Every Big Ten school’s top-rated commitment in the Class of 2024 so far
The July 4th holiday means we are basically halfway through the year and well on our way to the start of the college football season. At this point in the summer, the college football recruiting news is flying fast and many programs are already beginning to put some finishing touches on their recruiting classes with the early signing period now just months away (December comes faster every year it seems). And the start of the new football season mere weeks away, coaches would like to focus more of their energy on the season rather than recruiting if they can, so now is a good time to see what kind of talent is likely to be heading to the Big Ten in 2024.
We recently took an updated look at the Big Ten’s Class of 2024 rankings at the start of July, but we didn’t look deeper at each school’s top commitment in their respective classes. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the individual player rankings of the top commitments for each program do have a bit of symmetry with the overall class rankings, with a few differences throughout.
Below is a look at each Big Ten member’s top-rated commitment for the Class of 2024. This list includes future members USC and UCLA, each joining the Big Ten in 2024. The rankings used for this information are the 247Sports composite rankings, as of the morning of July 4, 2023.
Note that the Big Ten ranking here reflects just the ranking of the top-rated commit to each Big Ten school. Some schools have players ranked higher in the national rankings that are not included in this list.
Ohio State: Jeremiah Smith, WR
Hometown: Opa Locka, FL
Position ranking: 1
Overall ranking: 2
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 1
Stop us if you have heard this before, but Ohio State is going to be adding some top-tier talent at the wide receiver position. The Buckeyes landed the commitment of the nation’s top wide receiver with Jeremiah Smith out of Florida. Expect plenty of big plays from this five-star receiver as early as next year.
Penn State: Quinton Martin, ATH
Hometown: Belle Vernon, PA
Position ranking: 4
Overall ranking: 41
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 1
Penn State head coach James Franklin makes it a point to try landing the top player in Pennsylvania each recruiting cycle, and he has done it again with Quinton Martin, a star athlete capable of playing multiple positions. Look for Penn State to explore using Martin at wide receiver.
Michigan: Jadyn Davis, QB
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Position ranking: 6
Overall ranking: 54
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 1
Michigan may not have signed the five-star quarterback right from their own state, but Jim Harbaugh has still managed to get a commitment from one of the top passers in the country in Jadyn Smith. The four-star from North Carolina should fit right in with the Wolverines.
USC: Xavier Jordan, WR
Hometown: Chatsworth, CA
Position ranking: 12
Overall ranking: 59
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 5
A USC offense coached by Lincoln Riley will continue to draw attention from star quarterbacks and wide receivers, and we’ll see if that can keep up in the Big Ten. Landing a commitment from one of the top players from California is almost routine for the Trojans, and that won’t change.
Nebraska: Carter Nelson, TE
Hometown: Ainsworth, NE
Position ranking: 6
Overall ranking: 78
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 1
For Matt Rhule, keeping the state’s top player close to home was essential. Getting a four-star wide tight end right in your backyard was a good way for Rhule to get started with his attempt at reviving the Cornhuskers program.
Purdue: Koy Beasley, S
Hometown: Cincinnati, OH
Position ranking: 9
Overall ranking: 126
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 5
The top commitment on the board for the reigning Big Ten West champions is a player that could be one of the top safeties in the conference soon enough. Koy Beasley comes to the Boilermakers from Cincinnati and was one of the top five players out of the football-rich state of Ohio.
Minnesota: Nathan Roy, OL
Hometown: Mukwonago, WI
Position ranking: 9
Overall ranking: 135
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 1
This is a major recruiting victory for PJ Fleck and the Gophers. Landing the top-rated recruit out of Wisconsin, and an offensive lineman at that, is massive in more ways than one. How Wisconsin let a four-star offensive lineman leave the state for rival Minnesota is perplexing.
Iowa: Cody Fox, OL
Hometown: Winthrop, IA
Position ranking: 18
Overall ranking: 252
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 2
Iowa has gobbled up some of the state’s top recruits, including this interior offensive lineman from Winthrop. Fox is joined by a couple of the state’s top linebackers in Iowa’s Class of 2024.
Wisconsin: Kevin Heywood, OT
Hometown: Hamilton, OH
Position ranking: 22
Overall ranking: 264
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 4
Wisconsin loves recruiting some big offensive linemen, and this recruiting effort took them into Penn State’s stomping grounds. Landing a four-star offensive lineman out of Pennsylvania at a time Penn State has focused on the offensive line is a nice victory for Luke Fickell.
Michigan State: Anthony Carrie, RB
Hometown: Tampa, FL
Position ranking: 21
Overall ranking: 270
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 41
Michigan State is coming off a rough 2022 season, but it still has enough to sell to a four-star running back like Anthony Carrie. The Spartans will need to have the right pieces in place on the line of scrimmage to help get the most out of Carrie.
Maryland: DeJuan Williams, RB
Hometown: Baltimore, MD
Position ranking: 27
Overall ranking: 329
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 9
Maryland knows other programs are coming into their state to recruit some of the top players, so keeping this four-star running back close to home was a big recruiting win for Mike Locksley. The four-star DeJuan Williams could get a relatively early jump in contributing as well.
Rutgers: Korey Duff Jr., TE
Hometown: Melville, NY
Position ranking: 16
Overall ranking: 340
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 2
Greg Schiano has done what he can to generate some good success on the recruiting trail for Rutgers, and his latest prize comes out of New York with a four-star tight end. Korey Duff Jr. should be a key player for the Scarlet Knights early on.
UCLA: Mark Schroller
Hometown: Mission Viejo, CA
Position ranking: 29
Overall ranking: 383
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 31
After landing a marquee quarterback in Dante Moore in the Class of 2023, the Bruins’ top commit in 2024 is a player that will likely be providing some needed protection at the offensive tackle position with Mark Schroller.
Northwestern: Jamir Benjamin, CB
Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI
Position ranking: 45
Overall ranking: 486
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 10
At Northwestern, the Wildcats recruit more on leadership and work ethic than just the recruiting stars. Securing a three-star commitment from Jamir Benjamin to help solidify the pass defense is a good sign for the Wildcats moving forward.
Illinois: Tysean Griffin, ATH
Hometown: Chicago, IL
Position ranking: 44
Overall ranking: 492
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 12
Coming off a surprising season, Bret Bielema appears to have Illinois heading in the right direction, with plenty of room to still improve in recruiting. Keeping Tysean Griffin from leaving the state was a nice recruiting victory for the Illini.
Indiana: Adeamola Ajani, OL
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Position ranking: 54
Overall ranking: 815
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐
State ranking: 19
Indiana managed to secure a commitment from three-star offensive lineman Adeamola Ajani in an effort to help bolster the offensive line. The Hoosiers need help up front to keep things in sync on offense and this in-state talent could help that cause.
