Big Ten recruiting has all but wrapped up this spring as the late signing period came to a close on Wednesday. Here’s a rundown of the top classes and best signings in the conference. Our model (explained below) tends to overweight volume so we’ve bolded the five classes that have the best ‘average stars’ measure.
Ohio State touts the conference’s best class while Maryland and Purdue add the two highest rated players to the mix. Read below for the rankings, the top ten incoming prospects and class by class breakdowns.
Rankings
| Rk | 247 | School | # | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | Avg | Ave | Cml | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 (10) | Ohio St. | 5 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 3.80 | 3.95 | 129.52 | 1820 | |
| 2 | 11 (48) | Minnesota | 5 | 3.20 | 3.40 | 3.20 | 3.20 | 3.25 | 121.35 | 1880 | |
| 3 | 2 (16) | Illinois | 4 | 3.75 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 3.75 | 3.63 | 102.90 | 1350 | |
| 4 | 3 (17) | Michigan St. | 3 | 3.67 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 3.67 | 3.83 | 96.84 | 1070 | |
| 5 | 5 (34) | Nebraska | 5 | 3.20 | 3.20 | 3.00 | 3.20 | 3.15 | 93.73 | 1475 | |
| 6 | 9 (45) | Wisconsin | 5 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.20 | 3.05 | 91.61 | 1465 | |
| 7 | 4 (26) | Indiana | 3 | 3.33 | 3.67 | 3.67 | 4.00 | 3.67 | 90.73 | 1025 | |
| 8 | 6 (36) | Purdue | 3 | 3.67 | 3.67 | 4.00 | 3.67 | 3.75 | 89.96 | 1005 | |
| 9 | 13 (81) | Iowa | 6 | 3.00 | 2.67 | 2.83 | 2.83 | 2.83 | 89.41 | 1625 | |
| 10 | 9 (45) | Rutgers | 5 | 3.20 | 2.60 | 2.80 | 3.40 | 3.00 | 88.06 | 1420 | |
| 11 | 8 (41) | Penn St. | 3 | 3.00 | 3.33 | 3.33 | 3.33 | 3.25 | 81.25 | 975 | |
| 12 | 12 (59) | Northwestern | 3 | 3.33 | 3.00 | 3.33 | 3.33 | 3.25 | 76.67 | 920 | |
| 13 | 7 (39) | Maryland | 2 | 4.00 | 3.50 | 3.50 | 4.50 | 3.88 | 73.55 | 660 | |
| 14 | 14 (104) | Michigan | 1 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 2.00 | 2.00 | 3.00 | 38.83 | 280 |
Commit List
- Aug 2, 2014 – Purdue adds commitment from Grant Weatherford
- Aug 10, 2014 – Iowa adds commitment from Ahmad Wagner
- Aug 22, 2014 – Minnesota adds commitment from Dupree McBrayer
- Aug 31, 2014 – Nebraska adds commitment from Glynn Watson
- Sep 4, 2014 – Rutgers adds commitment from Corey Sanders
- Sep 5, 2014 – Minnesota adds commitment from Jonathan Nwankwo
- Sep 10, 2014 – Indiana adds commitment from Juwan Morgan
- Sep 12, 2014 – Minnesota adds commitment from Jarvis Johnson
- Sep 21, 2014 – Wisconsin adds commitment from Alex Illikainen
- Sep 22, 2014 – Nebraska adds commitment from Edward Morrow
- Sep 23, 2014 – Illinois adds commitment from Jalen Coleman-Lands
- Sep 25, 2014 – Michigan State adds commitment from Matt McQuaid
- Oct 13, 2014 – Northwestern adds commitment from Aaron Falzon
- Oct 15, 2014 – Indiana adds commitment from O.G. Anunoby
- Oct 15, 2014 – Wisconsin adds commitment from Charlie Thomas
- Oct 20, 2014 – Maryland adds commitment from Jaylen Brantley
- Nov 2, 2014 – Iowa adds commitment from Isaiah Moss
- Nov 6, 2014 – Rutgers adds commitment from Kejuan Johnson
- Nov 9, 2014 – Rutgers adds commitment from Justin Goode
- Jan 6, 2015 – Nebraska adds commitment from Jack McVeigh
- Jan 29, 2015 – Ohio State adds commitment from Jaquan Lyle
- Feb 12, 2015 – Wisconsin adds commitment from Khalil Iverson
- Mar 16, 2015 – Iowa adds commitment from Christian Williams
- Mar 27, 2015 – Maryland adds commitment from Diamond Stone
- Apr 2, 2015 – Rutgers adds commitment from Jonathan Laurent
- Apr 4, 2015 – Indiana adds commitment from Thomas Bryant
- Apr 5, 2015 – Michigan adds commitment from Moritz Wagner
- Apr 14, 2015 – Nebraska adds commitment from Bakari Evelyn
- Apr 20, 2015 – Iowa adds commitment from Dale Jones
- Apr 23, 2015 – Minnesota adds commitment from Ahmad Gilbert
- Apr 27, 2015 – Rutgers adds commitment from Deshawn Freeman
- May 11, 2015 – Wisconsin adds commitment from Andy Van Vliet
- May 15, 2015 – Minnesota adds commitment from Jordan Murphy
- May 18, 2015 – Jonathan Nwankwo decommits from Minnesota.
- May 19, 2015 – Caleb Swanigan commits to Purdue.
Top 10
Here are the top ten signing in the conference measured by average rank as well as our rating system. Ohio State leads the way with three top ten additions while Diamond Stone and Caleb Swanigan are the top ranked prospects headed to the conference.
| Name | Rating | Avg Rank | School |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Stone | 100 | 6.5 | Maryland |
| Caleb Swanigan | 100 | 17.8 | Purdue |
| Thomas Bryant | 96.3 | 22.0 | Indiana |
| Deyonta Davis | 95.0 | 28.5 | Michigan State |
| Jalen Coleman-Lands | 95.0 | 36.5 | Illinois |
| Jaquan Lyle | 93.75 | 40.7 | Ohio State |
| Daniel Giddens | 91.25 | 50.3 | Ohio State |
| Austin Grandstaff | 92.5 | 53.3 | Ohio State |
| D.J. Williams | 92.5 | 54.8 | Illinois |
| Brevin Pritzl | 90.0 | 68.0 | Wisconsin |
Ohio State
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Giddens | C | GA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Austin Grandstaff | SG | TX | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| A.J. Harris | PG | OH | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Jaquan Lyle | PG/SG | IN | 5 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Mickey Mitchell | SF | TX | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
OSU adds Jaquan Lyle to the conference’s top recruiting class.
Minnesota
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Dorsey | PG | VA | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Ahmad Gilbert | SF | PA | 3 | 3 | NR | 3 | ||
| Jarvis Johnson | PG | MN | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Dupree McBrayer | SG | NJ | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Jordan Murphy | SF | TX | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Large class for Minnesota is highlighted by 4-star PG Kevin Dorsey.
Illinois
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jalen Coleman-Lands | SG | IN | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Aaron Jordan | SG | IL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Darius Paul | PF | IL | 3 | NR | NR | 3 | ||
| D.J. Williams | SF | IL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Illinois adds former Michigan target Coleman-Lands as well as JUCO Darius Paul who is the brother of former Illini star Brandon Paul.
Michigan State
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Ahrens | SG | OH | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Deyonta Davis | PF | MI | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Matt McQuaid | SG | TX | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
MSU adds Matt McQuaid to the fold. Biggest news though is the commitment and subsequent decommitment from 5-star Caleb Swanigan.
Nebraska
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bakari Evelyn | PG | MI | 3 | 3 | NR | NR | ||
| Michael Jacobson | PF | IA | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Jack McVeigh | SF | Australia | NR | 3 | NR | 3 | ||
| Edward Morrow | PF | IL | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Glynn Watson | PG | IL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Tim Miles lands his first consensus 4-star in Glynn Watson. Keanu Pinder who we showed in the 2015 class originally is now in the 2016 class.
Wisconsin
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Illikainen | PF | MN | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Khalil Iverson | SF | OH | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Brevin Pritzl | SG | WI | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Charlie Thomas | PF | MD | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Andy Van Vliet | PF | Belgium | NR | NR | NR | NR |
After losing 3 starters and 2 key back-ups Wisconsin loads up on a big class. Will it be enough to continue the streak of all top 4 finishes in the Big Ten under Bo Ryan?
Indiana
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O.G. Anunoby | SF | IN | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Thomas Bryant | C | IL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | ||
| Juwan Morgan | PF | IL | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Indiana adds much needed size to their front court with their 3 commits. Indiana also picked up a preferred walk-on in PG Harrison Niego but our rankings don’t include walk-on commits.
Purdue
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ryan Cline | SG | IN | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Caleb Swanigan | C | IN | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||
| Grant Weatherford | PG | IN | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Purdue lands a big commitment in the late signing period by adding Caleb Swanigan. Will there be enough minutes for he, Hammons and Haas?
Iowa
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew Fleming | SG | TN | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Brandon Hutton | SF | IL | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Dale Jones | PF | IA | 3 | NR | NR | 2 | ||
| Isaiah Moss | SF | IL | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Ahmad Wagner | SF/PF | OH | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Christian Williams | SG | IL | 3 | NR | NR | NR |
Iowa lands a big class but seems to be low on top tier talent.
Rutgers
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deshawn Freeman | SF/PF | NC | 4 | NR | NR | 4 | ||
| Justin Goode | SG | VA | NR | 2 | NR | 3 | ||
| Kejuan Johnson | SF | GA | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Jonathan Laurent | SF | FL | 3 | NR | 3 | 3 | ||
| Corey Sanders | PG | FL | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
Eddie Jordan has a big class headlined by highlight reel special Corey Sanders. Early commit Austin Burnette decommitted from the Scarlet Knights.
Penn State
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Josh Reaves | SG | VA | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | ||
| Mike Watkins | C | PA | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Deividas Zemgulis | SF | MD | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Northwestern
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jordan Ash | PG/SG | IL | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Aaron Falzon | PF | MA | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| Derek Pardon | PF | OH | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Northwestern goes after size during this recruiting cycle.
Maryland
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jaylen Brantley | PG | MA | 3 | NR | NR | 4 | ||
| Diamond Stone | C | WI | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Maryland adds the consensus top player entering the conference in Diamond Stone. JUCO PG Brantley is also added to the mix, but low numbers push this class down our rankings.
Michigan
| Name | Position | State | Rivals | Scout | ESPN | 247 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moritz Wagner | PF | Germany | 4 | 4 | NR | NR |
Michigan goes international for their only commitment in 2015 with German Moe Wagner. Brent Hibbits is also committed as a preferred walk-on.
Ranking Explanations
Every player is given a normalized score on a 100 point scale for each of the three major scouting services. That score breaks down like this:
| Player Score | |
|---|---|
| 100 = | 5* Player |
| 95 = | 4* and top 50 player |
| 90 = | 4* player not in top 50 |
| 85 = | Top 150 player or top 30 at position |
| 80 = | Top 40 at position |
| 75 = | Top 50 at position or 3* player unranked at his position |
| 70 = | Top 75 at position |
| 65 = | Top 100 at position or 2* player unranked at his position |
| 60 = | Top 300 player or 1* player unranked at his position |
| 50 = | Player who has no star rating or position ranking |
That much is relatively simple. Those scores are combined into two cumulative metrics: Class Average Score and Class Cumulative Score.
- Class Average Score (Ave): Average normalized scores by service multiplied by the square root of the number of commitments/3.25 (13 total scholarships over 4 years) as well as our additional factor the square root of average ranking over 3.
- Class Cumulative Score (Cml): Sum of all normalized score for all recruits based on all services
The system is far from perfect but we favor the current system to generate some sort of consistent, objective basis for comparing classes.
Special thanks to Trent Montemayor for compiling all of the data.
