Amid conference realignment that is changing college football, we decided to rank the top 10 recruiting classes from 2010 to 2019 for each Power 5 conference.
We recently evaluated our recruiting class rankings, considering how player rankings translated into actual production and how well each class did in the win column over the course of four years.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have broken down the Big 12, the Pac-12, the ACC and the SEC. This time, we go through the Big Ten.
In this 10-year span, Ohio State signed four top-five classes, reached the College Football Playoff four times and won a national title in 2014. Having been a consistent presence on the recruiting trail and the national title picture, it is not surprising that the Buckeyes had several classes land on this list.
This conference arguably had the most overall diversity with five other programs placing classes among this top 10. Michigan State was in the national title picture this season, but it was a class from earlier in the decade that proved to be its best over this span.
Having competed for the conference title multiple times, Wisconsin not shockingly cracked the top 10, and Michigan's 2021 CFP berth was aided by a class that landed among this group.
Here are the top 10 recruiting classes in the Big Ten over the past decade.
1. Ohio State, 2017
Class of 2017 ranking: 2
Top offensive prospect: WR Trevon Grimes (No. 6)
Top defensive prospect: CB Shaun Wade (No. 35)
The No. 2 class in the 2017 cycle helped deliver four Big Ten championships and two CFP appearances. Defensive backs Wade and Jeff Okudah were the No. 1-rated corner and safety, respectively, in the ESPN 300. Both went on to All-American careers and joined a double-digit list of Buckeyes who were drafted from this class. Chase Young was the 27th-ranked player overall, which proved to be low for the fellow All-American who broke the OSU single-season sack record. The depth of the offensive line class was amazing when looking at the careers of highly rated ESPN 300 prospects Wyatt Davis and Josh Myers down to No. 39-rated OT Thayer Munford, a multiyear starter for the Buckeyes. The impressive line opened holes for J.K. Dobbins, who left Columbus after three years as OSU's second-leading rusher all time.
2. Ohio State, 2013
Class of 2013 ranking: 7
Top offensive prospect: WR Jalin Marshall (No. 49)
Top defensive prospect: CB Eli Apple (No. 11)
Urban Meyer's first full recruiting class at Ohio State dominated the Big Ten and laid the foundation for the national championship team in 2014. This class had 17 ESPN 300 prospects and was so deep in talent that All-Americans and future first-round NFL draft picks Joey Bosa and Ezekiel Elliott were not even headliners. Its star prospects were also Day 1 NFL picks, like top-rated CBs Apple and Gareon Conley. Dual-threat QB J.T. Barrett (No. 11 overall) may be the MVP of this class. He set records through the air, went 4-0 vs. Michigan and was also the first three-time captain in program history.
3. Michigan State, 2010
Class of 2010 ranking: unranked
Top offensive prospect: WR Tony Lippett (three stars)
Top defensive prospect: DE William Gholston (No. 42)
The 2021 Spartans squad made a lot of noise this season, but Michigan State's 2010 group has been the school's most elite class, winning at least 11 games three times over four seasons along with a Big Ten title in 2013. Gholston, their lone ESPN 300 signee, never quite met the lofty expectations but was still among the conference's top defenders. The Spartans did an excellent job of mining several three-star prospects who became impact players. Defensively, Max Bullough and Marcus Rush were highly productive, as Bullough was a two-time captain and first-team All-Big Ten selection, and Rush left as the program's leader in starts (53). WR Tony Lippett contributed on both sides of the ball, leaving with 149 career receptions. This turned out to be an excellent RB haul for the Spartans, who signed overachieving two-stars Jeremy Langford (2,967 yards) and Le'Veon Bell (3,346 yards) in this class.
4. Ohio State, 2019
Class of 2019 ranking: 16
Top offensive prospect: DE Zach Harrison (No. 10)
Top defensive prospect: WR Garrett Wilson (No. 17)
Ryan Day's first class proved to be a great one in Columbus. Any questions about his ability to recruit were answered. The Buckeyes kept five-star pass-rusher Harrison in state and went into Texas to land Wilson, the No. 2 WR in the ESPN 300, who was an immediate contributor with 30 receptions as a freshman. Joining the two highly productive former five-stars was Harry Miller, the No. 2 overall center in the class. The biggest addition to this class came via transfer, as former No. 1 overall ESPN 300 prospect QB Justin Fields met expectations repeating as the conference's offensive player of the year.
5. Ohio State, 2018
Class of 2018 ranking: 2
Top offensive prospect: OT Nicholas Petit-Frere (No. 13)
Top defensive prospect: DT Taron Vincent (No. 19)
This class helped Ohio State reach the CFP twice and win three conference titles. Five-star Petit-Frere entered college with a wealth of potential and has developed into one of the premier OTs in college football. Jeremy Ruckert has been a key target at TE and is among the program's all-time leaders for TDs at the position. Four-star RB Master Teague III has been a productive contributor on offense while three-star WR Chris Olave has become one of the top signees from this class.
6. Ohio State, 2011
Class of 2011 ranking: 7
Top offensive prospect: QB Braxton Miller (No. 80)
Top defensive prospect: DE Steve Miller (No. 30)
As freshmen, this class won only six games, but it helped usher in a dominant period when OSU never won fewer than 12 games between 2012 and 2014. This Buckeyes group was also instrumental in capturing the 2014 national title. Braxton Miller was an impact player at both QB and WR during his time in Columbus. The Buckeyes signed two impact tight ends in this class in Jeff Heuerman and Nick Vannett. Top-five linebacker Ryan Shazier met expectations, becoming a dominant player for OSU's defense.
7. Wisconsin, 2013
Class of 2013 ranking: unranked
Top offensive prospect: RB Corey Clement (No. 149)
Top defensive prospect: DE Alec James (four stars)
This Badgers class was not big in numbers, but it was the foundation of two Big Ten West championships. Close to half of the class went on to play in the NFL. The headline names lived up to the hype, like Clement, who finished with over 3,000 career rushing yards and 36 touchdowns (No. 9 all time at Wisconsin). Toward the bottom of the class was slightly built defensive end T.J. Watt, who would add 40 pounds and wreak havoc in the conference and now in the NFL.
8. Michigan, 2019
Class of 2019 ranking: 8
Top offensive prospect: RB Zach Charbonnet (No. 101)
Top defensive prospect: DB Daxton Hill (No. 13)
The Wolverines are in the CFP and competing for a national championship this season in large part because of their 2019 class. QB Cade McNamara has brought consistency and production to Michigan's offense while throwing for over 2,400 yards and 15 TDs heading into the Capital One Orange Bowl. ESPN 300 WR Cornelius Johnson leads the team in receptions. Five-star Hill is among their top defenders and was a first-team All-Big Ten selection, while David Ojabo has been a disruptive force with double-digit sacks.
9. Penn State, 2018
Class of 2018 ranking: 4
Top offensive prospect: WR Justin Shorter (No. 8)
Top defensive prospect: DE Micah Parsons (No. 7)
The fourth-ranked class in 2018 helped Penn State win 11 games in 2019. Five-star Parsons was an immediate impact performer and All-American during that 2019 season. Odafe Oweh was another key defensive contributor who developed into a first-round NFL pick like Parsons. Rasheed Walker became a starter on the O-line and a captain. Pat Freiermuth was a two-time captain and set the team record for career touchdowns by a TE.
10. Northwestern, 2010
Class of 2010 ranking: unranked
Top offensive prospect: OT Paul Jorgensen (three stars)
Top defensive prospect: DE Chance Carter (three stars)
Not only did Northwestern crack the list, but there was a debate between this 2010 class and its 2014 class. This group, in typical Wildcats fashion, lacked big, highly touted names on signing day but produced on the field, particularly in 2012, when it won 10 games. Kain Colter and Trevor Siemian shared the duties behind center. The versatile Colter became one of Northwestern's most iconic players, finishing as the eighth-leading rusher in program history (2,180 yards). Ibraheim Campbell was the leading tackler as a redshirt freshman and left as a four-year starter, while Chi Ariguzo was a multiyear starter on defense as well.
Best of the rest
Illinois, 2010
Class of 2010 ranking: unranked
Notable recruit: LB Jonathan Brown (three stars)
Indiana, 2017
Class of 2017 ranking: 57
Notable recruit: WR Whop Philyor (three stars)
Iowa, 2016
Class of 2016 ranking: 35
Notable recruit: TE T.J. Hockenson (two stars)
Maryland, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 50
Notable recruit: OT Damian Prince (No. 26)
Minnesota, 2016
Class of 2016 ranking: 55
Notable recruit: DB Antoine Winfield Jr. (three stars)
Nebraska, 2011
Class of 2011 ranking: 17
Notable recruit: RB Ameer Abdullah (two stars)
Purdue, 2019
Class of 2019 ranking: 25
Notable recruit: WR David Bell (No. 226)
Rutgers, 2014
Class of 2014 ranking: 56
Notable recruit: CB Saquan Hampton (three stars)