Big Ten Spotlight: Three-stars to watch
Five- and four-stars are written about all the time but there are plenty of three-star prospects that have committed to programs across the country that could make an early impact. Here is a look at some across the Big Ten.
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LB D'Marion Alexander, Minnesota
Recruiting: Minnesota has had a lot of success with out-of-state prospects as 15 of its 17 commits are not from the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Alexander, one of those out-of-state grabs, picked the Gophers over a final four that also included Kansas, Texas Tech and TCU.
Farrell’s take: Alexander is a big get for Minnesota from Texas both literally and figuratively. He could be a rangy linebacker who rushes off the edge or easily grows into a defensive end with his hand in the dirt. He’s a good athlete, he’s versatile and he will help continue Minnesota's recruiting efforts in Texas.
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WR Pat Bryant, Illinois
Recruiting: Bryant chose Illinois over West Virginia earlier this month. The three-star wide receiver had 24 offers and is one of Illinois' six Florida commits.
Farrell’s take: It’s always important to add speedy skill position players from the Southeast for Big Ten programs and Bryant will fill a real need for the Illini. He’s tall and rangy but he can also work inside.
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DB Brandon Calloway, Purdue
Recruiting: Calloway committed to Purdue over Illinois and others in March without visiting the program. He had hoped to visit the program this spring but those plans were upended by the coronavirus pandemic. The Boilermakers have nine commitments but Calloway is the only pledge from the South.
Farrell’s take: Calloway wasn’t heavily recruited but he brings size and versatility to the table as a safety or cornerback. Purdue wants to get into the Southeast a little more and Calloway was a key get out of Georgia.
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LB Jake Chaney, Wisconsin
Recruiting: Chaney committed to Wisconsin over Indiana, Iowa State, Louisville, Michigan, Vanderbilt and others. He is the only prospect currently in the Badgers’ class from the state of Florida.
Farrell’s take: Chaney isn’t the biggest or longest linebacker but he’s very instinctual, he has a great work ethic and he’s from Florida, which will help the Badgers' efforts in the state. He may redshirt when he gets to campus, but his long-term production could be like that of Chris Orr.
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Michigan LB Jaydon Hood
Recruiting: Michigan, Minnesota and Miami were the three finalists for Hood, who made his commitment to the Wolverines in late May. He is the third pledge from the state of Florida, a state that has definitely been targeted by Michigan’s coaching staff during Jim Harbaugh’s tenure.
Farrell’s take: The next Devin Bush? That’s a bit heady but Hood is an athletic middle linebacker from Florida who plays like Bush and emulates his game. Michigan wants to recruit Florida as much as it can, and beating out Miami and Minnesota for Hood was big.
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LB Jaylen Johnson, Ohio State
Recruiting: Keeping players home and winning the state is important for any program and Ohio State has done a great job with local recruits including Johnson. The three-star prospect also held offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, Penn State and others involved.
Farrell’s take: Johnson is a key in-state grab for Ohio State. He is a big safety that will likely grow into a linebacker. Can he compete with the four- and five-stars on the Buckeyes' roster? Time will tell, but local gets like this often get overlooked yet produce well for Ohio State.
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OL Albert Reese, Rutgers
Recruiting: In late May, Reese committed to Rutgers over more than 15 offers including Arizona State, Iowa State, Kansas, Minnesota, Syracuse, West Virginia and others. He is one of four prospects on Rutgers’ commit list from the state of Florida.
Farrell’s take: Yes, skill position players from Florida are always important for Greg Schiano at Rutgers but a massive kid like this with a great ceiling is possibly more important. He is originally from Canada and only plays in Florida now, but it’s still a nice commitment from the Southeast. Reese could be the anchor of the Scarlet Knights' offensive line in a few years.
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DL Will Schweitzer, Nebraska
Recruiting: Under the Mike Riley regime, the Huskers targeted California prospects and landed some of them with marginal success. Scott Frost is back in the state hoping for better results with the commitment of Schweitzer. The three-star defensive lineman had more than 20 offers including Arizona State, Cal and others.
Farrell’s take: The ill-fated Calibraska movement under Mike Riley may have come and gone but that doesn’t mean Scott Frost won’t recruit California. Schweitzer is the first commit from the state in a few cycles for Nebraska and brings versatility to the table as a future outside linebacker who can also play with his hand in the dirt. He’s a big-time tackler.
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OL Beau Stephens, Iowa
Recruiting: Every Iowa commit is from the Midwest and eight are from the state of Iowa. Stephens is the lone pledge from Missouri, an important state for recruiting that has seen a lot of top talent leave in recent recruiting cycles. He had 14 total offers.
Farrell’s take: Iowa doesn’t have a great recruiting territory so the Hawkeyes need to take advantage of Midwest states like Missouri and beat Mizzou and others for highly coveted players. Stephens fits the bill and has the chance to be the next great tackle for the program down the line.
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Indiana WR Jordyn Williams
Recruiting: Williams had 17 offers but in the final days before his decision in mid-May, the three-star wide receiver was wavering between Indiana and Louisville.
Farrell’s take: Williams is a talented receiver from the Southeast and an important commitment for Indiana. He’ll be playing at Deion Sanders' school in Texas which gives Indiana a double whammy — a Georgia native who can help recruit kids in Texas as well.