Ranking Big Ten recruiting classes via average commit distance

Since the summer, there have hardly been any changes to 2027 recruiting classes. Ranking updates and the occasional flip or decommitment looks to be what’s left on the table ahead of the December signing period.

The Big Ten remains on top of the college football world and it’s eyeing another national title this season. On the recruiting front, the conference is featured heavily in the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings.

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Of the 18 teams in the Big Ten, eight have a top-25 recruiting class this cycle, as of Oct. 6. That includes two teams — Oregon and Ohio State — in the top five. Which Big Ten teams are keeping their pledge lists close to home, though? Rivals ranks each recruiting class in the league based off average distance from the commits to their respective school:

1. Iowa

Average Commit Distance: 240 miles
In-State: 46%
Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings: No. 57 NATL.

Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa staff have once again primarily kept its recruiting efforts in the Midwest. There’s just 13 total commits in the class and six are in-state, headlined by three-star LB Gavin Stecker, three-star TE Jaxx DeJean and three-star OT Nate Brenneman, all of whom are top-10 prospects in the state. The Hawkeyes also have a few pledges from Illinois, with three-star DL Tommy Riordan checking in as the highest-ranked commit in the class.

2. Indiana

Average Commit Distance: 299 miles
In-State: 24%
Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings: No. 27 NATL.

Still fresh off a remarkable national championship season, Indiana has seen an uptick in blue-chip recruiting battles, but it still continues to hone in on top talent in and around the Hoosier State. The biggest win for Curt Cignetti and Co. came in July as it won out for local Five-Star Plus+ WR Monshun Sales, the No. 7 overall prospect in the cycle. Sales is one of just four in-state commits in the mix. Four-star OT commit Mason McDermott is the No. 2 player in the state. Michigan, Ohio and Illinois are among the other states represented in the class.

3. Michigan State

Average Commit Distance: 345 miles
In-State: 20%
Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings: No. 60 NATL.

Michigan State is another program that often leans on keeping local targets home. There’s 15 commits in the Spartans’ class but just three are inside state lines: three-star OT Jack Carlson, three-star ATH Don Spillers III and three-star IOL Grant Adloff. Not far down the road, however, is an additional eight commits scattered throughout Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Four-star IOL Caleb Johnson, the No. 3 prospect in Indiana, is the top-ranked commit in the class.

4. Rutgers

Average Commit Distance: 423 miles
In-State: 11%
Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings: No. 53 NATL.

Rutgers is unique in that it has the Northeast as its recruiting backyard. The Scarlet Knights have gone to the Southeast for their fair share of commits, but there are two in-state pledges and seven more throughout New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware. Three-star WR Arnold Mugerwa, the No. 15 player in Pennsylvania, is the top-ranked prospect in the class. Three-star WR Jamar Taylor is right behind as the No. 2 prospect in Delaware, while three-star WR Isaiah Alvarez is the top in-state commit in the fold.

5. Purdue

Average Commit Distance: 480 miles
In-State: 25%
Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings: No. 48 NATL.

Purdue is trying to break through under Barry Odom and it has expanded its recruiting footprint a bit this cycle. Commits from Texas, Arizona, Maryland and Alabama are among the five highest-ranked prospects in the Boilermakers’ class. There’s still four in-state pledges and five from Ohio and Illinois, highlighted by four-star safety Kaleb Elkins, the No. 7 player in Indiana, and three-star LB Ethan Reyna.

Big Ten Average Commit Distance Nos. 6-18

6. Northwestern — 510 miles
7. Wisconsin — 556 miles
8. Illinois — 556 miles
9. Minnesota — 619 miles
10. Michigan — 636 miles

11. Ohio State — 648 miles
12. UCLA — 659 miles
13. Penn State — 684 miles
14. Nebraska — 692 miles
15. Maryland — 704 miles

16. USC — 710 miles
17. Washington — 961 miles
18. Oregon — 1,603 miles