Big Ten Spotlight: Early Signing Period predictions
MORE: Five weird things from Week 8
The Big Ten does not appear to be in the discussion for the overall team recruiting rankings title, with just one class currently ranked in the top 10 nationally. However, there are plenty of big storylines developing in the final months before the December Signing Period hits.
PROGRAM THAT WILL SURPRISE: Indiana
There are several Big Ten programs that need to rally down the stretch to salvage their 2019 classes, but not all are likely to do so. Half of the conference currently sits at 15 or fewer commitments, with Illinois, Maryland and Rutgers ranked at the bottom of the standings and all having 11 or fewer commitments. Indiana had just one commitment in this 2019 class to start the month of June, but has hit its recruiting stride this fall and is moving up the Big Ten leaderboard.
Just how well does Tom Allen's program have it rolling right now? Well, when was the last time the Hoosiers flipped a commitment from Ohio State like they did earlier this month with four-star running back Sampson James? That was the second four-star commitment for the Hoosiers since the season started and they are still in the hunt for others, like in-state prospects David Bell and Cameron Williams. The highest Indiana has finished in the Big Ten team recruiting rankings since the league expanded to 14 teams was seventh, but it is are currently ninth in 2019 and less than 300 points out of fourth place with anywhere from five to seven spots still to fill before the signing period ends.
PROGRAM THAT WILL DISAPPOINT: Wisconsin
The roster in Madison does not experience the turnover most college programs see, so year after year Paul Chryst and his staff seem to have a more limited number of scholarships to work with then their Big Ten brethren. The 2019 class will again have trouble reaching 20 total signees, and just 14 of those spots are spoken for at this time.
The Badgers seem to be limping to the finish line, which is disappointing for a class that started with such promise last fall after commitments from Rivals100 prospects Graham Mertz and Logan Brown. Wisconsin's only commitment since the season started was flipping three-star tight end Clay Cundiff from Kansas, but those were the Wichita native’s only two Power Five offers. This past weekend the Badgers hosted two-star linebacker Mohamed Toure, a Rutgers commitment. The Badgers would like to fill their remaining few spots with prospects like four-star Rodas Johnson and high three-stars Nick Jackson and Bryce Benhart, but seem to be settling for Plan B-types as the clock ticks down to the December signing period.
BIG TEN RECRUITING CHAMPION: Penn State
Am I really picking against the eight-time defending champion?!? Ohio State has been atop the Big Ten team recruiting rankings every year since 2010, but this 2019 class has been a unique one for the Buckeyes with a summer situation that resulted in a suspension for Urban Meyer and a month-long period of recruiting stagnation.
Currently Michigan stands atop the Big Ten team recruiting rankings, but the Wolverines have already passed the 20-commit threshold and each additional commit only replaces commits previously counted. Penn State, however, sits less than 100 points behind the Wolverines and has just 17 commitments, while Ohio State is in third place with 14 commitments.
While a small number of commitments means there is a lot of opportunity for Ohio State, the Buckeyes would have to rally for an impressive stretch recruiting run to make it nine-straight titles. Penn State has three more commitments, but the Buckeyes would have to average 110 points for each of their next three commitments to be on even terms with the Nittany Lions. That is the equivalent of a 5.8 four-star with some added Rivals250 bonus points for each – certainly within the realm of possibility, but not close to a sure thing.
The Buckeyes have acknowledged that they are not where they want to be on some top targets via recent offers. Offensive line, and specifically offensive tackle, is one of those positions, with recent offers going out to three-star Midwest prospects JD Duplain and Nick Broeker, who are committed to Michigan State and Ole Miss, respectively. Penn State, meanwhile, counts Rivals100 prospects like Mark-Antony Richards, Noah Cain and Jalen Curry among their top remaining targets and has a full complement of scholarships available to complete the task.
