Ohio State football pledge DJ Jacobs headlines top 2027 Big Ten commitments
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For the last three seasons, the Big Ten has claimed the title as the conference to beat when it comes to the national stage following three straight national championships.
While NIL and the transfer portal has played a major role in that shift, that doesn't take away from the fact that the top programs in the conference have also upped their levels when it comes to recruiting at the high school level.
Programs like Ohio State, Michigan, Oregon, Penn State and USC have always done well when it comes to high school recruiting. All of those programs have had their fair share of recruiting wins in the 2027 class as well.
However, up-and-coming programs like the defending national champions in Indiana have also taken steps forward and landed recruits unlike anything the program has ever seen.
We've taken a look at the ACC, so here's a look at the top senior commitment for every Big Ten program entering the 2026 high school football season.
Illinois: Bennett Konkey
Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Geneva (IL)
247Sports Ranking: No. 237 overall, No. 35 WR
Breakdown: A 6-foot-1, 189-pound in-state prospect, Konkey announced his commitment to the Fighting Illini on June 16. Last season he caught 41 passes for 739 yards and nine touchdowns.
Indiana: Monshun Sales
Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Lawrence North (Indianapolis, IN)
247Sports Ranking: No. 12 overall, No. 1 WR
Breakdown: One of the top receivers in the country, Sales became Indiana’s first ever five-star commitment with his pledge on July 17. Last season, the 6-foot-5, 195-pounder caught 37 passes for 794 yards and nine touchdowns while adding 56 tackles on defense.
Iowa: Reilly Newman
Position: Offensive Tackle
High School: Lakota West (West Chester, OH)
247Sports Ranking: No. 180 overall, No. 11 OT
Breakdown: A 6-foot-6, 285-pounder, Newman committed to the Hawkeyes on March 30. He anchored a Lakota West offensive line that helped the Firebirds average 28.1 points per game last fall.
Maryland: Kenaz Sullivan
Position: Cornerback
High School: The St. James (Springfield, VA)
247Sports Ranking: No. 237 overall, No. 17 CB
Breakdown: Sullivan transferred from North Stafford ahead of his senior season and committed to Maryland on June 20. Last season, he totaled 85 tackles, nine pass breakups and four interceptions.
Michigan State: Caleb Johnson
Position: Offensive Tackle
High School: Noblesville (IN)
247Sports Ranking: No. 211 overall, No. 13 OT
Breakdown: Johnson was one of the few bright spots on a Millers team that struggled in 2025. The 6-foot-5, 275-pounder committed to Michigan State on June 13.
Michigan: Jakari Lipsey
Position: Offensive Tackle
High School: Loy Norrix (Kalamazoo, MI)
247Sports Ranking: No. 35 overall, No. 4 OT
Breakdown: A 6-foot-5, 290-pounder, Lipsey committed to the in-state Wolverines on May 2. He's a borderline five-star talent who was one of the few bright spots on his high school team last season.
Minnesota: Brooks Bakko
Position: Tight End
High School: Kindred (ND)
247Sports Ranking: No. 130 overall, No. 7 TE
Breakdown: North Dakota may not be thought of as one of the states where elite high school talent comes from but Minnesota got its tight end of the future out of the state in Bakko. The North Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year in 2025, he committed to the Golden Gophers on April 7 following a junior season where he caught 41 passes for 757 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Nebraska: Trae Taylor
Position: Quarterback
High School: Millard South (Omaha, NE)
247Sports Ranking: No. 7 overall, No. 1 QB
Breakdown: Taylor was one of the best quarterbacks in Illinois last year completing 82% of his passes for 3,571 yards and 38 touchdowns while also rushing for 633 yards and 12 more touchdowns. He committed to Nebraska on May 1 and will also play his final year of high school football in the state.
Northwestern: Cade Reikowski
Position: Interior Offensive Lineman
High School: Pewaukee (Pewaukee, WI)
247Sports Ranking: No. 25 IOL
Breakdown: A 6-foot-6.5, 305-pounder, Reikowski committed to the Wildcats on February 1. He's ranked as the fifth-best player in Wisconsin for the 2027 class.
Ohio State: DJ Jacobs
Position: EDGE
High School: Blessed Trinity Catholic (Roswell, GA)
247Sports Ranking: No. 1 overall, No. 1 EDGE
Breakdown: The Buckeyes landed one of the biggest recruiting wins of the cycle when Jacobs committed to them over Miami on December 29. He lives up to his ranking after totaling 102 tackles, 24 tackles for loss and 16 sacks in 11 games last season.
Oregon: Dakota Guerrant
Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Harper Woods (MI)
247Sports Ranking: No. 22 overall, No. 4 WR
Breakdown: One of the nation's premier pass-catchers, Guerrant announced his commitment to Oregon on June 16. He played nearly every skill position on the field last year but stood out primarily at receiver, catching 55 passes for 1,074 yards and 26 touchdowns.
Penn State: David Tarawallie
Position: Offensive Tackle
High School: Riverside (Painesville, OH)
247Sports Ranking: No. 66 overall, No. 7 OT
Breakdown: Tarawallie is the headliner for Matt Campbell's first class in Happy Valley having committed to the Nittany Lions on May 7. He anchored an offensive line at Riverside last year that helped the Beavers average 31.6 points per game.
Purdue: Trenton Yancey
Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Duncanville (TX)
247Sports Ranking: No. 187 overall, No. 29 WR
Breakdown: An offensive weapon is the best way to describe Yancey. He committed to Purdue on June 9 following a junior season where he accounted for 1,258 all-purpose yards and 17 total touchdowns.
Rutgers: Jamar Taylor
Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Salesianum (Wilmington, DE)
247Sports Ranking: No. 61 WR
Breakdown: Taylor announced his commitment to the Scarlet Knights on May 13. He transferred to Salesianum and helped lead them to the Class 3A championship catching 42 passes for 534 yards and seven touchdowns.
UCLA: JuJu Johnson
Position: Athlete
High School: Long Beach Poly (CA)
247Sports Ranking: No. 30 overall, No. 2 Athlete
Breakdown: Johnson's commitment to the Bruins on May 2 was a major win for UCLA as they kept one of the nation's best home. He missed his junior season with an injury but broke onto the scene as a sophomore totaling 43 tackles, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles and an interception.
USC: Mekai Brown
Position: EDGE
High School: Greenwich Country Day (CT)
247Sports Ranking: No. 23 overall, No. 6 EDGE
Breakdown: He may be clear across the country but that didn't stop Brown from committing to USC on April 17. The Trojans landed one of the premier pass-rushers in the 2027 class as he finished last season with 68 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and 10 sacks in nine games.
Washington: Censere Gaylord
Position: Cornerback
High School: IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL)
247Sports Ranking: No. 111 overall, No. 13 CB
Breakdown: Gaylord announced his commitment to Washington on July 11. He played in nine games last season, totaling 22 tackles, five pass breakups and four interceptions.
Wisconsin: Mekhi Williams
Position: Safety
High School: Lennard (Ruskin, FL)
247Sports Ranking: No. 120 overall, No. 10 Safety
Breakdown: The definition of a ball hawk, Williams announced his commitment to the Badgers on June 3. He’s recorded over 30 tackles in back-to-back seasons and has 10 total interceptions over the last three seasons.
Follow Sports Reporter Joe Spears on X at @joe_spears7 or via email: JSpears@usatodayco.com. For additional high school sports coverage, be sure to follow @usatodayhss on Instagram and X.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ohio State football pledge DJ Jacobs headlines top 2027 Big Ten commitments
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