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It's been quite a while, huh? The crazy amount of time and effort going into these roundups (plus real life, naturally) makes doing them during the season quite a challenge--and, just an FYI, here at BSD we had a pretty major story to cover the last month or so.
That being said, with signing day just a scant eleven days away, we've got your primer as to who's going to what Big Ten school as a part of the 2014 recruiting class--that is, as of this morning, anyway. With no further ado, your current 2014 recruiting classes in the B1G:
| Team | # of commits | Avg Rivals ranking | Avg 247 ranking | Avg Scout ranking | Avg ESPN ranking | Rivals team rank | 247 team rank | Scout team rank | recruiting rank in B1G | previous rank in B1G |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | 22 | 3.7 | 3.87 | 3.78 | 3.78 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Michigan | 16 | 3.44 | 3.5 | 3.56 | 3.75 | 25 | 15 | 20 | 2 | 2 |
| Wisconsin | 24 | 2.92 | 2.92 | 3.15 | 3.12 | 29 | 30 | 19 | 3 | 7 |
| Penn State | 21 | 3.18 | 3.32 | 3.18 | 3.32 | 20 | 29 | 31 | 4 | 4 |
| Michigan State | 20 | 3.1 | 3.38 | 3.19 | 3.29 | 30 | 34 | 30 | 5 | 5 |
| Nebraska | 20 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.15 | 3.15 | 35 | 40 | 39 | 6 | 9 |
| Rutgers | 22 | 2.89 | 2.89 | 2.96 | 3.07 | 44 | 42 | 40 | 7 | 3 |
| Indiana | 22 | 2.86 | 2.77 | 2.86 | 3.05 | 40 | 47 | 41 | 8 | 11 |
| Northwestern | 14 | 3.06 | 3.35 | 3.12 | 3.4 | 49 | 44 | 47 | 9 | 6 |
| Iowa | 19 | 2.74 | 2.89 | 2.89 | 3.11 | 52 | 48 | 43 | 10 | 8 |
| Maryland | 14 | 3.0 | 2.94 | 2.9 | 3.25 | 61 | 55 | 58 | 11 | 14 |
| Purdue | 18 | 2.5 | 2.8 | 2.68 | 3.0 | 60 | 61 | 60 | 12 | 13 |
| Illinois | 17 | 2.75 | 2.67 | 2.65 | 3.0 | 64 | 60 | 62 | 13 | 10 |
| Minnesota | 14 | 2.71 | 2.79 | 2.71 | 2.92 | 70 | 67 | 65 | 14 | 12 |
Ohio State solidly has the best class in the conference, and at this point it’s not even close—they’re vying for the best class in the nation, not just the Big Ten. After that, it gets murky; the next four schools are all pretty close, and Michigan has fallen off quite a bit since last we talked. The third tier, if you will, is equally close, with Nebraska through Iowa all within percentage points of each other. The bottom, too, is almost interchangeable, and each tier could have significant position jockeying in the final days before signing day (and, heck, even after February 5).
OHIO STATE
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Berger, Kyle | LB | Cleveland, OH | St Ignatius | 6'2", 200 | 4 stars | 4 stars | 4 stars | 4 stars | 4/8/2013 |
| Booker, Dante | LB | Akron, OH | St Vincent-St Mary | 6'3", 210 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5/23/2013 |
| Brown, Noah | Ath | Sparta, NJ | Pope John XXIII | 6'2", 211/td> | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9/9/2013 |
| Campbell, Parris | RB | Akron, OH | St Vincent-St Mary | 6'1", 181 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2/10/2013 |
| Collier, Stephen | QB | Leesburg, GA | Lee County | 6'3", 206 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/21/2013 |
| Dixon, Johnnie | WR | Palm Beach Gardens, FL | Dwyer | 5’10", 187 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12/17/2013 |
| Holmes, Jalyn | DE | Norfolk, VA | Lake Taylor | 6'5", 235 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6/20/2013 |
| Hooker, Malik | ATH | New Castle, PA | New Castle Senior | 6’2", 183 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7/29/2013 |
| Hubbard, Sam | LB | Cincinnati, OH | Moeller | 6'6", 223 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4/5/2013 |
| Jones, Jamarco | OL | Chicago, IL | De La Salle | 6'5", 295 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6/27/2013 |
| Jones, Marcelys | OL | Cleveland, OH | Glenville Academic Campus | 6'4", 325 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 12/25/2012 |
| Knox, Demetrius | OL | Fort Worth, TX | All Saints Episcopal | 6’4", 287 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7/28/2013 |
| Lattimore, Marshon | CB | Cleveland, OH | Glenville | 6'0", 175 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1/4/2014 |
| McLaurin, Terry | WR | Indianapolis, IN | Cathedral | 6'0", 175 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6/23/2013 |
| McMillan, Raekwon | LB | Hinesville, GA | Liberty County | 6'2", 242 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 12/16/2013 |
| Neurnberger, Sean | K | Buckner, KY | Oldham County | 6'2", 230 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/11/2013 |
| Samuel, Curtis | WR | Brooklyn, NY | Erasmus Hall Campus | 5’11", 180 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8/16/2013 |
| Smith, Erick | S | Cleveland, OH | Glenville | 6’1", 185 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1/4/2014 |
| Taylor, Brady | OT | Columbus, OH | Bishop Ready | 6'5", 276 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/20/2014 |
| Thompson, Dylan | DE | Lombard, IL | Montini | 6'5", 270 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3/23/2013 |
| Trout, Kyle | OL | Lancaster, OH | Lancaster | 6'6", 280 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2/10/2013 |
| Webb, Damon | DB | Detroit, MI | Cass Tech | 6'0", 175 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 1/13/2013 |
Observations: The rich keep getting richer in Columbus, as the Buckeyes landed one of the conference’s best pickups in McMillan—who’s already on campus this spring. Since our last update, Ohio State also picked up verbals from Brown, Dixon (also already on campus), Lattimore, Smith, and Taylor; they also saw a decommitment from Indiana athlete Lonnie Johnson, who left the class in November and committed to Western Michigan a week later. Yeah, it doesn’t make much sense to me either—unless it was a decommitment of the carefrontation type.
MICHIGAN
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bunting, Ian | TE | Hinsdale, IL | Hinsdale Central | 6'6", 210 | 4 stars | 4 stars | 3 stars | 4 stars | 4/23/2013 |
| Bushell-Beatty, Juwan | OL | Paramus, NJ | Paramus Catholic | 6'5", 295 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4/29/2013 |
| Canteen, Freddy | WR | Elkton, MD | Eastern Christian Academy | 6'3", 170 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6/29/2013 |
| Cole, Mason | OL | Tarpon Springs, FL | East Lake | 6'5", 275 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2/25/2013 |
| Ferns, Michael | LB | Saint Clairsville, OH | Saint Clairsville | 6'3", 235 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8/9/2012 |
| Furbush, Noah | LB | Kenton, OH | Kenton | 6'4", 229 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7/1/2013 |
| Harris, Drake | WR | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids Christian | 6'4", 180 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4/14/2013 |
| Marshall, Lawrence | DE | Southfield, MI | Southfield | 6'4", 205 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5/11/2013 |
| Mone, Bryan | DT | Salt Lake City, UT | Highland | 6'4", 315 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2/12/2013 |
| Pallante, Brady | DT | Naples, FL | Barron Collier | 6'1", 255 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4/5/2013 |
| Peppers, Jabrill | DB | Paramus, NJ | Paramus, NJ | 6'1", 210 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5/26/2013 |
| Speight, Wilton | QB | Richmond, VA | The Collegiate School | 6'6", 217 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2/6/2013 |
| Wangler, Jared | LB | Warren, MI | De La Salle | 6’2", 215 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8/9/2013 |
| Watson, Brandon | DB | Elkton, MD | Eastern Christian Academy | 5'11", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/29/2013 |
| Ways, Maurice | WR | Beverly Hills, MI | Country Day | 6'3", 195 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4/25/2013 |
| Winovich, Chase | LB | Jefferson Hills, PA | Thomas Jefferson | 6'3", 216 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6/1/2013 |
Observations: Speaking of things that don’t make much sense…The Wolverines were once neck and neck with OSU for the top class in the conference, but have since not picked up a commit for the 2014 recruiting class since HC Brady Hoke flipped Jared Wangler from Penn State—back in August. Couple that with vaunted commit Jabrill Peppers’ announcement a few months back that he had wanted to take a few more official visits (to be fair, it seems as though those visits haven’t happened, and Peppers remains committed to Michigan), the situation for UM isn’t as rosy as it looked six months ago.
WISCONSIN
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benzschawel, Beau | OT | Grafton, WI | Grafton | 6’6", 240 | 3 stars | 2 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 10/24/2013 |
| Cizauskas, Dominic | LB | Mukwonago, WI | Mukwonago | 6'1", 250 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/19/2013 |
| Deal, Taiwan | RB | Hyattsville, MD | DeMatha | 6'2", 225 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/25/2013 |
| Deiter, Michael | OL | Genoa, OH | Genoa Area | 6'5", 295 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/24/2013 |
| Edwards, TJ | ATH | Lake Villa, IL | Lakes Community | 6'1", 220 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12/2/2013 |
| Evans, Craig | DT | Sun Prairie, WI | Sun Prairie | 6'3", 350 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3/3/2013 |
| Figaro, Lubern | ATH | Everett, MA | Everett | 6'0", 175 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9/26/2013 |
| Gaglianone, Rafael | K | Chattanooga, TN | Baylor School | 6'0", 225 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/17/2013 |
| Gault, Jaden | OL | Morona Grove, WI | Morona Grove | 6'6", 281 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8/18/2012 |
| Gillins, DJ | QB | Jacksonville, FL | Ribault | 6'3", 185 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 7/8/2013 |
| Hirschfeld, Billy | DE | Hartland, WI | Arrowhead | 6'6", 269 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5/15/2013 |
| Hudson, Austin | DB | Tampa, FL | Plant | 6'2", 188 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/27/2013 |
| Jamerson, Natrell | WR | Ocala, FL | Vanguard | 6'0", 170 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/20/2013 |
| Jones, Chris | WR | Hyattsville, MD | DeMatha | 6’2", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9/18/2013 |
| Kapoi, Micah | OT | Kapolei, HI | Kapolei | 6'4", 298 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12/1/2013 |
| Kinlaw, Caleb | RB | Goose Creek, SC | Goose Creek | 5’10", 186 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/14/2013 |
| Maxwell, Jacob | OT | Greendale, WI | Greendale | 6'6", 280 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 11/27/2013 |
| Panos, George | OL | Hartland, WI | Arrowhead | 6'5", 290 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4/28/2012 |
| Patterson, Jeremy | DT | Jesup, GA | Wayne County | 6'3", 310 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/26/2013 |
| Sanders, Krenwick | WR | Jesup, GA | Wayne County | 6'2", 190 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/8/2013 |
| Sheehy, Conor | DE | Milwaukee, WI | Marquette University | 6'4", 255 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 9/5/2012 |
| Sturghill, Cornelius | ATH | Memphis, TN | Melrose | 5’10", 170 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/24/2014 |
| Tindal, Derrick | CB | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Boyd Anderson | 5’11", 160 | 2 | 3 | 3 | NR | 1/24/2014 |
| Tolutau, Ula | ATH | Salt Lake City, UT | East | 6'1", 230 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 5/16/2013 |
| Trezy, Serge | LB | Thatcher, AZ | Eastern Arizona College | 6'2", 195 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/12/2013 |
| Watkins, Dareian | ATH | Galion, OH | Galion | 6'2", 192 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 11/30/2013 |
Observations: The Badgers had the most additions of any Big Ten Class of 2014 since last we spoke, with fifteen players giving their verbal commitments (Benzschawel, Edwards, Figaro, Gaglianone, Jamerson, Jones, Kapoi, Kinlaw, Maxwell, Patterson, Sanders, Sturghill, Tindal, Trezy, and Watkins). Two are Petersen flips from fellow B1G institutions; Watkins was once part of Northwestern’s class, and Tindal had committed to Indiana before receiving an offer from Wisconsin—and decommitted for the Badgers less than a week later. Watkins was the only new addition to have held an offer from the Nittany Lions.
PENN STATE
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen, Marcus | DB | Upper Marlboro, MD | Wise | 6'1", 187 | 3 stars | 4 stars | 4 stars | 3 stars | 5/10/2013 |
| Allen, Mark | RB | Hyattsville, MD | DeMatha | 5'7", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/16/2012 |
| Apke, Troy | WR | Mt Lebanon, PA | Mt Lebanon | 6'2", 175 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4/13/2013 |
| Barney, Tarow | DT | Senatobia, MS | Northwest Mississippi CC | 6'1", 285 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 11/24/2013 |
| Beh, Noah | DE | Scranton, PA | Scranton Prep | 6'7", 245 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/2/2013 |
| Brosnan, Brendan | OT | Park Ridge, IL | Maine South | 6'6", 275 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/14/2014 |
| Cabinda, Jason | ATH | Flemington, NJ | Hunterdon Central | 6'1", 220 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/23/2013 |
| Gesicki, Mike | TE | Manahawkin, NJ | Southern Regional | 6'5", 236 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 10/17/2013 |
| Godwin, Chris | WR | Middletown, DE | Middletown | 6'2", 192 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4/23/2013 |
| Haley, Grant | CB | Atlanta, GA | Lovett School | 5’10", 170 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/20/2014 |
| McSorley, Trace | ATH | Ashburn, VA | Briar Woods | 6'0", 182 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/20/2014 |
| O'Connor, Michael | QB | Bradenton, FL | IMG Academy | 6'5", 223 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6/8/2013 |
| Reeder, Troy | LB | Wilmington, DE | Salesianum School | 6'3", 232 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2/26/2013 |
| Scott, Nick | ATH | Fairfax, VA | Fairfax | 5'11", 180 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2/23/2013 |
| Sorrell, Chance | OT | Middletown, OH | Middletown | 6’6", 263 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/11/2014 |
| Thomas, Johnathan | RB | Danvers, MA | St John’s Prep | 5’11", 205 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 10/20/2013 |
| Thompkins, De'Andre | ATH | Swansboro, NC | Swansboro | 5'11", 172 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4/20/2013 |
| Tubman, Lloyd | DE | Louisville, KY | Seneca Academy | 6'5", 235 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1/11/2014 |
| White, Antoine | DT | Milville, NJ | Milville | 6'2", 267 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/1/2013 |
| Worley, Daquan | DB | Coatesville, PA | Coatesville Area Senior | 5'10", 175 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/3/2013 |
| Wright, Chasz | OT | New Berlin, NY | Milford Academy | 6'6", 285 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/28/2013 |
Observations: Since the last update, the Nittany Lions lost DB Troy Vincent to NC State (and DL Thomas Holley to Florida & Donte Raymond to Delaware, but they had committed after our last update, so never made it onto the SOTU list) due to the coaching change. Penn State has also picked up ten commits, with all but two (Barney and Gesicki) flipping from other schools. Cabinda had originally been committed to Syracuse before picking up his PSU offer, Thomas was set to be a Terrapin at UMD, and Wright had actually signed with UConn last spring before delaying his enrollment; Brosnan, Haley, McSorley, Sorrell, and Tubman, of course, all followed James Franklin from Vanderbilt.
MICHIGAN STATE
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allen, Brian | OL | Hinsdale, IL | Hinsdale Central | 6'2", 285 | 3 stars | 4 stars | 3 stars | 4 stars | 4/20/2013 |
| Beedle, David | DB | Clarkston, MI | Clarkston | 6'5", 278 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/21/2013 |
| Bowers, Robert | DE | Columbus, OH | Walnut Ridge | 6’5", 210 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8/3/2013 |
| Bullough, Byron | LB | Traverse City, MI | St Francis Catholic | 6'2", 195 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8/9/2012 |
| Copeland, Vayante | RB | Dayton, OH | Thurgood Marshall | 5'11", 186 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6/16/2013 |
| Drake, Deon | LB | Detroit, MI | Cass Tech | 6'1", 215 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 9/23/2012 |
| Frey, Chris | LB | Upper Arlington, OH | Upper Arlington | 6'0", 208 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 5/15/2013 |
| Gianacakos, Chase | OL | St Charles, IL | St Charles North | 6'6", 280 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/1/2013 |
| Hartbarger, Jake | K | Whitehouse, OH | Anthony Wayne | 6'4", 195 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9/25/2013 |
| Hedelin, David | OT | San Francisco, CA | City College of San Francisco | 6'5", 285 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 12/22/2013 |
| London, Madre | RB | Fort Lauderdale, FL | St Thomas Aquinas | 6'1", 205 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/4/2013 |
| Morrissey, Matt | DB | Lincolnshire, IL | Stevenson | 6’3", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/15/2013 |
| Nicholson, Montae | S | Monroeville, PA | Gateway | 6'3", 200 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12/19/2013 |
| Owens, Gerald | RB | Westville, NJ | West Deptford | 6'1", 266 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6/21/2013 |
| Padla, Nick | OL | Berrien Springs, MI | Berrien Springs | 6'6", 269 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9/8/2013 |
| Slade, Darrius | DE | Montclair, NJ | Montclair | 6'5", 238 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/17/2014 |
| Smith Jr, Enoch | DT | Chicago, IL | Mt Carmel | 6'3", 265 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4/20/2013 |
| Sokol, Matt | TE | Rochester, MI | Adams | 6'5", 226 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/13/2013 |
| Sweat, Montez | TE | Stone Mountain, GA | Stephenson | 6’6", 230 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/5/2013 |
| Watts-Jackson, Jalen | DB | Orchard Lake, MI | St Mary's | 5'11", 175 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/19/2013 |
Observations: The Spartans haven’t seen the crazy star bump that some might have expected after their inspiring Rose Bowl run in 2013, but the already solid 2014 class got even more so in the past few months. They did lose the commitment of QB Chris Durkin, who apparently wanted to be elite (he chose to go to Virginia Tech), but has added the commitment of seven others (Hartbarger, Hedelin, London, Nicholson, Padla, Slade, and Sweat). Nicholson, in particular, is one to watch; he’s the lone addition to MSU’s class with a Nittany Lion offer, and as played for new PSU DB coach Terry Smith at Gateway high school as a freshman and sophomore in Western PA (and PSU commit Jason Cabinda has been in his ear about flipping his verbal [$$]).
NEBRASKA
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akinmoladun, Freedom | ATH | Grandview, MO | Grandview | 6'4", 240 | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 7/4/2013 |
| Brown, Drew | K | Carroll, TX | Carroll | 5'10", 170 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/7/2013 |
| Cockrell, Byerson | S | Scooba, MS | East Mississippi CC | 6’2", 185 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/6/2013 |
| Darlington, Zack | QB | Apopka, FL | Apopka | 6'1", 205 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6/14/2013 |
| Farmer, Tanner | OL | Highland, IL | Highland | 6'4", 300 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6/11/2013 |
| Foster, DJ | OL | Lincoln, NE | Southeast | 6'3", 312 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 6/15/2013 |
| Gates, Nick | OT | Las Vegas, NV | Bishop Gorman | 6’5", 270 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 1/24/2014 |
| Gifford, Luke | ATH | Lincoln, NE | Southeast | 6'3", 195 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3/11/2013 |
| Harrison, Monte | WR | Lee's Summit, MO | Lee's Summit West | 6'3", 200 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 7/4/2013 |
| Jones, Chris | ATH | Jacksonville, FL | Sandalwood | 6’0", 175 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1/20/2014 |
| Kalu, Joshua | S | Houston, TX | Alief Taylor | 6’0", 171 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/14/2013 |
| Keels, Joe | DT | Highland, KS | Highland CC | 6’4", 275 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11/27/2013 |
| Lockhart, Robert | WR | Raymond, MS | Hinds CC | 6’1", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/16/2013 |
| Mosley, Trai | DB | Pflugerville, TX | Hendrickson | 5'10", 171 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/14/2013 |
| Newell, Peyton | DE | Hiawatha, KS | Hiawatha | 6’3", 280 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 8/30/2013 |
| Pierson-El, Demornay | ATH | Alexandria, VA | West Potomac | 5'9", 174 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/15/2013 |
| Stewart, Larenzo | RB | Klein, TX | Klein Oak | 5'6", 165 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/5/2013 |
| Stoltenberg, Mick | DE | Gretna, NE | Gretna | 6'5", 250 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6/15/2013 |
| Tolbert, Jariah | WR | New Orleans, LA | Edna Karr | 6’3", 185 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/9/2014 |
| Walton, Jaevon | LB | New Orleans, LA | Edna Karr | 6’0", 230 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 11/16/2013 |
Observations: The Huskers seemed inexplicably low on this list for a nationally-known power, and that has somewhat since been corrected. They’ve picked up nine verbals in the past five months (Cockrell, Gates, Jones, Kalu, Keels, Lockhart, Newell, Tolbert, and Walton), including the #1 player in the state of Nevada in Gates, who chose Nebraska over half of the Pac 12 and much of the Big 12. They also flipped Jones from Purdue in December, Walton from Louisiana-Lafayette, and Lockhart from Miami (where he had been enrolled in 2012).
RUTGERS
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applefield, Marcus | OT | Weeki Wachee, FL | Weeki Wachee | 6’6", 280 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/13/2013 |
| Bedell, Donald | DE | Rumson, NJ | Fair Haven | 6'4", 229 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/20/2013 |
| Behr, George | TE | Woodbury, MN | East Ridge | 6'5", 230 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6/14/2013 |
| Blacknall, Saeed | WR | Manalapan, NJ | Manalapan | 6’3", 205 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8/10/2013 |
| Boggs, Andre | CB | Avon, CT | Avon Old Farms | 5’11", 175 | NR | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10/24/2013 |
| Cole, Tariq | OL | Long Beach, NY | Long Beach SHS | 6’6", 375 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/1/2013 |
| Gopre, Sidney | LB | Neward, NJ | Weequahic | 6'1", 210 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3/4/2013 |
| Hampton, Saquan | DB | Hamilton, NJ | Nottingham | 6'2", 187 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3/7/2013 |
| Heeman, Zack | OL | Flanders, NJ | Mt Olive | 6'8", 265 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3/15/2013 |
| Herron, Justin | OL | Potomac, MD | Bullis School | 6'5", 285 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/16/2013 |
| Hicks, Joshua | RB | Palmetto, FL | Palmetto | 5'10", 180 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/25/2012 |
| Hogan, Joshua | DE | Franklin Lakes, NJ | Ramapo | 6'5", 225 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/28/2013 |
| Kraut, Jacob | RB | Neptune Beach, FL | Fletcher | 5'11", 240 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/20/2013 |
| Lister, Logan | TE | Katy, TX | Katy | 6'5", 240 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/16/2013 |
| Lott, Kamren | DB | Jacksonville, FL | First Coast | 5'10", 180 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/23/2013 |
| Martin, Robert | RB | Harrisburg, PA | Harrisburg | 6'0", 191 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/14/2013 |
| Nelson, Justin | LB | Wayne, NJ | DePaul Catholic | 6'1", 245 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2/27/2013 |
| Russell, Brandon | LB | Fort Lauderdale, FL | University School | 6'1", 205 | 2 | NR | 2 | 3 | 6/19/2013 |
| Webb, Jacquis | OL | Rochester, NY | Gates Chili | 6'5", 310 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/6/2013 |
| Wharton, Isaiah | CB | Kissimmee, FL | Gateway | 6’1", 185 | 2 | 2 | NR | 2 | 1/22/2014 |
| Wiafe, Eric | DT | New Berlin, NY | Milford Academy | 6’4", 240 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 11/20/2013 |
| Wilkins, Kevin | OL | Montvale, NJ | St Joseph’s | 6’3", 295 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10/8/2013 |
Observations: What was once a very impressive class for the Scarlet Knights has become very much less than that over the last few months. While the overall number on the class is exactly the same, that doesn’t mean there’s been no movement—far from it; this class has seen an equal number of commitments and decommitments (six) since August, without even a Head Coaching change to blame. Rutgers has added Applefield, Boggs, Cole, Wharton, Wiafe (originally part of the 2013 class), and Wilkins, but has lost Kiy Hester (to Miami), Jonathan Hilliman (to Boston College), Adonis Jennings (to Pitt), Pete Mokwuah (to Notre Dame), Tyler Wiegers (to Iowa), and David Njoku, who hasn’t committed to another school but has PSU in his final few. The kicker here, for Rutgers, is that four of these decommits were from New Jersey, and a fifth was from nearby New York—not so good for keeping quality talent in-state. An add-on is the possible potential for losing Blacknall to Penn State’s recent courting of the NJ receiver; the crystal ball rankings on 247 (including the prediction of our own Nick Polak) have recently done a 180, with PSU heavily favored to flip the 4* now that Franklin’s made a strong push for him.
INDIANA
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baker, Delroy | OL | Ocala, FL | West Port | 6'6", 275 | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 6/21/2013 |
| Barwick, Michael | DT | Cincinnati, OH | Summit Country Day | 6'0", 291 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/2/2013 |
| Booth, Dominque | WR | Indianapolis, IN | Pike | 6’0", 205 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 1/7/2014 |
| Carovillano, Nick | DE | Cincinnati, OH | St Xavier | 6’4", 245 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/19/2013 |
| Clark, Donovan | DB | Fort Wayne, IN | South Side | 5'11", 171 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/2/2013 |
| Conyers, Jermane | DE | Rossville, GA | Ridgeland | 6’3", 290 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/19/2013 |
| Diamont, Alexander | QB | Los Angeles, CA | Venice | 6'2", 170 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6/12/2013 |
| Fields, Tony | CB | Tallahassee, FL | Amos P. Godley | 5'11", 185 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1/22/2014 |
| Fuchs, Jordan | TE | New Berlin, NY | Milford Academy | 6’6", 235 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12/18/2013 |
| Gardner, Timothy | OT | New Berlin, NY | Milford Academy | 6’5", 310 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12/19/2013 |
| Harris, J-Shun | WR | Fishers, IN | Fishers | 5’8", 165 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7/10/2013 |
| Herron, DeAndre | OL | Council Bluffs, IA | Iowa Western CC | 6'5", 325 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/8/2013 |
| Keel, Coray | WR | Snellville, GA | South Gwinnett | 6’3", 190 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9/30/2013 |
| Martin, Wes | OL | West Milton, OH | Milton Union | 6'3", 295 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/17/2013 |
| Mister, Tommy | ATH | Chicago, IL | St Rita | 6’2", 205 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1/18/2014 |
| Moore, Airius | LB | Dayton, OH | Beavercreek | 6’1", 215 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/17/2013 |
| Redding, Devine | RB | Cleveland, OH | Glenville | 5’10", 210 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 10/20/2013 |
| Scales, Tegray | LB | Cincinnati, OH | Colerain | 6’2", 215 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 1/19/2014 |
| Smith, Waynedriko | CB | Maitland, FL | Orangewood Christian School | 6’0", 160 | NR | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1/19/2014 |
| Walker, Zeke | S | Cayce, SC | Brooklyn Cayce | 6’3", 200 | 2 | 3 | NR | NR | 1/20/2014 |
| Willis, Dameon | LB | Cleveland, OH | St Ignatius | 6’0", 209 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/2/2013 |
| Yarbary, Willie | DE | Augusta, GA | Richmond Academy | 6'2", 270 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/19/2013 |
Observations: The Hoosiers have done quite well for themselves since we last checked in. They picked up a dozen commits in Booth, Fields, Fuchs, Gardner, Keel, Mister, Moore, Redding, Scales, Smith, Walker, and Willis; Booth is arguably one of their best commits in years, turning down 8 SEC schools and half of the rest of the B1G to go to Bloomington. They also flipped Gardner, who was a four (!!) time committed player who had originally enrolled at Ohio State as a part of the class of 2013, but was dismissed last year after an encounter with police. He had spent the fall semester enrolled at the same prep school as PSU enrollee Chasz Wright, amongs others in the 2014 Big Ten classes.
NORTHWESTERN
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anderson, Auston | RB | Plano, TX | West | 5'9", 180 | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 5/9/2013 |
| Anoa’i, Hamilton | LB | Gardena, CA | Junipero Serra | 6’3", 205 | 2 | 3 | 3 | NR | 12/20/2013 |
| Dickerson, Garrett | DE | Oradell, NJ | Bergen Catholic | 6’4", 240 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12/8/2013 |
| Doles, Tommy | OL | Grand Rapids, MI | Grand Rapids Christian | 6'5", 240 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/3/2013 |
| Hall, Nate | WR | Sylvania, OH | Sylvania Southview | 6'2", 201 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6/17/2013 |
| Hance, Blake | OL | Jacksonville, IL | Jacksonville | 6'6", 260 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/16/2013 |
| Jackson, Justin | RB | Carol Stream, IL | Glenbard North | 5'11", 180 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5/14/2013 |
| Oxley, Ben | OL | Avon Lake, OH | Avon Lake | 6'6", 260 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/6/2013 |
| Prather, James | LB | Memphis, TN | Memphis University School | 6’4", 235 | 2 | 3 | 2 | NR | 1/16/2014 |
| Quiero, Cameron | LB | Oradell, NJ | Bergen Catholic | 6'1", 210 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/4/2013 |
| Thorson, Clayton | QB | Wheaton, IL | Wheaton North | 6'4", 197 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3/17/2013 |
| Vault, Solomon | ATH | Gaithersburg, MD | Gaithersburg | 5'10", 190 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4/18/2013 |
| Westphal, Parrker | CB | Bolingbrook, IL | Bolingbrook | 6’0", 186 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12/20/2013 |
| Wyatt, Fred | DT | Lawrence, KS | Free State | 6'4", 250 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/28/2013 |
Observations: What was shaping up to be the Wildcats’ best recruiting class in a number of years has taken a bit of a dip in the ensuing months. They did gain commitments from four new members of the class of ’14 (Anoa’i, Dickerson, Prather, and Westphal), but they also lost the verbals of three others: DB Jordan Thomas (to Oklahoma), ATH Dareian Watkins (to Wisconsin), and LB Noah Westerfield, who just decommitted on January 16.
IOWA
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ellis, Mick | K | Lucas, TX | Lovejoy | 5'10", 182 | 2 stars | 2 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 7/8/2013 |
| Embry, Jalen | CB | Detroit, MI | King | 5’11", 180 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/6/2013 |
| Harris, Terrence | DE | Paramus, NJ | Paramus Catholic | 6’2", 240 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7/16/2013 |
| Hesse, Parker | ATH | Waukon, IA | Waukon | 6’3", 205 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/26/2013 |
| Hilliard, CJ | RB | Cincinnati, OH | St Xavier | 5'11", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/6/2013 |
| Jackson, Josh | DB | Corinth, TX | Lake Dallas | 6’1", 175 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8/22/2013 |
| Joly, Marcel | DB | Forestville, MD | Forestville High | 5’11", 180 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9/23/2013 |
| Jones, Jyaz | DB | Dallas, TX | South Oak Cliff | 6'1", 180 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6/14/2013 |
| Kidd, Dillon | K | Torrance, CA | El Camino College | 6’1", 210 | 2 | NR | 2 | 3 | 1/9/2014 |
| LeGrand, Lucas | OL | Dubuque, IA | Dubuque Senior | 6'5", 260 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/3/2013 |
| Mends, Aaron | LB | Kansas City, MO | Winnetonka | 6’1", 204 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8/17/2013 |
| Nelson, Matt | TE | Cedar Rapids, IA | Xavier High School | 6'7", 249 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/27/2013 |
| Niemann, Ben | ATH | Sycamore, IL | Sycamore | 6’3", 185 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 7/20/2013 |
| Outsey, Jameer | LB | Somerset, NJ | Franklin | 6'3", 210 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/21/2013 |
| Render, Keegan | OL | Indianola, IA | Indianola | 6'3", 310 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/22/2013 |
| Scheel, Jay | ATH | LaPorte City, IA | Union | 6'1", 170 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 1/20/2013 |
| Smith, Markel | RB | Saint Louis, MO | St John Vianney | 5'11", 210 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 11/5/2013 |
| Truitt, Omar | ATH | Washington, DC | St John's College High | 5'11", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/3/2013 |
| Wiegers, Tyler | QB | Franklin, MI | Detroit Country Day | 6’3", 190 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12/20/2013 |
Observations: The Hawkeyes have picked up an additional seven commits in this class since last we posted (Embry, Hesse, Jackson, Joly, Kidd, Smith, and Wiegers, who flipped to Iowa from Wisconsin). They haven’t lost any additional commits, but are the only school on this list to boast not one—but two!—kickers in their class of 2014. Only Kirk Ferentz, guys.
MARYLAND
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams, Nate | LS | Phoenix, AZ | Greenway | 6’2", 213 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 12/19/2013 |
| Aniebonam, Jesse | DE | Olney, MD | Good Counsel | 6’5", 240 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 8/20/2013 |
| Burke, Tyler | LB | Coatesville, PA | Coatesville Area Senior | 6'4", 240 | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 6/25/2013 |
| Christie, Sean | OT | Medford, NY | Patchogue-Medford | 6’5", 280 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12/15/2013 |
| Gray, Andrew | TE | Chardon, OH | Chardon | 6'4", 215 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/15/2013 |
| Grey, Derwin | OT | Fork Union, VA | Fork Union Military Academy | 6’4", 291 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 6/15/2012 |
| Kulka, Brett | DE | Edinboro, PA | General McLane | 6'5", 230 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6/24/2013 |
| Mazyck, Larry | OL | Council Bluffs, IA | Iowa Western CC | 6’8", 340 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 8/25/2013 |
| Moore, Brendan | OL | Austin, TX | Westwood | 6'4", 270 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6/25/2013 |
| Noil, Jordan | WR | Norcross, GA | Norcross | 6’3", 176 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10/1/2013 |
| Shaw, David | DT | Spring Grove, PA | Spring Grove | 6'5", 276 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/2/2013 |
| Ulmer, William | QB | Washington, DC | St John's College High | 6'1", 190 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 4/25/2013 |
| Winfree, Juwann | WR | Englewood, NJ | Dwight Morrow | 6’2", 180 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 9/23/2013 |
| Woods, Josh | S | Owings Mills, MD | McDonogh | 6’3", 180 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 11/18/2013 |
Observations: The Terps’ first class to play all four years in the Big Ten isn’t bad, especially with the return of Derwin Gray (originally a Class of ’13 UMD commit, who ended up at Christian Hackenberg’s alma mater for a year before enrolling this month). In addition to Gray, Maryland got seven other commitments in this class since our last outing (Adams, Aniebonam, Christie, Mazyck, Noil, Winfree, and Woods), but lost two either directly (RB Johnathan Thomas) or indirectly (OL Jared Cohen) to the Nittany Lions; the offer from PSU caused Cohen to reopen his recruitment, despite the new staff’s cooling on the lineman.
PURDUE
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barron, Kirk | OL | Mishawaka, IN | Marian | 6'2", 294 | 2 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 6/15/2013 |
| Bentley, JaWhaun | DE | Hyattsville, MD | DeMatha | 6’2", 245 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/7/2013 |
| Blough, David | QB | Carrollton, TX | Creekview | 6'1", 187 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/15/2013 |
| Cason, Tim | DB | Clarkston, MI | Clarkston | 6’0", 181 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/7/2013 |
| Cobbs, Simmie | WR | Oak Park, IL | River Forest | 6’4", 205 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 10/17/2013 |
| Colmery, Will | DE | La Grange Park, IL | Nazareth Academy | 6’5", 235 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11/1/2013 |
| Hart, Trae | ATH | Dallas, TX | First Baptist Academy | 5'10", 155 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/3/2013 |
| Herdman, Cole | TE | Oakton, VA | Flint Hill School | 6’4", 225 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12/16/2013 |
| Jenkins, Juan | S | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville | 5'11", 200 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12/15/2013 |
| Jones, Keiwan | DT | Dunnellon, FL | Dunnellon | 6’2", 265 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12/9/2013 |
| Knox, Dexter | RB | Fairburn, GA | Creekside | 5'9", 200 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12/17/2013 |
| McGehee, Austin | K | Pine Bluff, AR | Pine Bluff | 6'1", 200 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/28/2013 |
| Patterson, Martesse | OT | Columbus, OH | Marion-Franklin | 6’5", 290 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/15/2013 |
| Phillips, Gregory | WR | Lithonia, GA | Arabia Mountain | 5'11", 180 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6/24/2013 |
| Roberts, Brandon | CB | Valdosta, GA | Lowndes | 6’0", 185 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/10/2013 |
| Robinson, Gelen | DE | St John, IN | Lake Central | 6'1", 231 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/24/2013 |
| Wiley, Ladarius | WR | Los Angeles, CA | Cathedral | 6’1", 185 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 12/17/2013 |
| Yacoobi, Bearooz | OT | Dearborn, MI | Dearborn | 6’5", 250 | 2 | 2 | 3 | NR | 1/19/2014 |
Observations: The Boilermakers have come on strong, adding a dozed commits in the past five months: Bentley, Cason, Cobbs, Colmery, Herdman, Jenkins, Jones, Knox, Patterson, Roberts, Wiley, and Yacoobi. Lineman Denzel Ward, a high school teammate of PSU’s Michael O’Connor, decommitted from Purdue in December; other than that, the Boilers haven’t had much negative news. With more class space left, though, look for some strong push to increase the class in the next eleven days.
ILLINOIS
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Allegretti, Nick | OL | Frankfort, IL | Lincoln Way East | 6'4", 280 | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3 stars | 3/11/2013 |
| Allison, Geronimo | WR | Council Bluffs, IA | Iowa Western CC | 6’3", 130 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/25/2013 |
| Crouch, Chayce | QB | Newark, OH | Newark Catholic | 6'4", 215 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5/2/2013 |
| Cvijanovic, Peter | OL | Great Barrington, MA | East Coast Prep | 6’5", 285 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 10/7/2013 |
| Domer, Matt | RB | Chicago, IL | Mount Carmel | 6'0", 180 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/2/2013 |
| Dudek, Mike | WR | Naperville, IL | Neuqua Valley | 5'11", 175 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/3/2013 |
| Fotu, Joe | DE | Oakland, CA | Laney College | 6’4", 275 | NR | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12/17/2013 |
| Hylton, Julian | ATH | Frankfort, IL | Lincoln Way North | 6’1", 190 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7/9/2013 |
| McGrew, Henry | LB | Stilwell, KS | Blue Valley | 6'3",237 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6/18/2013 |
| Odenigbo, Tito | DE | Centerville, OH | Centerville | 6'3", 241 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3/11/2013 |
| Phillips, Carroll | LB | Wesson, MS | Copiah-Lincoln CC | 6’4", 245 | NR | 3 | 2 | 3 | 12/18/2013 |
| Roberts, Austin | LB | Rice Lake, WI | Rice Lake | 6'3",226 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 6/13/2013 |
| Stone-Davis, Tyree | DB | Woodland Hills, CA | Pierce College | 6’3", 200 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 7/25/2013 |
| Stone-Davis, Tyrin | ATH | Woodland Hills, CA | Pierce College | 6’3", 195 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7/24/2013 |
| Turner, Malik | WR | Springfield, IL | Sacred Heart | 6'2", 200 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 6/24/2013 |
| Ward, Jihad | DT | New York, NY | Globe Institute of Technology | 6’7", 286 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 12/19/2013 |
| Watson, Tre | LB | Tampa, FL | Tampa Catholic | 6’2", 230 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12/15/2013 |
Observations: Say what you will about former Illini Head Coach Ron Zook (most of it warranted), but damn if that man couldn’t recruit. The same hasn’t been proven of his successor, whose second real class is, close to signing day, a significant downgrade (~20 places) from his first, and a far cry from the top 20 classes Illinois was having under the Zooker. Illinois did gain commitments from Cvijanovic, Fotu, Phillips, Ward, and Watson in the past few months, but lost a commitment from TE Jordan Frazier—who had actually signed a financial aid agreement with the University before reneging, and committing to Oklahoma State.
MINNESOTA
| Name | Position | Hometown | High School | Height/Weight | Rivals grade | 247 grade | Scout grade | ESPN grade | Date Committed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blasingame, Khari | S | New Market, AL | Buckhorn School | 6’2", 204 | 3 stars | 3 stars | 2 stars | 3 stars | 12/13/2013 |
| Elmore, Gaelin | TE | Somerset, WI | Somerset | 6'5", 238 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6/16/2013 |
| Gibson, Jerry | TE | Theodore, AL | Theodore | 6’3", 213 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 11/29/2013 |
| Jones, Jeff | RB | Minneapolis, MN | Washburn | 6'0", 190 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2/2/2013 |
| Kafo, Julien | DE | Montreal, QC | Vanier College | 6’4", 245 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 11/24/2013 |
| Lingen, Brandon | TE | Plymouth, MN | Wayzata Senior | 6’5", 245 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 10/3/2013 |
| Mayes, Connor | OL | Van Alstyne, TX | Van Alstyne | 6'5", 330 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6/17/2013 |
| McKinzy, Dimonic | QB | Kansas City, KS | Wyandotte | 6'0", 213 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4/27/2013 |
| Poock, Cody | LB | Council Bluffs, IA | Iowa Western CC | 6’3", 230 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 12/14/2013 |
| Rasmussen, Luke | OT | Brookfield, WI | Brookfield Central | 6’7", 270 | 2 | 2 | 2 | NR | 12/14/2013 |
| Richardson, Steve | DT | Chicago, IL | Mt Carmel | 5'11", 280 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4/29/2013 |
| Smith, Rodney | RB | Jonesboro, GA | Mundy’s Mill | 5’11", 195 | 2 | 3 | 3 | NR | 1/23/2014 |
| Stelter, Andrew | DE | Owatonna, MN | Owatonna | 6’4", 250 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7/20/2013 |
| Williams, Everett | LB | Mansfield, TX | Mansfield Legacy | 6’2", 220 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 9/30/2013 |
Observations: One of the surprising things on this list is the Golden Gophers’ placement, especially given the resurgent season they had in 2013, and the energy (despite medical issues) Head Coach Jerry Kill has undoubtedly brought to the Minnesota football program. They did add eight commits in the past five months (Blasingame, Gibson, Kafo, Lingen, Poock, Rasmussen, Smith, and Williams), but at only 14 commits, their class is tied for the smallest in the conference, and all four of the recruiting services have their average ranking at below a 3.0 (Minnesota is the only B1G to have that distinction). Look for a flurry of additions in the next week, but without much fire, not much will likely change.
***Note: Players in BOLD have already enrolled in their respective schools.***
This post was fueled by Wegmans diet wedge grapefruit soda and Sirius XM’s Rockin’ Frat Party radio station.