Big Ten 2022 Recruiting Classes

The ranking classes series continues with the Big Ten. The conference owns two of the top three classes in 2022, as of right now.

1. Penn State: Penn State not only owns the number one class in the Big Ten in 2022, they are also number one in the entire country. This is coming after a disappointing 4-5 2021 season. Head Coach James Franklin and his staff have done a great job with their 24-man class so far. The class is headlined by top-50 Defensive Lineman Dani Dennis-Sutton, the top prospect in Maryland. Penn State has done a good job in their state, as well. They have commitments from the second (RB Nicholas Singleton), third (WR Mehki Flowers), fourth (WR Anthony Ivey), and sixth-best (OT Drew Sheldon) recruits in Pennsylvania. Top-100 and Ohio prospect Drew Allar is the team’s quarterback.
2. Ohio State: Ohio State is right behind Penn State in the rankings with the third overall class in 2022. The Buckeyes have a 14-man class that is led by five-star Linebacker CJ Hicks. Hicks is also the top player in the state of Ohio, where no surprisingly, Ohio State dominates just about every year. This year is no different as, along with Hicks, they have the second (LB Gabe Powers), sixth (CB Jyaire Brown), and seventh-best (OT Tegra Tshabola) in the state.  They did sufferer some losses to their class recently. QB Quinn Ewers enrolled early while TE Benji Gosnell and CB Jahiem Singletary decommitted in the last month. However, look for Ohio State to finish the 2022 class strong and in the top five at the end.
3. Michigan: Michigan has the 13^th-best class in the nation with 15 commits so far. Their class is led by five-star Cornerback Will Johnson. Johnson is the top player in the state of Michigan, and one of three commits from the state for the Wolverines. The other two are three-stars WR Tay’shawn Trent and ATH Aaron Alexander. WR Tyler Morris is just outside the top 100 recruits at 106^th High three-star Jayden Denegal is the team’s QB commit for 2022. If Michigan can put together a great season, they should finish strong.
4. Rutgers: Greg Schiano and the Rutgers’ coaching staff are killing it in 2022. The 15-man class is ranked 15^thoverall in the nation. This class includes the top recruits in New Jersey (OT Jacob Allen), Kentucky (QB Gavin Wimsatt), and New York (LB Moses Walker). LB Anthony Johnson and RB Samuel Brown are the two other four-stars in the class. The Scarlet Knights also have the eighth (Edge Kenny Flecher) and ninth-best (WR Davison Igbinosun) in New Jersey. Rutgers making some noise this year can only help them in the future.
5. Michigan State: Two spots behind Rutgers at 17^thoverall is Michigan State’s 19-man class. This class includes three from the state of Michigan ranked in the top ten of the state. These are DL Alex VanSumeren (fourth), ATH Jaden Mangham (seventh), and WR Antonio Gates Jr. (eighth). The Spartans’ fourth four-star is QB Katin Houser from California powerhouse St. John Bosco. CB Tre Holloman is the team’s other top-500 recruit, while TE Jack Nickle is just outside of it. Michigan State is just about done in 2022, so they should be trying to lock down the rest of their top targets.
6. Indiana: Indiana is the sixth Big Ten school in the top 25 with their 14-man class. Like Michigan State, they have four four-star recruits committed to them. This includes top-100 prospect Edge  Dasan McCullough, the second-best player in the state of Indiana. The other three are CB Trevell Mullen, RB Gi’Brian Payne, and WR Omar Cooper. DL Richard Thomas  and IOL Demon Moore are just outside of being a four-star. Three-star Josh Hoover is the team’s quarterback in 2022. Indiana still has some spots that need to be filled before Signing Day.
7. Northwestern: Northwestern is ranked 33^rdin the nation right now with a 15-man class. WR Reggie Fleurima and Edge Anto Saka are the Wildcats two four-stars in the class. Fleurima, OT Danny McGuire, and TE Chris Petrucci are the team’s three commits from Illinois. OT Austin Firestone has a chance to be moved up to a four-star with a strong senior season. As of right now, the team does not have a quarterback commit. Northwestern’s classes are not too flashy, however, they always find good players that are great fits for their team.
8. Purdue: Purdue’s 14-man class is just inside the top 40 at 39^thoverall in the nation. Just like Northwestern, the Boilermakers have two four-stars in the class. Both of their top players are from the state of Indiana. DL Joe Strickland is their top player, while QB Brady Allen is right behind him. RB Kentrell Marks is the only other commit that is inside the top 500 recruits. Three-star LB Domanick Moon is the third commit from Indiana.
9. Maryland: Maryland’s 13-man class is just outside the top 40 at 41^st The Terrapins just recently got their best commit with WR Shaleak Knotts. ATH Preston Howard, WR Amari Clark, and QB AJ Swann are three recruits that could move up to a four-star with a strong season. Jayden Sauray is the team’s second quarterback commit in 2022. Howard, Sauray, LB Kellen Wyatt, and ATH Lavain Scruggs are all from the state of Maryland. Head Coach Mike Locksley has had some surprises close to Signing Day over the years. Do not be surprised if it happens again this year.
10. Illinois: Right behind Maryland at 42^ndoverall is Illinois’ 15-man class. The Fighting Illini are one of two teams in the Big Ten to not have a four-star commitment. WR Shawn Miller is the team’s top commit in 2022. WR Eian Pugh, LB Jared Badie, ATH Aiden Laughary, and RB Jordan Anderson are all top 20 prospects in the state of Illinois. Donovan Leary is the team’s quarterback commit. If Illinois shows some improvement on the field in 2021, it could help them finish strong with their 2022 class.
11. Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s 11-man class is ranked 45^thoverall in the nation. Top-100 prospect OT Joe Brunner is the Badgers top commit and only four-star. Brunner is also the top player in the state of Wisconsin. The team has three other players from the state in OT Barrett Nelson, TE JT Seagraves, and QB Myles Burkett. DL Curtis Neal and Safety Austin Brown both have a chance to rise in the ranking depending on their senior season. As Wisconsin gains more commits, they will go up in the rankings.
12. Minnesota: One spot behind Wisconsin is Minnesota with their 13-man class. The Golden Gophers are another team with one four-star in DL Trey Bixby. DL Anthony Smith and RB Zach Evans are their two other commits in the top-600. Minnesota’s class also includes three players from the state of Minnesota. They are WR Kristen Hoskins, OT Tony Nelson, and TE Spencer Alvarez. Their quarterback commit is Jacob Knuth. A great season by the team could mean some good things for them on Signing Day.
13. Iowa: Iowa only has nine commits in their 2022 class, which is ranked 59^th The Hawkeyes have one four-star committed to them in top-150 prospect DL Aaron Graves. Graves is the second-best player in the state of Iowa. OT Kale Krogh is the team’s other commit from the state. RB Jaziun Patterson is a player just outside of a four-star rating and could rise with a strong season. Carson May is Iowa’s lone quarterback commit. It’s hard to say where Iowa will end up when everything is said and done because of its low number of commits.
14. Nebraska: Nebraska, like Iowa, have nine commits in their class ranked 65th in the nation. The Cornhuskers are the second team in the Big Ten with no four-stars committed to them. DL Hayden Schwartz and RB Ashton Hayes are the team’s top two commits, and they are within four spots of each other. LB Ernest Hausmann and Edge Jake Appleget are the two prospects from the state of Nebraska. Richard Torres is their quarterback commit. Once Nebraska gets more commits, we will find out how their class will look.