The 2025 recruiting class is mostly wrapped up now as some programs did really well, others not as much. Here is the Big Ten Report Card looking at the recruiting class for each program after National Signing Day.
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ILLINOIS
FULL LIST: ILLINOIS' 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
There is a lot to like about the class that Illinois put together. The team had a good year on the field and were rewarded for it with this class. Versatile defensive athlete Jershaun Newton and linebacker Grant Beerman are the only four-stars in the class. But quarterback Carson Boyd, tight end Logan Ferrell and wide receiver Brayden Trimble could all see the field early. The team got a late pickup with running back John Forster who feels like a Big Ten running back.
Grade: B-
INDIANA
FULL LIST: INDIANA'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Hoosiers have had a magical first season under coach Curt Cignetti. It didn’t fully translate onto the recruiting trail this year but I expect a big bounce next year. There are a lot of players with good developmental upside in the class. Defensive ends Triston Abram and Tyrone Burrus are good pieces for the defense. Seaonta Stewart Jr. is an intriguing do-it-all athlete coming to Bloomington.
Grade: C
IOWA
FULL LIST: IOWA'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
Coach Kirk Ferentz has an intriguing class heading to Iowa City. It’s not a big class with only 15 prospects. But the average star rating is the seventh-best in the conference. There are players in this class that we could see becoming all-conference level guys. Tight end Thomas Meyer looks like the next great one to be at Iowa. Legacy Iose Epenesa has a shot to play early. Linebacker Burke Gautcher is a great prospect. This class will outperform its ranking.
Grade: B
MARYLAND
FULL LIST: MARYLAND'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
Every year it feels like Maryland has a solid recruiting class. The DMV area of the country provides the program with good talent on a yearly basis. This year is no different. Four-star quarterback Malik Washington is the headliner of the class and a prospect that many programs attempted to flip. Virginia four-star linebacker Charlton Smith should make a quick impact on the team as well.
Grade: C+
MICHIGAN
FULL LIST: MICHIGAN'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Wolverines have been one of the most talked about teams in the country thanks to their great finish. Keeping five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood home gets a lot of headlines. But this class has two other five-stars with Nathaniel Marshall and Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng signed. It's another class that’s great in the trenches and defensively. That's the Michigan formula.
Grade: A
MICHIGAN STATE
FULL LIST: MICHIGAN STATE'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Spartans got one of the biggest surprises in the conference on National Signing Day. That’s because local three-star running back Jace Clarizio flipped his commitment back to Michigan State from Alabama. Coach Jonathan Smith clearly did a good job of identifying underrated recruits because they had to fight off other programs to keep a handful of guys. Keeping Aydan West away from Ohio State was a huge coup.
Grade: C
MINNESOTA
FULL LIST: MINNESOTA'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
Credit to coach PJ Fleck for going out to California to land four-star quarterback Jackson Kollock. The team also held onto the top prospect in the state, four-star Emmanuel Karmo after a push from other programs. It’s another developmental class for Fleck which is the way he likes it.
Grade: C-
NEBRASKA
FULL LIST: NEBRASKA'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Huskers' class looks a lot like what coach Matt Rhule wants his classes to look like. It’s deep and filled with players that are athletic with good testing measurables. The linebacker group of four-star Christian Jones, four-star Dawson Merritt and three-star Pierce Mooberry is very good. Four-star quarterback TJ Lateef was impressive each time I saw him.
Grade: B
NORTHWESTERN
FULL LIST: NORTHWESTERN'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Wildcats have to do this a little differently on the recruiting trail. They don’t have much in the way of NIL and the academic standards shrinks the pool of players that can come to the school. Texas wide receiver Braden Blueitt is a nice piece for the future offense. Caden O’Rourke is a defensive lineman I can see making plays for the team down the road.
Grade: C-
OHIO STATE
FULL LIST: OHIO STATE'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Buckeyes came into the day with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country but that didn’t hold. They suffered some late losses, most notably the flip of five-star Na’eem Offord to Big Ten foe Oregon. But it’s hard to knock a class led by the No. 1 overall player Tavien St. Clair and five-star cornerback Devin Sanchez.
Grade: A
OREGON
FULL LIST: OREGON'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Ducks finished National Signing Day with the No. 1 class in the Rivals team recruiting rankings. It's a terrific class top to bottom. The best way to see what type of recruiting operation they’ve become is the team signed four different five-star prospects. Wide receiver Dakorien Moore, safety Trey McNutt, offensive lineman Douglas Utu and defensive back Na’eem Offord. They are from Texas, Ohio, Nevada and Alabama. Dan Lanning can reach any part of the country and land prospects.
Grade: A+
PENN STATE
FULL LIST: PENN STATE'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
Coach James Franklin has another solid group of recruits coming to Happy Valley. Their class may lack the top-end star power but there is a lot to like in the class. The defensive back tandem of Daryus Dixon and Jahmir Joseph is a good one. Defensive athlete Chaz Coleman is a sleeper to watch.
Grade: B
PURDUE
FULL LIST: PURDUE'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Boilermakers are in an incredibly tough spot. Coach Ryan Walters was just fired and most of the commits had already fled the class. There was talk that no one would sign on Wednesday. But the team did sign six prospects including four-star defensive back Zyntraecs Otey. We’ll know much more about what this class looks like after they hire a new coach, see what can be done in the late period and hit the portal hard.
Grade: Incomplete
RUTGERS
FULL LIST: RUTGERS' 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
Coach Greg Schiano had this class off to a hot start but things slowed down the closer we got to signing day. Still, this is a pretty good class of players heading to play for him. There are a trio of four-stars in the class. Defensive back Renick Dorilas, defensive lineman Braxton Kyle and offensive lineman Jaelyne Matthews are the jewels of the group. Ohio tight end Ben Rothhaar could be a sleeper to watch too.
Grade: C
UCLA
FULL LIST: UCLA'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Bruins were a bit of a pleasant surprise this cycle. Coach DeShaun Foster was able to get five different four-star prospects signed this cycle. So there is some top-end talent coming to Westwood. That’s the good news. The not so good news is that it’s not a very big class but we assume they will be active in the transfer portal. Quarterback Colton Gumino could end up being a steal for the Bruins out of Illinois.
Grade: C
USC
FULL LIST: USC'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Trojans get major credit for the come from behind win to land five-star defensive lineman Jakheem Stewart. The story of this cycle for the Trojans isn’t a good one though. Just two of the top 15 players in California are signed with USC. That’s not a formula for long-term success.
Grade: B-
WASHINGTON
FULL LIST: WASHINGTON'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Huskies’ class is headlined by the potential dynamic linebacker duo of Jonathan Epperson and Zaydrius Rainey-Sale. The team did get some good news on signing day when four-star wide receiver Marcus Harris joined the class. It’s a solid first full class for coach Jedd Fisch to build on as he put his stamp on the program.
Grade: C
WISCONSIN
FULL LIST: WISCONSIN'S 2025 RECRUITING CLASS
The Badgers put together a sneaky good recruiting class this cycle. New Mexico linebacker Mason Posa is one of the best kept secrets in the country. The defensive back group is among my favorites coming into the Big Ten. Four-star offensive lineman Cam Clark was a great pull out of Michigan. Coach Luke Fickell had to have a good class and he got one.
Grade: B
