It was a disappointing signing day for the Big Ten conference as a whole, as many top recruiting targets opted for schools in the SEC, Big 12, and Pac 12 over the league that now houses the national title. Despite Ohio State winning the first ever College Football Playoff, Urban Meyer and the Buckeyes did not register a top five class, though they still landed the top recruiting class in the Big Ten.
Penn State was the only other Big Ten team in the top 25 with a class ranking of 14th in the country. Let’s take a look at highlights of the Big Ten classes.
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Champs Reload
A pair of five-star studs head the Buckeyes class in athlete Torrance Gibson and linebacker Justin Hilliard. Although listed as an athlete, Gibson is slated to be a quarterback in a program that already has three potential starters. Gibson is a natural play maker that can turn disasters into touchdowns. As far as pure athletic ability, Gibson is as good as any in the nation for the 2015 class. Hilliard is an outside linebacker that is a dominant blitzer that can wreak havoc in the opposition offensive backfield. Hilliard combines top rated strength and speed for the complete package.
Franklin Delivers
Second-year head coach James Franklin took full advantage of his program having the NCAA sanctions lifted from the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Franklin made his reputation at Vanderbilt with surprisingly good classes and is expected to be a recruiting machine at Penn State, where the recruiting grounds are fertile and academic restrictions less stringent. A pair of four-star tackles highlight the class in Sterling Jenkins and Ryan Bates. Another pair of four star players will fortify the Nittany Lions pass defense in cornerbacks Garnett Tayler and John Reid.
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Sparty On
Michigan State Spartans head coach Mark Dantonio is well regarded for taking lesser classes and building them up into elite teams and this year’s recruiting class is no different. A pair of four-star recruits, running back L.J. Scott and quarterback Brian Lewerke, headline a steady but unspectacular class. Scott will be a prototypical Dantonio running back that will bring a large capacity for work with a combination of speed and explosiveness off the line. Lewerke is a strong fundamental quarterback that, while not a natural runner, is elusive when facing a rush. Lewerke boasts a quick release and pinpoint accuracy.
The Life of Riley
New Nebraska head coach Mike Riley had the fourth best class in the Big Ten and ranked 31st in the nation. Riley did an outstanding job of not only keeping the class together after Bo Pelini’s firing, but then actually building upon it. Nebraska is in desperate need of defensive talent and Riley delivered the goods with four-star cornerback Eric Lee and defensive tackle Carlos Davis. Four-star athlete Avery Anderson could become a future running back for the Huskers but also has the potential to play in the defensive backfield.
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Chryst Salvages Badger Class
Wisconsin lost head coach Gary Andersen to the Oregon State Beavers after getting destroyed by Ohio State 59-0 in the Big Ten Championship Game. New head man and Madison native Paul Chryst arrived to save the day and the recruiting class. Much like Michigan State, Wisconsin is a program that may not get a boatload of five-star talent, but few programs develop the talent that they have better than the Badgers.
Four-star running back Bradrick Shaw heads the class and is likely to maintain the Badger tradition for excellence at that position. Shaw has superb cutting ability to elude defenders. Shaw has solid strength that will only serve to be developed into dominance by Wisconsin.
Harbaugh’s First Signing Day A Success
Jim Harbaugh’s first task as Michigan head coach was to salvage a recruiting class that was bleeding from defections after the firing of predecessor Brady Hoke. Harbaugh’s best win was in flipping four-star quarterback Zach Gentry from the Texas Longhorns. Another big win was four-star athlete Brian Cole, who has the potential to be the feature back on offense for the Wolverines. Cole combines a strength and speed with explosiveness off the snap.
