Top-ranked Big Ten commits at each position in the 2026 class

After back-to-back College Football Playoff national titles, the Big Ten is making its presence felt on the recruiting trail in 2026.

Traditional powerhouses like Michigan and Ohio State are both pushing for top-10 classes, but it’s newcomers USC and Oregon who are supplanting some of the SEC’s premier programs atop the rankings. In total, four Big Ten teams currently sit inside the top 10 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, and another five help to round out the top 30. The best classes not only have plenty of depth, but top-end talent as well.

The league boasts five players who rank among the top-2 nationally at their individual positions and more than a half-dozen check in as five-star recruits. Below are the top-ranked commits by position pledged to Big Ten schools this cycle:

QB – Brady Smigiel (Michigan)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 140 NATL. (#9 QB)
School: Newbury Park (Newbury Park, CA)
The Skinny: An early commit to Florida State, Smigiel backed off that pledge back in January after the ‘Noles struggles on the field and some changes in the coaching staff under Mike Norvell. After looking at a handful of other programs early in the spring, he committed to the Wolverines in April over South Carolina, UCLA and a few other contenders.

RB – Savion Hiter (Michigan)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 8 (#1 RB)
School: Louisa County (Mineral, VA)
The Skinny: The nation’s No. 1 running back, Hiter drew offers from across the country and decided to take his recruiting process well into August. For most of the summer, it looked to be a battle between Tennessee and Michigan, with Ohio State and Georgia rounding out his top four. Sherrone Moore and Co. were relentless in their pursuit, and it ultimately paid off with him choosing U-M earlier this month over the Vols.

WR – Chris Henry Jr. (Ohio State)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 20 (#2 WR)
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
The Skinny: Henry, the son of former NFL player Chris Henry, has been committed to the Buckeyes for more than two years now. He blew up onto the national stage as a freshman in high school and has become a household name. After sitting out nearly all of junior season due to injury, he’s back and making plays for prep powerhouse Mater Dei. As for his recruitment, USC, Miami and Oregon have pursued him at different points but he’s shown no desire to move off his commitment yet.

TE – Mark Bowman (USC)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 15 (#1 TE)
School: Mater Dei (Santa Ana, CA)
The Skinny: A teammate of Henry’s at Mater Dei, Bowman has been considered the country’s top tight end for some time now. He’s drawn comparisons to another California native: Brock Bowers. And while Georgia was also very much interested in Bowman, along with Oregon, Texas and plenty of others, he chose USC in late May. His expected NIL/revenue-sharing contract will reportedly make him one of the highest paid tight ends in college football — as a freshman.

OT – Immanuel Iheanacho (Oregon)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 6 (#2 OT)
School: Georgetown Preparatory School (Baltimore, MD)
The Skinny: Eugene, Oregon, is a long ways from the Baltimore area, but Dan Lanning and Co. put on a herculean recruiting effort to land Iheanacho. Penn State, Auburn, Maryland, and LSU were among his notable other suitors, but it was the Ducks who won out after hosting him for an official visit in June. The massive 6’7, 380-pounder is one of four five-stars for Oregon this cycle.

IOL – Kevin Brown (Penn State)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 66 (#3 IOL)
School: Harrisburg (Harrisburg, PA)
The Skinny: Brown is a Pennsylvania kid through and through. And it didn’t take him very long to figure out where he wanted to play his college football. Way back in July 2024, he committed to the home-state Nittany Lions over dozens of other offers, including Georgia, Auburn, Alabama and Florida.

EDGE – Zion Elee (Maryland)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 1
School: St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, MD)
The Skinny: The frontrunner for the top overall recruit in the 2026 class doesn’t hail from California, Texas, Florida or any of the traditional powerhouse states. Instead, Elee comes by the way of Joppa, Maryland, a town with roughly 12,000 people about 40 minutes northeast of Baltimore. College programs from coast-to-coast want him, but in-state Maryland was the school who landed his commitment back in December 2024. Miami, Penn State and South Carolina are trying to change his mind, but he only plans to visit the Terrapins this fall.

DL – Tony Cumberland (Oregon)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 91 (#7 DL)
School: Willamette (Scottsdale, AZ)
The Skinny: Cumberland made his commitment decision back in September 2023 and has stuck with the Ducks for the entirety of his recruiting process. The 6-foot-4, 285-pounder is coming a junior season where he totaled 78 tackles, seven TFL, eight sacks and four more quarterback hurries. Given the Ducks’ penchant for developing defensive linemen, it wouldn’t be any surprise to see him as a standout for Lanning and Co. soon after he arrives at Oregon.

LB – Cincere Johnson (Ohio State)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 65 (#4 LB)
School: Glenville (Cleveland, OH)
The Skinny: Ohio State has made a living recruiting the Cleveland area, and Glenville is a major hotspot for them. Johnson is the latest in a long line of talented players to come out of that program, and while he considered Penn State, Alabama and a few other programs, the Buckeyes were always considered the heavy favorite to keep him home.

CB – Davon Benjamin (Oregon)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 43 (#6 CB)
School: Oaks Christian (Corona, CA)
The Skinny: California has been fertile recruiting ground during Lanning’s tenure in Eugene, and Benjamin is one of the top players that the state has to offer this cycle. USC, Michigan, Texas, Miami and and a few other programs were in the mix, but only the Longhorns, Wolverines and Ducks got official visits. After taking the month of July to mull his options, Benjamin committed to Oregon on August 2.

SAF – Jett Washington (Oregon)

Rivals Industry Ranking: No. 14 (#1 SAF)
School: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, NV)
The Skinny: One of the Ducks’ four five-star pledges, Washington teams up with Benjamin to create a lethal duo in the secondary. Playing for powerhouse Bishop Gorman in Nevada, he finished his junior campaign with 38 tackles, five interceptions and a handful of pass breakups. Already standing at 6’5 and 200 pounds, he will be a physical force on the back end of Tosh Lupoi’s defense.