Big Ten Breakdown: Class of 2017 prospects on the rise
Even with an accelerated recruiting calendar, there are still a handful of prospects every year who prove themselves worthy of Power Five offers only after their senior seasons of high school.
In the Big Ten, several of these types have gone on to have great success. Former Michigan State Spartan and current Washington Redskins starting quarterback Kirk Cousins was not offered until a week before National Signing Day, and, likewise, Minnesota’s leading tackler, Jonathan Celestin, was a late January offer.
Here are five class of 2017 prospects having big senior campaigns who are currently without a Big Ten offer, whom followers of the conference should get to know.
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Recruitment: The recruiting process started slow for Brown, and heading into his senior season he held just two offers, from Army and Coastal Carolina. Brown committed to Coastal Carolina at the start of fall camp. He hails from the same high school as Maryland running back Ty Johnson, so there are Big Ten connections here.
Evaluation: Listed as a three-star safety and the No. 24 prospect in the state of Maryland, it has been on offense where Brown has been the most electric as a senior, averaging better than 15 yards per carry and more than 20 yards per reception. His versatility and performance this season could make him a candidate for a late scholarship offer from a Power Five program.
Recruitment: Booth came into his senior year with offers from Ball State, Navy, Marshall and Eastern Kentucky. His first Power Five offer finally came in earlier this month from Pittsburgh, which was followed by one from Boston College a couple weeks later. Ohio State has offered Booth a preferred walk-on spot, and he visited Michigan two weekends ago.
Evaluation: Booth is a throwback to a bygone era of college football. Had he played when the wishbone and triple option were popular, the 235-pounder likely would have been the top back on a lot of teams' boards. Booth has rushed for 1,759 yards and 28 touchdowns through nine games this year, but because his style is that of a fullback in the era of the spread offense, teams are slow to offer. That first Big Ten offer, however, may be around the corner.
Recruitment: Bolden claims 14 offers. The ones from Power Five programs are Syracuse, Vanderbilt and Washington State. Vanderbilt is the most recent offer, coming just before the start of fall camp, and it'll host Bolden on his first official visit the weekend of Nov. 18. So far it is crickets from Big Ten programs even though Bolden lives in their backyard.
Evaluation: Bolden is a player we loved on junior season film. Several Power Five schools felt the same way, offering him this past offseason. The Big Ten, however, has been slow to come around, and it is unclear why. Bolden has the versatility to play linebacker or safety due to his size and athleticism. Through seven games this season he recorded 35 tackles and two interceptions.
Recruitment: Ellison holds a half-dozen offers, including five from the Mid-American Conference. The bulk of his Power Five interest has come from Indiana, though Boston College, Purdue, Pitt, Michigan State and Iowa State have all been in contact since Sept. 1. No official visits are planned yet and Ellison is taking his time to see what comes in.
Evaluation: After missing the bulk of his sophomore and junior seasons to injury, Ellison started to rise on the offseason camp and combine circuit where, among other accolades, he earned Running Back MVP honors at the Columbus Rivals Camp. To excel in a camp setting you have to be an exceptional athlete, and Ellison can do it all despite having the frame of a big back. Ellison has rushed for more than 1,230 yards and 18 touchdowns this season.
Recruitment: Lewis just landed his first scholarship offer from the Wyoming Cowboys, but it is unlikely to be his last. Other schools showing interest include Penn State, Buffalo and Illinois State, and he just made an unofficial visit to Iowa two weekends ago.
Evaluation: A converted basketball player, Lewis has demonstrated a football player’s aggressiveness in his breakout senior season. As a junior he played only a handful of snaps due to injury, but he has come on big this season. Lewis possesses ideal size for the tight end position, and most schools like him as a player who can stretch the field vertically while also providing a critical red zone target.
