Big Ten Spotlight: Concern level for programs lagging behind on 2026 class
Spring official visits have kicked off around the country and players are still taking unofficial visits to check out spring practices. As we enter a very busy time on the recruiting calendar, which programs currently lagging behind should be truly worried about their recruiting classes and which of them will be just fine?
Advertisement
We'll start with a look at the Big Ten.
RELATED: Big Ten team recruiting rankings
RUMOR MILL: Intel flows from trip to North Carolina
CLASS OF 2025 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State
TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker
INDIANA
Big Ten Rank: 17th out of 18
Level of concern: High
Smith's Take: As of right now, Indiana only has one commitment for the 2026 recruiting class, three-star OL Samuel Simpson. That's an extremely slow start for a team that had a historic season last year.
Advertisement
The Hoosiers are hosting plenty of players for spring practices including three-star safety Brayden Reilly out of Ohio. But things need to pick up in a big way for them to get the type of recruiting momentum they need after last season.
INDIANA'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH INDIANA FANS AT THEHOOSIER.COM
MICHIGAN STATE
Big Ten Rank: Tied for 14th out of 18
Level of concern: Low
The Spartans are in an interesting position heading into Year 2 of coach Jonathan Smith running the program. They stay under the radar and quietly do their work even as rival Michigan has been among the biggest stories in college football. That approach has paid off early and they have some very high upside players in the class, such as quarterback Kayd Coffman and tight end Eddie Whiting.
Advertisement
But Michigan State will need to show improvement on the field this season to improve this recruiting ranking, and I have a sneaky feeling it will.
MICHIGAN STATE'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH MICHIGAN STATE FANS AT SPARTANSILLUSTRATED.COM
NEBRASKA
Big Ten Rank: 16th out of 18
Level of concern: Medium
Nebraska is among the programs in the Big Ten in need of a huge official visit season. The program has three commits now but rising four-star defensive back CJ Bronaugh is a very soft commit.
The Huskers hosted a lot of good players for spring practice visits but will they be able to close them? How they finish with players such as defensive end Titan Davis, running back DeZephen Walker and receiver Nasir Rankin will go a long way in determining the success of the cycle.
Advertisement
NEBRASKA'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH NEBRASKA FANS AT INSIDENEBRASKA.COM
WISCONSIN
Big Ten Rank: Tied for 14th out of 18
Level of concern: Low
The Badgers are facing a critical recruiting class and season under coach Luke Fickell. Things have not gone to play yet but there is still hope in Madison. The 2026 recruiting class is starting to gain steam.
Wisconsin got a major steal in getting a verbal from Chicago pass rusher Carmelow Reed. I also really like the pickup on Tuesday of versatile defensive back Carsen Eloms.
The Badgers have a lot of good regional targets left on the board scheduled to come in for spring/summer official visits. Those will be critical to where this recruiting class ultimately lands.
WISCONSIN'S 2026 COMMITMENT LIST
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH WISCONSIN FANS AT BADGERBLITZ.COM
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNET
28 minutes ago
- CNET
How to Watch Tonight's NBA Finals Indiana Pacers vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game 3 Free
The 2025 NBA Finals continue Wednesday night with the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers facing off in Game 3. While the Pacers won Game 1, they lost to the Thunder in Game 2, leaving the two teams tied for a chance at the championship. Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder to victory with 34 points in Sunday's game, the final score a comfortable 123-107. Tonight's game will air on ABC, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT). If you don't have a streaming subscription with live TV, there's another way to watch. Here's what to know. What's the 2025 NBA Finals schedule? Here's when and where the Pacers and Thunder will play for the 2025 NBA Finals. Wednesday, June 11 Game 3: Thunder at Pacers, 8:30 p.m ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC Friday, June 13 Game 4: Thunder at Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC Monday, June 16* Game 5: Pacers at Thunder, 8:30 p.m ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC Thursday, June 19* Game 6: Thunder at Pacers, 8:30 p.m. ET (5:30 p.m. PT) on ABC Sunday, June 22* Game 7: Pacers at Thunder, 8 p.m. ET (5 p.m. PT) on ABC *If required. How to watch Game 3 of the NBA Finals free You can watch tonight's Pacers vs. Thunder game for free on the NBA's YouTube livestream but you'll need a virtual private network since the game is geo-locked in India, meaning it's only available in that country. A VPN will bypass that restriction by routing your Internet traffic to another location to watch the game. CNET recommends ExpressVPN for the NBA Finals. ExpressVPN is a paid VPN that costs $13 a month but there's a free trial to watch tonight's game. We don't usually recommend free VPNs for streaming region-locked sports games because you can't choose the server location. Free VPNs also come with other downsides, including less-than-ideal speed and no control of your privacy or data being shared. ExpressVPN ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. Details See at ExpressVPN How to stream Game 3 of the Thunder vs. Pacers for free with a VPN Sign up for a free trial of a paid VPN. Install the VPN on your mobile device or computer. Connect to a location server in India if your VPN has it has a location option. Watch the game via the NBA's YouTube livestream. More ways to watch the Pacers vs. Thunder game The NBA Finals are being broadcast on ABC, so if you may be able to catch tonight's game through your live TV streaming service like Sling or YouTube TV. Or you can watch the game using an over-the-air TV antenna, depending on where you live. Check out CNET's full list of ways to stream the game.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
DeVonta Smith Reflects on 'Dagger' Super Bowl Touchdown
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Since being drafted 10th overall in 2021, DeVonta Smith has become a key piece of the Philadelphia Eagles' offense. As he prepares for his fifth season with the franchise, he looked back at arguably the most memorable moment of his NFL career thus far. After making their way through the NFC playoffs last year, the Eagles found themselves facing off against a familiar foe in the Super Bowl. Things didn't go their way the first time against the Kansas Chiefs, but they made sure the rematch was a completely different story. Heading into the game, many expected a competitive matchup between two of the NFL's elite teams. However, that is now how things unfolded. The Eagles came out and set the tone early, and never looked back. Up 27-0 with about three minutes left in the third quarter, the Eagles found themselves with possession around the 50-yard line. Instead of running the ball, Philly decided to pour salt in the wound of their rival. Jalen Hurts dropped back and proceeded to launch a 46-yard touchdown pass to Smith. This catch accounted for most of Smith's production in the Eagles' 40-22 victory. He ended the night with four receptions and 69 receiving yards. LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 22: DeVonta Smith #6 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a pass before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Landover, Maryland Eagles DeVonta Smith... LANDOVER, MD - DECEMBER 22: DeVonta Smith #6 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a pass before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium on December 22, 2024 in Landover, Maryland Eagles DeVonta Smith exits game with apparent injury. MoreEarlier this week, the Eagles began their mandatory minicamp. Following the opening day of action, Smith was among multiple players to speak to the media. During his press conference, the young wideout was asked about his jaw-dropping touchdown against the Chiefs in the Super Bowl. He dubbed the play one of the top three catches of his career before going on to poke fun at a division rival. "I would say it's top three," Smith said regarding his Super Bowl TD. "The other two would be two catches against Washington. There's a lot of them." Devonta Smith says The Dagger was one of the top 3 plays of his career The other two? 'Two catches against Washington' Which two? 'There's been a lot of them' — Eliot Shorr-Parks (@EliotShorrParks) June 10, 2025 Throughout his career, the Commanders are a team Smith has had a lot of success against. Across eight matchups, he's racked up 559 yards and three touchdowns. This is his highest number of yards against any team, with the Dallas Cowboys being a close second (484). Coming off a season where he recorded a career-high eight touchdowns, Smith is poised to continue being a primary component of the Eagles' offense. Alongside A.J. Brown, he'll attempt to keep Philly in the discussion of best wide receiver duos. Smith's jab at the Commanders is going to fester for some time, as the two teams don't square off until the later stages of the regular season. Their two matchups of the year are slated for Week 16 and Week 18.
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Za'Darius Smith: 'Hopefully,' I'm back with the Detroit Lions
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith remains a free agent, but, in the end, he wants to be back with the team that he went to the playoffs with last season, that being the Detroit Lions — who cut him in March. "Hopefully, I can get back to Detroit because the coaching staff and everybody in the front office are great," Smith told USA TODAY Sports. "When I'm there, I feel like a leader and like I can influence the young guys and do great things. Hopefully, I can get back to where I want to be in Detroit." Smith split the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns and Lions, who acquired him at the NFL trade deadline after suffering myriad defensive injuries, including to star pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson, a 2023 Pro Bowler. In all, Smith finished the 2024 regular season with a combined nine sacks and 35 combined tackles. Smith ranked 21st among edge defenders in pass-rush grade (76.5), 33rd in overall grade (74.7) and 85th in run-defense grade (62.8) according to Pro Football Focus. Now, should Smith return to Detroit, there are some changes on the coaching side, as the Lions lost defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn — who became the new head coach of the New York Jets — and promoted former linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard to the position. They also have a new defensive line coach in Kacy Rodgers, among many other coaching changes. The 32-year-old Smith, who expressed that he's focused on "getting a ring now and winning a championship," thinks he and Hutchinson could be a special duo off the edge. "I'm still a veteran. He's [Hutchinson] still a young guy. I can help him with a lot of things. He's already great, but as a player, there are some tools that I know that I can help him with," Smith said. "And there are some things as a young guy that he can help me with." Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, spent the first four seasons of his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens (2015-18), followed by a three-year stint with the Green Bay Packers (2019-21), one season with the Minnesota Vikings (2022) and a season-plus with the Browns before being acquired by the Lions during the 2024 season. Elsewhere, Detroit re-signed defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike, defensive end Marcus Davenport and linebacker Ezekiel Turner to one-year deals apiece, while adding defensive tackle Roy Lopez and selecting Ohio State defensive tackle Tyleik Williams with the No. 28 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Last season, the Lions went 15-2 and claimed the No. 1 seed in the NFC before losing to the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round. Detroit's defense surrendered 244.0 passing yards (30th in the NFL), 98.4 rushing yards (fifth), 342.4 total yards (20th) and 20.1 points (seventh) per game. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Football League Detroit Lions Za'Darius Smith recommended Get more from National Football League Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more in this topic
