The Top 5 Big Ten 2026 recruiting classes after National Signing Day

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The whirlwind of the early signing period for the 2026 class has wrapped up, with the vast majority of recruits across the country signing National Letters of Intent to play at schools they’d been committed to for months.

Michigan has locked in 27 commits and rank fourth in the Big Ten on the 247Sports composite. If you were busy on Wednesday, I highly recommend going back and checking out site manager Von Lozon’s coverage, as he’s been updating our coverage to the minute.

Heading into the weekend, let’s dive into the Top-5 classes in the conference and discuss a few of the top recruits headed to the Big Ten.

1. USC (1 five-star, 31 four-stars, 13 three-stars)

USC has the most commits in the 2026 cycle (35) and has the top-ranked class in the country, with Oregon coming in right behind them as second in both the country and the Big Ten.

The class is headlined by five-star IMG Academy offensive tackle Keenyi Pepe (ranked No. 5 nationally), who could be a constant on Lincoln Riley’s offensive line the next three seasons. We know Riley loves his passing attack, and the Trojans bolstered that with four-star quarterback Jonas Williams (No. 118) and four-star wide receivers Kayden Dixon-Wyatt (No. 47) and Ethan Feaster (No. 69).

USC continues to dominate in one of the most talent-rich states in the country (California), and the Trojans could win the Big Ten in the near future if these players develop quickly.

2. Oregon (4 five-stars, 12 four-stars, 5 three-stars)

Oregon joins Notre Dame and Alabama as the only three schools with four five-star players. Edge rusher Anthony Jones headlines that group as the No. 19 player in the class, alongside safety Jett Washington (No. 22), and interior offensive linemen Immanuel Iheanacho (No. 25) and Tommy Tofi (No. 43).

The Ducks signed five players in the Top-100 in the class, as Dan Lanning continues to prove he’s one of the best coaches and recruiters in the sport.

3. Ohio State (1 five-star, 17 four-stars, 9 three-stars)

Ohio State’s lone five-star recruit, wide receiver Chris Henry Jr., signed his letter of intent on Friday, ending days of speculation that he could sign somewhere else.

Ohio State has the No. 6 class nationally and four other Top-100 recruits signed — linebacker Cincere Johnson (No. 40), cornerback Jay Timmons (No. 45), offensive tackle Sam Greer (No. 63) and edge rusher Khary Wilder (No. 78). One small victory for Michigan fans: none of OSU’s 25 signees are from the state of Michigan.

4. Michigan (3 five-stars, 13 four-stars, 12 three-stars)

Carter Meadows is the top-rated player in Michigan’s class, ranked as the No. 1 edge and sixth among all players in the class. Five-star running back Savion Hiter is not far behind at No. 8, giving Michigan two Top-10 players.

In something that should not surprise anyone paying attention to Sherrone Moore’s recruiting history, trench play was a priority for the Wolverines. Four-star interior defensive linemen Alister Vallejo (No. 113) and Titan Davis (No. 128), and four-star offensive tackles Marky Walbridge (No. 152), Malakai Lee (No. 188), and Tommy Fraumann all signed on Wednesday.

Four-star quarterback Tommy Carr — the grandson of Lloyd Carr and brother of Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr — is an intriguing prospect and joins four-star Brady Smigiel as the two passers for Michigan’s class.

There’s a lot to like about this class, and we’ll have more on some of those players as they enroll early ahead of Michigan’s bowl game.

5. Washington (1 five-star, 10 four-stars, 13 three-stars)

Washington quietly has one of the better classes in college football (No. 13), headlined by five-star offensive tackle Kodi Greene. Washington got much better on offense this week, with four-star running back Brian Bonner (No. 121 nationally), as well as four-star wide receivers Jordan Clay (No. 129), Trez Davis (No. 182), and Mason James (No. 244).

I’m always going to have a soft spot for players that sport a hat in their 247 profile (you’ve got to love creativity), so four-star safety Gavin Day is someone I’ll be watching out for.

Dishonorable mention: What exactly is the plan at Penn State? (2 total commits)

If you, dear reader, have any collegiate eligibility and wanted to commit to Penn State, you would become 33 percent of Penn State’s recruiting class.

That’s right — with no permanent coach in place after firing James Franklin 54 days ago, Penn State only has two commits in the 2026 class: four-star edge rusher Jackson Ford and three-star quarterback Peyton Falzone, with the latter flipping from Auburn to the Nittany Lions earlier this week.

Franklin took the vast majority of Penn State’s committed recruits with him to Virginia Tech, and with all the uncertainty around that program, I don’t blame high schoolers for steering clear of Happy Valley. I’m sure Penn State thought it would have a head coach by now, even after the recent push for BYU head coach Kalani Sitake came up short. Alas, that’s just the way the cookie Crumbls.

How do you feel about Michigan’s class, and the rest of the Big Ten? Let us know in the comments.

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