif.) Oak Hills interior offensive lineman Paki Finau, No. 251 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Coming along with Oregon, USC and UCLA to the Big Ten in 2024, Washington sits just below the middle of the conference pack in the 2024 cycle. Finau leads the class along with blue-chip recruits Los Angeles (Calif.) Birmingham wide receiver Peyton Waters, Cleveland (Ohio) Villa Angela-St. Joseph defensive lineman Dominic Kirks and Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian wide receiver Justice Williams.

12. Rutgers (86.950)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 20 three-stars | 23 total commits
Top Commit: Riverhead (N.Y.) St. Anthony’s tight end KJ Duff, No. 292 in On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Rutgers is another program that has taken a respectable leap in the team rankings, even if it’s still in the bottom half of the Big Ten. Checking in at No. 36 nationally, the Scarlet Knights and coach Greg Schiano have jumped up from No. 59 in the 2023 cycle. Three of 23 commits come from New Jersey.

13. UCLA (86.602)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 9 three-stars | 11 total commits
Top Commit: Mission Viejo (Calif.) offensive tackle Mark Schroller, No. 345 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Also new to the Big Ten, UCLA sports what is currently the second-smallest class in the conference behind Northwestern. Schroller is one of two blue-chips committed to the Bruins along with Tyler (Texas) athlete Derrick McFall.

14. Michigan State (86.568)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 3 four-stars | 9 three-stars | 12 total commits
Top Commit: River Rouge (Mich.) wide receiver Nick Marsh, No. 118 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Of Michigan State’s three blue-chip commits, two come from within the state of Michigan. Marsh is a four-star receiver out of River Rouge, and Andrew Dennis is a four-star interior offensive lineman out of Mount Pleasant. Tampa (Fla.) Carrollwood Day four-star running back Anthony Carrie joined the Spartans’ class back in June.

15. Maryland (86.382)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 16 three-stars | 18 total commits
Top Commit: Orlando (Fla.) Evans safety Brandon Jacob, No. 163 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Recruiting the state of Maryland fairly heavily, Maryland has pulled in the Nos. 11, 14, 19, 31, 34 and 40 prospects from within the state. Baltimore (Md.) St. Frances running back DeJuan Williams joins Jacob as the other four-star to commit to the Terps.

16. Illinois (86.192)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 1 four-star | 16 three-stars | 17 total commits
Top Commit: Chandler (Ariz.) running back Ca’lil Valentine, No. 312 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Valentine is the sole blue-chipper to commit to the Fighting Illini. Five of Illinois’ 17 commits come from the state of Illinois, including La Grange (Ill.) Lyons Township three-star defensive lineman Eddie Tuerk.

17. Indiana (85.453)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 0 four-stars | 16 three-stars | 17 total commits
Top Commit: Madison (Ohio) Trotwood-Madison quarterback Timothy Carpenter, No. 817 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: Despite currently ranking No. 17 in the Big Ten, Indiana is still up slightly from its mark in the 2023 recruiting cycle. The Hoosiers are currently ranked No. 55, up from No. 62 a year ago. Carpenter headlines the class as the group’s signal-caller.

18. Northwestern (81.838)

Breakdown: 0 five-stars | 0 four-stars | 8 three-stars | 9 total commits
Top Commit: Northbrook (Ill.) Glenbrook tight end Pat Schaller, No. 878 in the On3 Industry Ranking
Summary: It has been an unpleasant summer in Evanston for Northwestern. Long-time head coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired on July 10 following hazing allegations. Since then, the Wildcats have lost six 2024 recruits once committed to Northwestern. Two of the Wildcats’ nine commits come from the state of Illinois.