Conference recruiting battles and where these teams end up in the team recruiting rankings are always interesting to look at, especially as many of these programs are battling for the same players. Here is a look at some Big Ten teams that have done better on the recruiting trail in recent years and some who might be slipping.
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FACT OR FICTION: Michigan’s losses will be too much to overcome
CLASS OF 2021 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
CLASS OF 2022 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Position | Team | State
COVERAGE: Rivals Transfer Tracker | Rivals Camp Series
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THREE UP
Wisconsin
Overview: The Badgers have perennially been one of the best teams in the Big Ten - and one of those teams that has not received enough credit in recruiting, either. That might be changing as Wisconsin is third in the conference rankings behind only Ohio State and Michigan and its led by seven four-stars, including OL Nolan Rucci, DE T.J. Bollers and DB Braelon Allen, who reclassified from the 2022 class. The four-year trend line is all positive for Wisconsin as well as in the 2018 class it finished seventh in the Big Ten, then sixth the following year, fifth last year and now third.
Farrell’s take: I love the way the Badgers are recruiting and I feel that prospects are finally taking notice of their success. They aren’t a blueblood but they’ve been more successful on the field and they are a consistent power in the Big Ten. The wins on the road for Bollers and Rucci stand out in a big way and in-state recruiting is always consistent. The Badgers are a team to watch in a couple of years.
Iowa
Overview: Four recruiting cycles ago, Iowa had the seventh-best class in the Big Ten and then followed that up with a ninth-place and eighth-place finish in 2019 and 2020 but things are trending way up for the Hawkeyes again. Kirk Ferentz and his staff now has Iowa fifth in the conference rankings led by four-stars OLs David Davidkov and Connor Colby and LB Justice Sullivan. More than half of Iowa’s class are in-state prospects.
Farrell’s take: Iowa has been more aggressive on the recruiting front thankfully and Ferentz has become less stringent and willing to hang in more with recruits. This is a huge part of the recruiting game and sending players like Eno Benjamin away for old school policies just hurts in the end. Ferentz is still old school but changing his ways a bit and it’s helping.
Rutgers
Overview: There is not an incredible amount to get excited about over the last few years when it comes to Rutgers, but this recruiting class is a major step in the right direction. Former coach Greg Schiano is back in charge and after recruiting classes that finished No. 13, No. 12 and No. 14 in the conference, the Scarlet Knights currently sit at seventh. Three of the top-10 prospects in the New Jersey state rankings are committed to Rutgers and Schiano has done a great job with in-state players and dipping into Florida for top talent.
Farrell’s take: Things are on an uptick with Schiano and that’s no surprise as he is well respected and knows how to recruit the state of New Jersey. Will it make a difference on the field? It will eventually if he continues to have success as the recruiting between his stints at Rutgers was bad. Now it’s pretty solid.
THREE DOWN
Penn State
Overview: By no means is Penn State recruiting struggling - and James Franklin has actually had some of the best years in Rivals history dating back to 2002 with two second-place finishes and a third-place finish in the 2020 class. But the Nittany Lions are currently ninth in the conference rankings and a big close in the coming months will be needed for Penn State to shoot way higher. Its average star ranking is very good and with only 13 commitments, the Lions have a big opportunity ahead to close strong.
Farrell’s take: This is a small class for Penn State, so take that into consideration but they’ve lost a few key battles so far including the one for Rucci, who is a legacy. Penn State is doing fine in recruiting versus the rest of the Big Ten, but will need to step it up a bit on the national scale to get to the playoff. If only that guy Justin Fields stuck with his commitment, right?
Michigan State
Overview: The Spartans have seen a steady decline in their recruiting classes over the last four years and now first-year coach Mel Tucker is trying to rebuild the program while dealing with no official visits until at least Jan. 1. That’s a tough order especially in the Big Ten and especially with Michigan right down the road. Four years ago, Michigan State had the fifth-best class in the conference but that was followed by seventh- and ninth-place finishes. The Spartans are currently No. 10 in the Big Ten rankings and No. 5 in star average rankings, with two recent four-star commitments from New Jersey prospects RB Audric Estime and OL Geno VanDeMark.
Farrell’s take: This has a lot to do with the transition of coaches and a few issues off the field under Mark Dantonio, so Tucker is in a bit of a rebuild. The success has come in New Jersey so far but they need to hit Ohio and keep more elite prospects in Michigan to change this trend.
Purdue
Overview: Purdue has gone from rags to riches to rags over the last few recruiting cycles as Jeff Brohm continues to breathe life into the Boilermakers’ program. Four cycles ago, Purdue finished No. 11 in the conference but then that was followed up by fifth- and sixth-place finishes, two solid groups that could be important to a rebuild in West Lafayette. But Purdue currently finds itself last in the Big Ten team rankings with only 10 pledges and no four-star commitments, one of only two teams in the conference along with Illinois not to have one.
Farrell’s take: Again this is part of Purdue taking a small class but also missing out on some key targets. The recruiting landscape is as competitive as ever in Big Ten country and Purdue needs to get back on track winning to move the needle here with others having success, especially Notre Dame.
THE OTHERS
Overview: Ohio State has had the conference’s best class in three of the last four cycles. Michigan has not finished worse than fourth in that stretch including a No. 1 class and two top-two groups. Nebraska has stayed third or fourth in the last four cycles, Maryland has maintained a top-six or top-seven group except for one cycle and Minnesota has hovered around the low-middle throughout these four years as well.
Northwestern and Illinois have stayed around the lower end of the rankings and, strangely, as Indiana has improved on the field, its recruiting classes have gone from No. 10 and eighth three and four years ago to toward the bottom the last two cycles.
Farrell’s take: Ohio State is far and away the top dog in the Big Ten and the passing of the baton from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day has been seamless. Michigan continues to rank high but the Wolverines' strategy is puzzling and the focus on the Northeast will either boom or bust. Nebraska is doing a solid job under Scott Frost and the others mentioned just need more success on the field to take the next step.
