While Michigan is still waiting on Harbor, and Ohio State is probably waiting on a couple highly ranked players, and other Big Ten teams may be waiting on who knows, the Big Ten 2023 recruiting classes are more or less signed.

Here’s a look at how the Big Ten signees stack up by position group.  Here’s the top six players at each position group to sign with a Big Ten team.  Plus, I added where all the Michigan players rank, even if outside the top 6.  Apologies if I overlook any commits from any team.

(I am using 247sports composite rankings and also using their position definitions.  Note, I’m not going to try to figure out where each “athlete” will ultimately play in college, so I’ll just list the top 6 at the made up 247 “athlete” position as well.)

QB

1. Lincoln Kienholz- Ohio State – 4*
2. Sam Leavitt- Michigan State- 4*
3. Jaxon Smolik- Penn State- 3*
4. Cal Swanson- Illinois- 3*
5. Marco Lainez- Iowa- 3*
6. Ryan Browne- Purdue- 3*

       No Michigan QBs in 2023 class

RB

1. Cole Cabana- Michigan- 4*
2. London Montgomery- Penn State- 4*
3. Darius Taylor- Minnesota- 4*
4. Marquese Williams- Minnesota- 3*
5. Nate White- Wisconsin- 3*
6. Benjamin Hall- Michigan- 3*

 

WR

1. Brandon Inniss- Ohio State- 5*
2. Noah Rogers- Ohio State- 4*
3. Carnell Tate- Ohio State- 4*
4. Karmello English- Michigan- 4*
5. Bryson Rodgers- Ohio State- 4*
6. Carmello Taylor- Penn State- 4*

 

7. Semaj Morgan- Michigan- 3*
8. Fredrick Moore- Michigan- 3*

 

TE

1. Jelani Thurman- Ohio State- 4*
2. Andrew Rappleyea- Penn State- 4*
3. Joey Schlaffer- Penn State- 4*
4. Brennan Parachek- Michigan State- 4*
5. Deakon Tonielli- Michigan- 4*
6. Chico Holt- Northwestern- 3*

 

Offensive Tackle

1. J’Ven Williams- Penn State- 5*
2. Stanton Ramil- Michigan State- 4*
3. Evan Link- Michigan- 4*
4. Trevor Lauck- Iowa- 4*
5. Miles Walker- Ohio State- 3*
6. Gunnar Gottula- Nebraska- 3*

 

Interior OL

1. Alex Birchmeier- Penn State- 4*
2. Luke Montgomery- Ohio State- 4*
3. Joshua Padilla- Ohio State- 4*
4. Austin Siereveld- Ohio State- 4*
5. Amir Herring- Michigan- 4*
6. James Durand- Wisconsin- 4*

 

7. Nathan Efobi- Michigan- 4*

 

Edge

1. Bai Jobe- Michigan State- 4*
2. Joshua Mickens- Ohio State- 4*
3. Rico Walker- Maryland- 4*
4. Jameial Lyons- Penn State- 4*
5. Princewill Umanmielen- Nebraska- 4*
6. Ta’Mere Robinson- Penn State 4*

 

17.  Aymeric Koumba- Michigan- 3*

 

Defensive Line

1. Jason Moore- Ohio State- 4*
2. Enow Etta- Michigan- 4*
3. Andrew Depaepe- Michigan State- 4*
4. Jalen Thompson- Michigan State- 4*
5. Will Smith- Ohio State- 4*
6. Kayden McDonald- Ohio State- 4*

     9. Roderick Pierce- Michigan- 3*

    11. Brooks Bahr- Michigan- 3*

 

Linebacker

1. Tony Rojas- Penn State- 4*
2. Jordan Hall- Michigan State- 4*
3. Arvell Reese- Ohio State- 4*
4. Kaveion Keys- Penn State- 4*
5. Nigel Glover- Northwestern- 4*
6. Semaj Bridgeman- Michigan- 4*

    14. Hayden Moore- Michigan- 3*

    16. Breeon Ishmail- Michigan- 3*

 

Cornerback

1. Calvin Simpson-Hunt- Ohio State- 4*
2. Jermaine Mathews- Ohio State- 4*
3. Jyaire Hill- Michigan- 4*
4. Zion Tracy- Penn State- 4*
5. Amare Snowden- Wisconsin- 4*
6. Chance Rucker- Michigan State- 3*

 

7. Cameron Calhoun- Michigan- 3*

     21. D’Juan Waller- Michigan- 3*

 

Safety

1. King Mack- Penn State- 4*
2. Elliot Washington- Penn State- 4*
3. Malik Hartford- Ohio State- 4*
4. DaKaari Nelson- Penn State- 4*
5. Jayden Bonsu- Ohio State- 4*
6. Cedric Hawkins- Ohio State- 4*

No Michigan Safeties in the 2023 class

Athlete

1. Malachi Coleman- Nebraska- 4*
2. Kaden Feagin- Illinois- 4*
3. Braedyn Moore- Wisconsin- 4*
4. Mathias Barnwell- Penn State- 4*
5. Jason Hewlett- Michigan- 3*
6. Zack Marshall- Michigan- 3*

    10. Kendrick Bell- Michigan- 3*

 

Kicker

1. Nicholas Radicic- Indiana- 3*
2. David Olano- Illinois- 3*
3. Tristan Alvano- Nebraska- 3*
4. Adam Samaha- Michigan- 3*

(no other Big Ten kickers ranked)

Punter

1. Declan Duley- Illinois- 3*
2. Caleb McGrath- Minnesota- 2*

(no other Big Ten punters ranked)

 

Long Snapper

1. Jake Eldridge- Rutgers- 3*

(no other Big Ten LS ranked)

 

Highest rated decommits from Big Ten Teams

1. Kadyn Proctor-5*- Iowa to Alabama
2. Raylen Wilson- 4*- Michigan to Georgia
3. Tomarrion Parker- 4* - Penn State to Georgia
4. Dijon Johnson- 4*- Ohio State to Florida
5. Jaylon Braxton- 4*- Michigan State to Arkansas
6. Andrew Rappleyea- 4*- Michigan to Penn State

 

7. Collins Acheampong- 4* Michigan to Miami

(That’s as far as the 247 decommit rankings go.  Michigan also lost 4* Joel Starlings, who signed with North Carolina)

 

Observations-

The conference’s weakest position group seems to be QB: only two 4* QB recruits in the whole conference.  The strongest position group is probably the Interior O Line.  The top 6 IOL all rank in the top 16 nationally.

No team has a top 6 representative in all position groups (excluding special teams.)  Ohio State does not have a RB or ATH in the top 6.  Penn State does not have a DL in the top 6.  Michigan didn’t place a recruit in the top 6 of QB, Edge, or Safety.

Penn State has a 5* OT and # 1 IOL in the 247 rankings (a high 4*).  Small but good O – Line haul. 

The top 5 decommits from Big Ten teams all signed with SEC schools.  Someone in the Big Ten needs to knock the SEC off its perch…Perhaps on January 9th.

Position Groups where all top 6 recruits were 5/4*- WR, IOL, Edge, DL, Linebacker, Safety.  The Big Ten 2023 recruiting classes seem to be deeper on the defensive side of the ball.

Michigan, OSU, and PSU clearly recruit at a higher level than the rest of the league.  These three teams compose 61% of the players listed in my arbitrary top 6 rankings.  If you ignore the special teams rankings, then the Big 3 compose 65% of the players in these rankings.

Every Ohio State signee made the top 6 of their respective position group.  Cedric Hawkins (6th ranked safety) barely made it.  Penn State had four of the top 6 safeties until Conrad Hussey flipped to Florida State on the second day of the early signing period.  Now, OSU and PSU each have three of the top 6 safety commits in the conference.

In scrolling through these position rankings, I see Maryland, Nebraska, Illinois, and Michigan State having the crystal ball leads on several recruits who have not signed.  Several of these guys would make their respective top 6 if they ultimately sign with a Big Ten team.

The decommit rankings do not include Malachi Coleman, who decommitted/recommitted to Nebraska.  He would have been ranked 3rd highest decommit.

No Junior College incoming recruit made the top 6 of their respective position group.  The highest rated JC player entering the Big Ten is Keyshawn Blackstock, 4*, who signed with Michigan State.  He is the 7th highest rated Interior OL entering the Big Ten this year.

Ohio State has the top ranked player in 5 position groups.  Penn State has the top ranked player in 4 position groups.  Michigan leads in one position group (RB), as does MSU (Edge).

Every team in the Big Ten has at least one representative in a position group top 6.  Sadly, Indiana and Rutgers only made special teams lists.

Only two 5* players signed with the Big Ten this year (Inniss, #4 WR nationally, and Williams, #5 OT nationally).  Alabama, Texas, Miami, Oklahoma, and USC all bring in 3 or more 5* this year. 

Maryland only has one representative crack a top 6 list…Edge Rico Walker.  I thought Maryland recruited better than this.  They have two 4* players, both Edge players, who just missed the top 6.  Gooden and Avery are 7th and 8th in the Big Ten Edge rankings.

 

Final Tally- # of top 6 recruits (including special teams lists)

1. Ohio State- 20 top 6 recruits
2. Penn State- 16
3. Michigan- 12
4. Michigan State- 8
5. Illinois- 4

Wisconsin- 4

Nebraska- 4

6. Minnesota- 3
7. Iowa- 2

Northwestern- 2

8. Maryland- 1

Indiana- 1

Rutgers- 1

Purdue- 1