After a year in which the conference produced the national champion, the Big Ten underwent significant changes for next season. With so much evolution, recruiting becomes even more important, and our 2025 Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings show which teams are making progress toward the future.
2025 Big Ten Recruiting Class Rankings
T-17) Michigan State Spartans
Top Recruit: N/A
New head coach Jonathan Smith will need to get the ball rolling on his 2025 recruiting class, but for now, he’s establishing a foundation. From the transfer portal to spring practice, Smith has more pressing short-term needs.
T-17) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Top Recruit: N/A
The rumors of P.J. Fleck going to UCLA might have affected recruiting slightly, but there’s no doubt following the Bruins’ appointment of DeShaun Foster. Fleck’s staff does its homework on recruits, so it’s not surprising to see zero commitments so far. They want the right players to fit their culture, so give it time.
16) UCLA Bruins
Top Recruit: Weston Port, LB
Keep an eye on the Bruins in 2025. With Chip Kelly leaving to be the offensive coordinator at Ohio State, new head coach Foster inherits a big challenge. Not only must he establish a new culture within the program, but he has to do that while navigating the new Big Ten — and a difficult opening schedule.
UCLA’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Weston Port, LB, San Juan Hills (CA)
15) Maryland Terrapins
Top Recruit: Jett White, CB
Maryland typically does a good job of moving up the recruiting rankings, though there’s not much going on yet. Jett White committed to the Terrapins in January, and Maryland’s recent history of top-tier cornerback play helped them get the four-star player from Miami.
Maryland’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Jett White, CB, Edison (Miami, FL)
14) USC Trojans
Top Recruit: Julian Lewis, QB
Lincoln Riley got a commitment from Carrolton quarterback Julian Lewis before the 2023 season began. While it might be tough to keep the heavily recruited five-star, Riley’s track record of quarterback development should help keep Lewis with the program through National Signing Day.
USC’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Julian Lewis, QB, Carrolton (Georgia)
13) Indiana Hoosiers
Top Recruit: Evan Parker, IOL
Curt Cignetti hammered the transfer portal to elevate the talent on the roster at Indiana, and now he’s looking to the future with his recruiting class. The Hoosiers already have two commits, with Evan Parker and Matt Marek helping on the offensive line.
Indiana’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Evan Parker, IOL, Carmel (Indiana)
- Matt Marek, OT, Carl Sandburg (Illinois)
12) Washington Huskies
Top Recruit: Dash Beierly, QB
Jedd Fisch needs to replenish the roster after multiple players either turned pro or entered the transfer portal. Three-star quarterback Dash Beierly committed to the Huskies in January and could be a fun player to watch in the new offense.
Washington’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Dash Beierly, QB, Chaparral (California)
- Jake Flores, IOL, J Serra Catholic (California)
11) Illinois Fighting Illini
Top Recruit: Michael McDonough, IOL
Bret Bielema knows how to recruit offensive linemen and already has two in his 2025 recruiting class. Michael McDonough and Griffin Rousseau bring good size to the Illini offense, and they’d block for underrated quarterback Carson Boyd.
Illinois’ Recruiting Class, 2025
- Michael McDonough, IOL, Victor J Andrew (Illinois)
- Griffin Rousseau, OT, Stouhgton (Wisconsin)
- Carson Boyd, QB, Cardinal Ritter College Prep (Missouri)
10) Northwestern Wildcats
Top Recruit: Caden O’Rourke, EDGE
David Braun’s already sparked excitement in the fanbase, and now all eyes turn to recruiting. Northwestern won’t be a huge player in the transfer portal, so evaluating talent in high school is where they’ll need to thrive. Tight end commit Zach Guiliano could be an intriguing pass catcher with his big frame.
MORE: College Football Transfer Portal Tracker
Northwestern’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Caden O’Rourke, EDGE, Lincoln-Way East (Illinois)
- Zach Guiliano, TE, Corona Del Mar (California)
- Jonathan Stevens, ATH, Westerville North (Ohio)
9) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Top Recruit: Jayden Elijah, OT
Greg Schiano continues to surprise college football, and his roster construction via an ability to identify local talent is a key component of that. Jayden Elijah and Talibi Kaba decided to stay close to home by committing to Rutgers, while quarterback Sean Ashenfelder chose the Scarlet Knights over UCF, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia.
Rutgers’ Recruiting Class, 2025
- Jayden Elijah, OT, Matawan Regional (New Jersey)
- Sean Ashenfelder, QB, Creekside (Florida)
- Talibi Kaba, LB, Hillside (New Jersey)
8) Purdue Boilermakers
Top Recruit: Tarrion Grant, CB
Ryan Walters and his staff knew they had work to do, and last year’s finish proved that. So far in his 2025 recruiting class, Walters identified a couple of big-time players. Cornerback Tarrion Grant comes in at 6’4″ and 175 pounds. He could be Walters’ next top-tier cornerback.
Purdue’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Tarrion Grant, CB, Siegel (Tennessee)
- Sawyer Anderson, QB, Parish Episcopal School (Texas)
- Ziare Stevens, RB, East (Ohio)
- Rashad Jones, EDGE, Belleville (Michigan)
7) Iowa Hawkeyes
Top Recruit: Thomas Meyer, TE
It was business as usual for the Iowa Hawkeyes, and there weren’t too many surprises with their 2025 recruiting class. All eyes will be on quarterback Jimmy Sullivan, given the recent quarterback and offensive struggles. Tight end Thomas Meyer is set to become the next man up in a long lineage of great Hawkeyes at the position.
Iowa’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Thoams Meyer, TE, Clear Lake (Iowa)
- Burke Gautcher, ATH, Sycamore (Illinois)
- Joey Van Wetzinga, DL, Pleasant Valley (Iowa)
- Jimmy Sullivan, QB, Carroll (Indiana)
- Carson Cooney, Oswego (Illinois)
6) Nebraska Cornhuskers
Top Recruit: Caden VerMaas, S
All three of Nebraska’s commits in the 2025 recruiting class came before the 2023 season began, but we’ll see how much this year affected their commitments. Running back Conor Booth is a name to watch and gives the Cornhuskers a physical back with a strong frame at 6’2″ and 212 pounds.
Nebraska’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Caden VerMaas, S, Millard North (Nebraska)
- Tyson Terry, DL, Omaha North (Nebraska)
- Conor Booth, RB, Bishop Neumann (Nebraska)
5) Wisconsin Badgers
Top Recruit: Michael Roeske, OT
Wisconsin fans should be happy with how Luke Fickell is approaching this rebuild. He’s embracing the roots of the Badgers’ history while complementing it with a new style of football, which extends to his recruiting approach.
MORE: 2025 QB Recruiting Class Rankings
Michael Roeske committed to the hometown team late in the 2023 season and gave them a big tackle at 6’7″ and 280 pounds. Quarterback Landyn Locke comes from the state of Texas to run Phil Longo’s offense, committing to the Badgers over Miami.
Wisconsin’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Michael Roeske, OT, Wautoma (Wisconsin)
- Jaimier Scott, CB, Mt. Healthy (Ohio)
- Remington Moss, S, St. Michael (Virginia)
- Landyn Locke, QB, Rockwall (Texas)
- Cooper Catalano, LB, Germantown, (Wisconsin)
- Cody Haddad, S, St. Ignatius (Ohio)
- Brenden Anes, LB, Fred J Page (Tennessee)
4) Michigan Wolverines
Top Recruit: Carter Smith, QB
New head coach Sherrone Moore has the support of many involved in the program, and now he gets to show why he deserved to replace Jim Harbaugh. Michigan has received commitments from three players in the 2025 class, and two of them are four-star recruits.
Quarterback Carter Smith committed to the Wolverines over Florida, Miami, LSU, Penn State, and Ole Miss. Defensive lineman Bobby Kanka is the fifth-ranked player in the state of Michigan and chose the Wolverines over Tennessee, Michigan State, and Penn State.
Michigan’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Carter Smith, QB, Bishop Verot (Florida)
- Bobby Kanka, DL, Howell (Michigan)
- Eli Owens, TE, Alcoa (Tennessee)
3) Penn State Nittany Lions
Top Recruit: DJ McClary, LB
Penn State sits just outside the top 10 in the country with the 13th-best recruiting class, and they didn’t have to travel far to do so.
Just two of their recruits reside outside the Northeast, and six live within Pennsylvania’s borders.
Linebacker should be set, as the Nittany Lions got three commits from players at that position. DJ McClary, Dayshaun Burnett, and Alex Tatsch join a storied history of quality linebacker play, with Brunett and Tatsch committing in February.
Tight end Brady O’Hara brings a big frame to the Penn State offense at 6’6″ and 265 pounds and has the potential to be fellow commit Bekkem Kritza’s favorite target in the future. Joining Kritza in the backfield could be running back Tiqwai Hayes.
Penn State’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- DJ McClary, LB, Henry Snyder (New Jersey)
- Kiadnrea Barker, RB, The Woodlands (Arkansas)
- Dayshaun Burnett, LB, Imani Christian Academy (Pennsylvania)
- Alex Tatsch, LB, Greater Latrobe (Pennsylvania)
- Brady O’Hara, TE, North Catholic (Pennsylvania)
- Tiqwai Hayes, RB, Aliquippa (Pennsylvania)
- Bekkem Kristza, QB, Fairview (Colorado)
- Omari Gaines, S, Malcolm X Shabazz (New Jersey)
- Owen Aliciene, OT, Avon Old Farms (Connecticut)
- Michael Troutman, IOL, DePaul Catholic (New Jersey)
- Xzavier Thomas, CB, Central Catholic (Pennsylvania)
2) Oregon Ducks
Top Recruit: Dallas Wilson, WR
Dan Lanning is on a mission in Oregon and using his connections to get commitments from all over the country. Oregon only has five recruits in this class, but expect that number to grow. The Ducks currently sit with the sixth-best class in the country and already have some big names to know.
Wide receiver Dallas Branch leads the class out of Tampa, Florida, and chose the Ducks over schools like Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas. Fellow wide receiver and four-star Adrian Wilson joins Branch out of Pflugerville, Texas.
Lanning also utilized a former Duck, Akili Smith Sr., to get his son, Akili Smith Jr., to commit to the Ducks. Smith stands 6’5″ and would instantly be a fan favorite thanks to the family history.
Oregon’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Dallas Wilson, WR, Tampa Bay Tech (Florida)
- Akili Smith Jr., QB, Lincoln (California)
- Adrian Wilson, WR, Weiss (Texas)
- Matthew Johnson, DL, De La Salle (California)
- Sandman Thompson, IOL, Eau Gallie (Florida)
1) Ohio State Buckeyes
Top Recruit: Na’eem Offord, CB
If Ohio State’s slowing down, it’s certainly not in the transfer portal or recruiting. The second-best 2025 class already features a five-star cornerback and multiple four-star recruits.
The Buckeyes received commitments from the fifth and sixth-best cornerbacks in the country, according to On3. Na’eem Offord and Devin Sanchez could be the future of the defense, and the Buckeyes also got four-star Blake Woodby out of Maryland.
MORE: Top 10 Players in the 2025 College Football Recruiting Class
Quarterback Tavien St. Clair committed to the Buckeyes before the 2023 season began, and there could be a future connection with St. Clair and wide receiver commit Jayvan Boggs.
Ohio State’s Recruiting Class, 2025
- Na’eem Offord, CB, Parker (Alabama)
- Devin Sanchez, CB, North Shore (Texas)
- Tavien St. Clair, QB, Bellefontaine (Ohio)
- Zahir Mathis, EDGE, Imhotep Institute (Pennsylvania)
- Blake Woodby, CB, St. Frances Academy (Maryland)
- Carter Lowe, OT, Whitmer (Ohio)
- Jayvan Boggs, WR, Cocoa (Florida)
- Eli Lee, LB, Archbishop Hoban (Ohio)
Miss any action from the top college QB Rankings during the 2023 football season? Want to track all the movement with the college football transfer portal? College Football Network has you covered with that and more!