Recruiting kids out of high school can be a daunting task. You're not just recruiting the player that you covet but also his family and biggest influences. You must own the credentials, confidence and their respect before you even walk in their door. The way you phrase a certain sentence could be the difference between attaining that five star athlete or having to game plan against him for the next four years. The way you carry and present yourself could be the difference between a bowl game birth and a .500 season.
Alas it's what makes college football so unique, special, and fun to watch. The rare human element that is in action off the field that ultimately plays such a large role on the field. Keeping in mind the recruiting game is an ongoing process and consistently changing, lets get a head start on what Big Ten teams have found success early on and who has struggled when it comes to bringing in the new crop of talent.
Winners
Michigan: The Wolverines have done a phenomenal job at the beginning of the recruiting campaign ranking near the top in the nation. The star of the show is five-star recruit cornerback Jabrill Peppers. Peppers was the number one rated cornerback and the number two overall player in the nation and was a huge victory for them. They follow that up with ten, count them, TEN four-star recruits. Led by Wilton Speight who was the fifth ranked quarterback in the nation and offensive lineman Mason Cole and Juwann Beatty. As the Wolverines make a transition to more of a pro-style offense it was crucial they get strong skill set targets and they did just that. Nabbing tight end Ian Bunting and three wide receivers, Freddy Canteen, Maurice Ways, and Drake Harris. The last two are Michigan natives and Harris was the seventh ranked receiver in the class.
Defensively, (besides Peppers) they did a great job of adding depth and talent to their front seven. Defensive linemen Bryan Mone and Lawrence Marshal are both four-star recruits and they add three solid linebackers behind them. What's scary is the two players Michigan still highly covets defensive end DaShawn Hand and cornerback Adoree Jackson are both not only top five for their respective position but also very interested in the Wolverines program.
Ohio State: Although they don't have that one five-star recruit that you would like to see, the Buckeyes do have more depth overall in this recruiting class than the Wolverines. With nine four-star recruits locked up and six three-star recruits already signed Ohio State has a fresh new batch of talent heading they're way. They did a great job in filling up talent with linemen on both sides of the ball. Demetrius Knox and Jamarco Jones are both top ten offensive linemen. Then you have Dante Booker and Kyle Berger ready to step in as the next great Buckeye linebackers and cornerback Damon Webb and defensive end Jalyn Holmes who are both in the consensus top 300.
It's still early in the process and Ohio State is after more linebackers and offensive linemen as they have about 5 guys on their list strongly considering signing on the dotted line. Time will tell if they can fill out and balance their team with more depth or if Michigan's top heavy talent will give them the edge.
Losers
Wisconsin: D.J. Gillins is labeled as an athlete and being projected as a quarterback and is a rare talent that could be special down the road. Besides him, the Badgers have failed to wow us with anyone on the recruiting trail. Ranking ninth in the Big Ten with only 11 commits so far with zero five-star recruits and only 3 four-star recruits, Wisconsin for such a strong reputation as a winning team needs to bring in at least a couple more big names.
Coach Gary Anderson is entering his first full season as the full time Head coach and needs to bang the table for talented recruits that will fit his system. They do have eight three-star recruits but again need to get a difference maker besides Gillins. There is a lot of time left and Anderson can still make an impact in his first year recruiting, but he better not wait to long.
Nebraska: Much like the Badgers, Nebraska's recruiting class thus far isn't bad by any means, but for a program with so much reputation you would think they would be able to make more of a splash. Tied for ninth with Wisconsin with only 11 recruits signed in the conference the Cornhuskers are lacking the big names. With zero five-star recruits, three four-star recruits, and only one player in the consensus top 300 Nebraska is struggling to find elite play-makers which they are in desperate need for. They have decent depth along the way nabbing eight three-star recruits, but in a division with Michigan State and Michigan, there is no doubt they will need more fire power to keep up with not only these two teams but the rest of the Big Ten.