Big Ten Breakdown: Sophomores already on the radar
While college governing bodies discuss ways to slow down the recruiting process, the pace of early scholarship offers continues to ramp up. When the month of September had closed, 75 class of 2019 prospects – current high school sophomores – held offers from Big Ten schools.
Taking out the prospects who have already been established as national guys with offers from everywhere, here is a look at seven class of 2019 prospects most heavily recruited by Big Ten programs.
Big Ten offers: Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State
Comments: With 13 offers to his credit, Dobbs is starting to become a national recruit. Being in the heart of Big Ten country, though, he certainly qualifies when talking about the most heavily and important class of 2019 prospects for the conference. Four of those 13 scholarship offer come from Big Ten schools, including one he landed from Ohio State after attending its Friday Night Lights camp. The offseason allowed Dobbs to generate a lot of buzz, dominating upperclassmen at several events around the country. The offensive tackle prospect also gained 30 pounds since his freshman season and now weighs in at 270 pounds.
Big Ten offers: Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers
Comments: Alfano also earned his Ohio State offer at the Buckeyes' Friday Night Lights camp. It is one of four from the Big Ten he has landed. His first offer, though, came in from Rutgers before he ever played a down of high school football. Penn State offered in June and Maryland was his most recent offer, tendered last week. Alfano’s Bergen Catholic program has sent a number of players onto the Big Ten over the years, but interestingly four of the last five to sign with Big Ten programs have gone to Northwestern. We will have to see if the Wildcats up Alfano’s Big Ten offer count in the future.
Big Ten offers: Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Rutgers
Comments: Lee is starting to become a national prospect as well, but half of his eight offers thus far have come from the Big Ten. Three of his first four offers came in from Maryland, Michigan and Rutgers, with Nebraska being one of his more recent offers. Additionally, Ohio State is among the schools showing interest that have yet to offer. He lists no leaders in his recruitment, which is not surprising given that he has more than two years before he can sign a national letter of intent. Lee primarily plays linebacker, but already 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds he could eventually outgrow the position by the time he reaches college.
Big Ten offers: Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin
Comments: Coleman turned heads all off-season with his play on the camp and combine circuit. The 5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect’s game resembles another St. Louis-area slot receiver prospect in the 2017 class, Rivals100 four-star Jeff Thomas. Through six games this season, Coleman tallied 38 receptions for 448 yards and two touchdowns. Coleman has seen his offer count rise to six schools, with the two most recent coming from Big Ten programs Nebraska and Wisconsin. Additionally, he attended a camp at Ohio State in June which drew strong reviews from the Buckeyes' coaching staff and put him on the program's radar.
Big Ten offers: Iowa, Purdue, Rutgers
Comments: Douglass is the son of former Kentucky wide receiver Maurice Douglass, who these days is better known as one of the most successful high school coaches in Southwest Ohio. He has sent dozens of players to the college level, first as the head coach at Trotwood-Madison High and, most recently, at Springfield High. Like his father, Moses is plying his trade in the defensive backfield. His father’s alma mater has offered, but so have three Big Ten programs. In August, Douglass listed two of those schools – Iowa and Rutgers – among the early offers that stand out.
Big Ten offers: Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin
Comments: Brown is part of a talented 2019 class at East Kentwood High that also includes defensive lineman Mazi Smith, who, like Brown, holds a Wisconsin offer. It was at that Wisconsin camp back in June the buzz on Brown started to build. The Badgers offered immediately, with Illinois, Michigan and a pair of MAC programs following suit. Brown returned to the Badger State for the opening weekend of the college football season to see Wisconsin beat LSU at Lambeau Field. He also attended Michigan’s Sept. 24 home game and saw Notre Dame in-person this fall as well.
Big Ten offers: Michigan, Michigan State and Rutgers
Comments: Despite living in the heart of SEC country, three of Hinton’s first four scholarship offers have come from Big Ten programs. But, maybe that should not be surprising considering his father is a native of Chicago who played college football for Northwestern. The Wildcats have not yet offered, but Michigan, Michigan State and Rutgers have. Hinton saw the two Great Lakes State schools during the opening weekend of the college football season, stopping by Michigan State before attending Michigan’s opener against Hawaii. He also has a younger brother, Myles Hinton, who is a class of 2020 offensive tackle prospect who already holds a Georgia offer.