Ranking Big Ten Programs by Recruiting Classes

National Signing Day has come and gone. As the dust settles, here’s an in-depth look at teams ranked by their recruiting class.

The Big Ten had a good recruiting cycle in 2017. They finished with five teams ranked in the Top 25, according to 247 Sports. The Ohio State Buckeyes, Michigan Wolverines and Iowa Hawkeyes were the lone teams to acquire five-star talent, signing eight total.

Despite that, the Big Ten still managed to upgrade in terms of the types of players they are getting. A lot of teams added depth on the offensive line while others added depth in the receiving core. With a few coaching changes within the conference, some teams may be in for a few surprises this season.

In terms of breakdown, the Illinois Fighting Illini, Indiana Hoosiers, Minnesota Gophers and Purdue Boilermakers were the lone teams to not obtain a a four-star recruit, according to 247Sports. The Wolverines signed a conference-high 30 players to their recruiting class. Despite that, the Ohio State Buckeyes still managed to finish with five five-star recruits to edge out the Wolverines total of two. Coach Jim Harbaugh and Coach Urban Meyer did their fair share of work on the recruiting trail this year to fill voids at key positions.

With spring right around the corner, some recruits will soon have a chance to show what they can do, even if for a brief moment before the fall. Here’s a look at the Big Ten programs ranked by recruiting classes.