Big Ten: Biggest remaining recruiting needs for each team

Two weeks ago we broke down what positions each Big Ten program was recruiting the best. This week we take a look at the biggest remaining position needs in the class of 2017 for each team.

RELATED: Top position groups for each Big Ten team

Biggest Remaining Need: Defensive line

Top Targets: Olalere Oladipo, Owen Carney, Alec Jackson

Notes: Illinois will take a big hit along the defensive line after this season due to graduation, and while young guys such as Jamal Milan may be stepping up to fill those roles, the Fighting Illini need to restock the trenches. New head coach Lovie Smith seems to be putting a majority of his focus on high three-stars and four-stars from the South and West, and it remains to be seen how effective he will be with that approach.

Biggest Remaining Need: Defensive line

Top Targets: Derrius Mullins, LeShaun Minor, Olalere Oladipo

Notes: With just three commitments in 2017, Indiana still has several position needs to fill. What the Hoosiers definitely need, though, are defensive linemen as they look to transition from the three-man front they ran under old defensive coordinator Brian Knorr into the four-man front they are expected to run under new coordinator Tom Allen. Indiana does have one defensive line commit from three-star Britt Beery, who could project to either end or tackle depending on his physical growth.

Biggest Remaining Need: Wide receiver

Top Targets: Maurice Bell, Shamond Greenwood, Eddie Lewis

Notes: Iowa is off to a fast start in the 2017 class, and has spent a good deal of time hovering around the Top 10 of the national rankings. Ten commits are already on board with running back, offensive line and defensive line settled. Where Iowa still needs to focus is wide receiver, though, because two will be graduating after this season and it only signed one in 2016. A close eye will be on Bell, who is expected to announce his commitment on June 10 with Iowa one of the top contenders.

Biggest Remaining Need: Offensive tackle

Top Targets: Marcus Minor, Andrew Stueber, Mekhi Becton

Notes: With their move to the Big Ten, the Terrapins recognized their need to bulk up along both the offensive and defensive lines. That also appears to be the route new head coach D.J. Durkin is going with offers. Defensive tackle is certainly a remaining need for the Terrapins going forward, but offensive line is probably more so with three-star Jordan McNair the only commit at the position thus far in 2017.

Biggest Remaining Need: Offensive tackle

Top Targets: Isaiah Wilson, Tedarrell Slaton, Robert Hainsey

Notes: Michigan is in on some big-time targets at wide receiver, but it landed six at the position last year so that is not as big of a need as offensive tackle, where it only landed one in 2016. The Wolverines have a commitment from three-star Ja'Raymond Hall, but need several more. They have been named as a leader by five-star Isaiah Wilson in the past, and are still considered the team to beat.

Biggest Remaining Need: Cornerback

Top Targets: Amir Riep, Ambry Thomas, Jamyest Williams

Notes: The Spartans have eight commitments already in 2017, the majority being on the offensive side of the ball. Cornerback is a position they do not have covered in this class, and they only signed one – Austin Andrews – in 2016. This will be the final season for starting cornerback Darian Hicks and depth is not great at the position. The good news for Michigan State is that it is in on several big-time cornerback prospects.

Biggest Remaining Need: Defensive line

Top Targets: Ellison Hubbard, Andrew Van Ginkel, Bobby Roundtree

Notes: It has been a string of misses on the defensive line over the last few classes that has pushed the need at that position onto the 2017 class. The Golden Gophers recruited three defensive linemen in the 2016 class, but were aiming for probably double that number with a roster made up primarily of upperclassmen. They recently saw one defensive lineman transfer and will lose starter Scott Ekpe to graduation following this upcoming season.

Biggest Remaining Need: Defensive tackle

Top Targets: Noah Elliss, Tyler Shelvin, Isaiah Johnson

Notes: Nebraska is off to a fast start in 2017 with four four-stars among its eight commitments. The Huskers have done very well recruiting the offensive skill positions, but still need help along the lines. Offensive tackle was a big need, but they added a commitment there on Sunday from Ohio three-star Matt Sichterman and are really looking to add two more defensive tackles to go along with current commit Deontre Thomas out of Oklahoma.

Biggest Remaining Need: Wide receiver

Top Targets: Jeremy Singleton, Kolby Taylor, Scott Nelson

Notes: Northwestern is already up to 12 commits in the 2017 class, and the focus going forward will be on the offensive skill positions. The Wildcats have particularly struggled at wide receiver the last few seasons and missed on a couple key targets at the position early in the 2017 recruiting cycle. They do not have a lot of offers out at the position but are looking at multiple athlete types that could play wideout.

Biggest Remaining Need: Wide receiver

Top Targets: Trevon Grimes, Donovan Peoples-Jones, Tyjon Lindsey

Notes: Ohio State raced out to the top recruiting class in 2017 early, and yet it still has room to improve. The Buckeyes do not have a true wide receiver commit in the class yet, and are major players for several big-time prospects including five-stars Grimes and Peoples-Jones. Four-star athlete commit Brendon White certainly could project to wide receiver, but he could also end up filling the linebacker role vacated by first-rounder Darron Lee.

Biggest Remaining Need: Linebacker

Top Targets: Nathan Proctor, Drew Singleton, Brelin Faison-Walden

Notes: Penn State does have a commitment from three-star Dylan Rivers at the linebacker position, but it missed on a few other top linebacker targets and is likely to sign at least three in the 2017 class with depth very thin at the position. The Nittany Lions could be considered the team to beat for Proctor, while Singleton recently attended the Blue-White game and Faison-Walden is likely to visit State College in a few weeks.

Biggest Remaining Need: Offensive tackle

Top Targets: Bryce Bailey, Ronald Rudd, Elliot Baker

Notes: The needs in West Lafayette are throughout the roster. Offensive tackle, though, remains a position in which the Boilermakers have not been able to develop reliable players. Their needs are immediate there and we will likely see them going the junior college route to get players who can step in immediately. Purdue is also losing several wide receivers after next year and it did not sign a tight end in 2016, but offensive tackle is the biggest among many needs.

Biggest Remaining Need: Linebacker

Top Targets: Louis Acceus, Drew Singleton, CJ Onyechi

Notes: Rutgers was hit by the departure of three starters at linebacker following the 2015 season, including underclassmen Steve Longa who declared early and then did not get drafted. The Scarlet Knights signed five linebackers in the 2016 class, but Elorm Lumor has already been moved to defensive end and it looks like Tyreek Williams may grow into that position as well. New head coach Chris Ash has nine commits early in 2017, and will be looking toward defense with most of his remaining spots.

Biggest Remaining Need: Safety

Top Targets: Jonathan Sutherland, Tariq Castro-Fields, Keontae Jones

Notes: This 2017 class is going to be a small one for the Badgers and they have already met a lot of their needs. Ten prospects are committed and this class may not get to 15 total with only 13 seniors expected to graduate. Wisconsin does not have a running back committed in this class, but could get away without taking one. Several new offers have gone out at safety and Paul Chryst appears set on using at least one of the remaining few spots at that position.