In the fast-paced world of college football recruiting, the landscape is shifting, with June and July emerging as the busiest months for attracting new talent. As we look at the Class of 2026, many recruits are already making commitments and lining up their official campus visits. Let’s dive into how the Big Ten teams are shaping up as the recruitment frenzy unfolds.
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USC is making waves early on in the 2026 recruiting cycle. They’ve taken a commanding lead with 15 commitments, topping the national charts. This isn’t just about numbers; they’ve got a stellar average player rating of 92.72, snagging pledges from eight top-150 prospects. Among their latest triumphs are blue-chip players like Jaimeon Winfield from Texas, and Californians Trent Mosley and Esun Tafa. This is the debut cycle for Chad Bowden, USC’s new general manager, who’s keen to reclaim Southern California as a recruiting hotbed. However, the real test for USC will be maintaining this momentum and cracking the elusive top-five class ranking—a feat not achieved since 2018.
Shifting our focus to Oregon, the Ducks have enjoyed top-five finishes the past couple of cycles but have hit a bit of a lull lately. They’ve managed just one new commit since the start of the year. Yet, the Ducks are still in the running for high-profile talents like Jared Curtis and Ryder Lyons, signaling that the recruitment race is far from over. With Dan Lanning at the helm, expect the Ducks to fiercely vie with USC for California’s premier players.
Maryland is going big this cycle. The state of Maryland is bursting with talent, boasting two of the country’s top four prospects. Coach Mike Locksley is on a mission to lock down local talent. Securing a commitment from Zion Elee, a top in-state edge rusher, was crucial, and he’s bolstered Maryland’s prospects significantly. Keep an eye on if Maryland can maintain this momentum with top-ranked tackles like Immanuel Iheanacho interested in joining the fold.
Ohio State, fresh off a championship win, is rebuilding its momentum in the recruiting game. Having finished with a top-four class last cycle, they’re expected to kick it into high gear soon. Their current haul, with five commitments, still boasts top-tier talent like Chris Henry Jr., though competitors are eager to sway him away. With a seasoned track record in recruiting under coach Ryan Day, anticipations are high for a strong finish.
Indiana’s surprising CFP entry hasn’t yet translated into recruitment gold. Despite their Cinderella run, they’ve just one commit to show for it. The team still leans heavily on transfer recruits, and it seems they’ll need to work this angle again.
Penn State is laying a solid foundation for success, headlined by star California recruit Troy Huhn and in-state talents like Kevin Brown. While they haven’t cracked the top ten since 2022, their current trajectory seems promising. Meanwhile, Michigan is off to a sluggish start but has shown they can rally late, as they did to secure high-ranking commitments to close the previous cycle—could a repeat be on the cards?
Elsewhere, Illinois is enjoying an unusual early success, currently sitting impressively in the top ten nationally, largely on the back of standout corner Victor Singleton. Iowa, Michigan State, Minnesota, and UCLA each have intriguing prospects coming in but have yet to fully capitalize on the available talent pool.
Washington and Rutgers find themselves needing depth and high-end talent to bolster their squads. Nebraska, without a new commitment since last year, shares a similar urgency for fresh recruits. Meanwhile, Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin have only just begun to warm up their recruitment engines.
(Photo of Lincoln Riley: Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
