Updated Big Ten classes in the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings

With spring nearing its end and a hectic summer rapidly approaching, football season is coming. Top prospects in the 2026 cycle continue to come off the board as rankings continue to update.

Following the release of the latest 2026 On300 this week, the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings have once again updated. The Big Ten is littered throughout the top, especially the top five.

Four Big Ten programs are currently in the top 10 nationally, while an additional four are featured throughout the top 30. USC already has a loaded class that ranks No. 2 in the nation.

Below are the top 2026 recruiting classes in the Big Ten to date, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings:

1. USC — 94.195

23 total commits
2 five-stars | 10 four-stars | 10 three-stars
Top Commit: LB Xavier Griffin, No. 24 NATL (No. 2 LB)
National Class Ranking: No. 2

The Trojans have been scorching hot on the recruiting trail and likely have most of their 2026 class filled up at this point. Griffin is a new five-star, as is cornerback RJ Sermons. Lincoln Riley and Co. also have top-100 pledges from cornerback Brandon Lockhart, EDGE Simote Katoanga, quarterback Jonas Williams and defensive lineman Jaimeon Winfield.

2. Oregon — 93.306

8 total commits
2 five-star | 4 four-stars | 2 four-stars
Top Commit: TE Kendre Harrison, No. 16 NATL. (No. 1 TE)
National Class Ranking: No. 3

The Ducks have secured a handful of big early pledges, but few are more important than Harrison, the country’s top tight end out of North Carolina. He’s flanked by new five-star offensive lineman Kodi Greene, No. 5 running back Tradarian Ball, No. 8 DL Tony Cumberland, and a pair of other four-star commits.

3. Ohio State — 93.260

11 total commits
2 five-star | 7 four-stars | 2 three-stars
Top Commit: WR Chris Henry Jr., No. 21 NATL. (No. 2 WR)
National Class Ranking: No. 4

After a bit of a slow start early in the cycle, things are beginning to heat up for the Buckeyes. Henry has been a longtime commit dating back to July 2023. OSU recently beat out LSU and Texas for five-star Blaine Bradford, who hails from Baton Rouge and is ranked as the nation’s No. 3 safety. On3 top-100 prospect Simeon Caldwell added his name to the commit list earlier this month, joining recent blue-chip pledges Sam Greer, Max Riley and Brock Boyd, who flipped from TCU.

4. Penn State — 91.231

12 total commits
0 five-stars | 7 four-stars | 4 three-stars
Top Commit: IOL Kevin Brown, No. 51 NATL. (No. 3 IOL)
National Class Ranking: No. 9

Some early work on the recruiting trail has paid off for James Franklin and the Nittany Lions, who are positioned to finished with a top-10 class this cycle. Brown has been committed to PSU since last summer, while prized four-star running back Messiah Mickens has been pledged since August of 2023. Four-star athlete/quarterback Peyton Falzone joined the fold this month and sits near the top of the class alongside four-star safety Matt Sieg, four-star QB Troy Huhn and four-star EDGE Daniel Jennings.

5. Iowa — 89.072

9 total commits
0 five-stars | 4 four-stars | 5 three-stars
Top Commit: IOL Hudson Parliament, No. 235 NATL. (No. 18 IOL)
National Class Ranking: No. 17

Beef in the trenches has Iowa in the right direction this cycle. Behind Parliament, four-star OT Carson Nielsen and four-star IOL Gene Riordan flank as top-300 recruits. Riordan, the newest addition to the class, is the No. 5 IOL in the On300. Five O-linemen are in the class overall. Four-star ATH Marcello Vitti and three-star QB Cash Herrera are others in the mix for the Hawkeyes thus far.

6. Maryland — 89.032

3 total commits
1 five-star | 0 four-stars | 2 three-stars
Top Commit: EDGE Zion Elee, No. 5 NATL. (No. 1 EDGE)
National Class Ranking: No. 18

Landing a commitment from Elee, the No. 1 recruit in the On300, was beyond monumental for Mike Locksley and the Terrapins. He remains locked in with the in-state school and is working to hard to help Maryland land other big-time blue-chippers. The other pair of commits for the Terps thus far are teammates of Elee’s at St. Frances Academy in three-star TE Damon Hall and three-star safety Khmari Bing.

7. UCLA — 88.209

4 total commits
0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 2 three-stars
Top Commit: WR Jaron Pula, No. 340 NATL. (No. 54 WR)
National Class Ranking: No. 26

Deshaun Foster and the Bruins have clearly prioritized pass-catching on the recruiting trail, as all four commits in the mix to date are wide receivers. Pula is the name at the top of the list, while his brother, three-star WR Kennan Pula, is also pledged. Four-star WR Kenneth Moore is in the boat for the in-state school, as is three-star WR Jonah Smith.

8. Illinois — 88.027

13 total commits
0 five-stars | 1 four-star | 12 three-stars
Top Commit: ATH Cam Thomas, No. 300 NATL. (No. 13 ATH)
National Class Ranking: No. 30

Not many teams have landed more commitments than Illinois this calendar year, as all but one of its 13 commits have pledged in the last four months. Thomas headlines as a top-15 recruit out of Ohio, though it’s a Florida pipeline that’s fleshed out this class to date. Six Sunshine State prospects are committed to the Illini, including three-star RB Javari Burnett, three-star LB Tony Williams and three-star WR Kenyon Alston.

9. Minnesota — 87.911

8 total commits
0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 6 three-stars
Top Commit: OT Andrew Trout, No. 245 NATL. (No. 17 OT)
National Class Ranking: No. 31

Trout has been committed to the Golden Gophers since January of 2024 and he remains one of the top tackles in the cycle. This February brought a big win as four-star CB Justin Hopkins committed, choosing PJ Fleck and Co. over Georgia Tech, Tennessee and USC. Three-star QB Owen Lansu is the No. 38 signal-caller in the cycle, while three-star OT Gavin Meier and three-star DL Howie Johnson are other top commits in the class to date.

10. Washington — 87.044

8 total commits
0 five-stars | 0 four-stars | 8 three-stars
Top Commit: QB Derek Zammit, No. 482 NATL.
National Class Ranking: No. 38

The Huskies landed their 2026 quarterback pledge earlier this month via Zammit, the No. 28 signal-caller in the nation. He sits atop the class for head coach Jedd Fisch and Co. alongside three-star RB Ansu Sanoe, three-star safety Ksani Jiles, three-star safety CJ Lavender and three-star WR Terrance Saryon.

11. Nebraska — 86.680
12. Michigan — 86.648
13. Wisconsin — 86.565
14. Rutgers — 86.478
15. Michigan State — 86.461
16. Purdue — 85.441
17. Northwestern — 82.699
18. Indiana — 85.991 (two commits)