2026 recruiting class rankings: Rutgers part of Big Ten surge

Home to the past 2 nationalist champions, the Big Ten is flexing its muscles connected the recruiting way with 10 teams ranked among the apical 25 classes. USC inactive sits astatine No. 1, portion Ohio State pushes to No. 2 aft a brace of ESPN 300 additions: in-state RB Favour Akih and DE Khary Wilder.

June has already been engaged and fewer teams person been busier than Rutgers, which leaps into the apical 10 aft securing double-digit commitments already this month. UCLA, Minnesota and Michigan person each breached into the apical 25, helping to fortify their conference's takeover of the people rankings.

Other conferences person teams ascending arsenic well, specified arsenic Georgia of the SEC and SMU of the ACC. A staple adjacent the apical of the rankings nether Kirby Smart, the Bulldogs present beryllium connected the cusp of the apical 5 aft landing respective commitments, led by 1 of the apical DB prospects successful the federation successful Justice Fitzpatrick.

Coming disconnected a College Football Playoff appearance, SMU is showing signs it plans to beryllium a accordant contender. The Mustangs' defence has benefitted from galore of their caller commitments, including in-state DE Hudson Woods, who displays the tools to beryllium a disruptive walk rusher.

Here's a look astatine our latest apical 25.

New this ranking: SMU, UCLA, Minnesota, Michigan, Stanford

Out: Tennessee, BYU, Auburn, Boston College, Florida State

(Previous update: May 28)

1. USC Trojans

Previous ranking: 1

ESPN 300 commits: 14
Top violative prospect: OT Keenyi Pepe
Top antiaircraft prospect: CB Elbert Hill

No programme has much 2026 momentum than USC nether Lincoln Riley, particularly aft hiring wide manager Chad Bowden distant from Notre Dame. The Trojans person double-digit ESPN 300 commits, with respective joining the database since January. That includes 2 five-stars to commencement May successful Pepe and Hill, and a brace of four-star commits who flipped from Big Ten rival Oregon: in-state antiaircraft lineman Tomuhini Topui and backmost Jonas Williams. Topui is simply a physical, assertive antiaircraft tackle who could make into an interior pass-rushing headache for opposing offenses, and Williams is simply a existent dual-threat signal-caller.

USC besides made it a constituent to beef up successful the trenches. It pulled four-star antiaircraft tackle Jaimeon Winfield retired of Texas, landed in-state antiaircraft extremity Simote Katoanga and traveled to Utah to snag Corner Canyon violative lineman Esun Tafa. To further bolster the O-line, the Trojans landed Pepe retired of IMG Academy. He is immense astatine astir 6-foot-7 and 320 pounds, but is airy connected his feet arsenic good arsenic carnal and tin go a standout tackle. On the perimeter, they volition not person to hold for in-state defender R.J. Sermons arsenic the ESPN 300 CB reclassified to 2025 and volition articulation the Trojans this fall. For 2026, they pulled Elbert Hill, the top-ranked corner, retired of the Midwest. Hill possesses elite speed, having been measured astatine implicit 22 mph successful crippled play.

2. Ohio State Buckeyes

Previous ranking: 3

ESPN 300 commits: 13
Top violative prospect: WR Chris Henry Jr.
Top antiaircraft prospect: S Blaine Bradford

Ryan Day has the luxury of gathering his 2026 people astir 1 of the astir coveted players successful the country: five-star receiver Henry, whose father, the precocious Chris Henry, was a prima receiver for West Virginia and the Cincinnati Bengals. Henry Jr. stands 6-6 and has a operation of magnitude and quickness seldom seen from precocious schoolhouse receivers.

The remainder of the Buckeyes' people has started to instrumentality signifier astir Henry. The squad has added a fistful of ESPN 300 prospects since March, including Bradford retired of Louisiana and linebacker Simeon Caldwell retired of Florida. C.J. Sanna is simply a imaginable we similar connected tape; helium is simply a big, carnal linebacker with fantabulous scope and is simply a spot of an underrated pickup for this talented class. In-state violative tackle Maxwell Riley is awesome changing absorption and finishes plays with the benignant of nastiness that volition endear him to fans successful Columbus.

3. Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Previous ranking: 2

ESPN 300 commits: 12
Top violative prospect: OT Tyler Merrill
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Rodney Dunham

Notre Dame started the twelvemonth disconnected dilatory connected the recruiting way but heated up during the spring, landing a fistful of ESPN 300 prospects successful April. On defense, the Irish landed Dunham, an borderline subordinate with bully magnitude and a speedy archetypal step, and Ayden Pouncey, a rangy information retired of Florida.

On offense, ESPN 300 OT Gregory Patrick joined a people that already featured respective apical OL prospects including top-10 OT Merrill, who astatine 6-7 and 335 pounds is simply a monolithic beingness with physicality and powerfulness successful the tally game. This radical collectively tin proceed the school's beardown estimation arsenic an violative enactment factory.

The Irish besides landed Thomas Davis Jr., whose begetter is erstwhile Panthers prima Thomas Davis, and four-star backmost Noah Grubbs, who already has shown awesome footwork and a dependable merchandise from the pocket.

4. Clemson Tigers

Previous ranking: 5

ESPN 300 commits: 10
Top violative prospect: OT Leo Delaney
Top antiaircraft prospect: S Kentavion Anderson

Clemson is coming disconnected a College Football Playoff appearance, but the Tigers are inactive chasing the heights of their mid-2010s occurrence nether Dabo Swinney, and their 2025 people ranked conscionable 37th successful the country. Their 2026 radical is looking much promising, particularly aft a red-hot March successful which Swinney landed 8 verbals, including 5 ESPN 300 commits.

Much of the endowment is presently concentrated connected offense. Naeem Burroughs is simply a burner successful the 100-meter dash who tin instrumentality the apical disconnected a defence and has a precocious shot IQ. Fellow receiver Connor Salmin is different big-play threat. With immoderate caller violative weapons, the Tigers are making definite they person the clip to get the shot downfield by loading up on the violative line. Delaney, Carter Scruggs, Grant Wise, Adam Guthrie and Chancellor Barclay springiness the Tigers aggregate ESPN 300 OLs to assistance reload a senior-heavy portion that is projected to suffer aggregate starters aft 2025.

They could 1 time support chap four-star Tait Reynolds, a dual-threat QB retired of Arizona who could propulsion to beryllium portion of the semipermanent solution to regenerate Cade Klubnik. While the instauration of the people is connected offense, Anderson is simply a cardinal in-state pickup connected the different broadside of the ball. With his framework (roughly 6-foot-2, 190 pounds) and range, helium tin beryllium a versatile back-end defender for the Tigers.

5. Penn State Nittany Lions

Previous ranking: 4

ESPN 300 commits: 6
Top violative prospect: WR Davion Brown
Top antiaircraft prospect: S Matt Sieg

The Nittany Lions jumped retired to a accelerated commencement fueled by beardown in-state recruiting and person kept that momentum going. Several of their apical commits are Pennsylvania natives, including four-star Harrisburg High School teammates Kevin Brown and Messiah Mickens. Brown is simply a big, flexible violative tackle, portion Mickens has been a productive prep moving back, which bodes good for a Penn State programme that indispensable yet regenerate Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton aft 2025.

James Franklin besides landed in-state jock David Davis Jr., who has clocked a 20.5 mph max velocity and has the screen skills to acceptable into the backmost extremity of a defence 1 day. While astir of the aboriginal commits are wrong Penn State's superior recruiting radius, the Nittany Lions besides landed strong-armed backmost Troy Huhn retired of California. He's a large assemblage with bully feet and brings bully upside. They besides went retired of authorities to onshore a imaginable big-play people successful Davion Brown. Out of Virginia, Brown possesses fantabulous speed, having been recorded astatine implicit 21 mph successful crippled play, and tin bash a bully occupation of precocious pointing the shot to triumph contested matchups.

6. Georgia Bulldogs

Previous ranking: 12

ESPN 300 commits: 7
Top violative prospect: QB Jared Curtis
Top antiaircraft prospect: CB Justice Fitzpatrick

The Bulldogs person been a accordant staple among the apical 3 wide classes during Kirby Smart's tenure and look to beryllium a contender to bash truthful again successful 2026. A large measurement toward finishing adjacent the apical is bringing five-star backmost Curtis backmost into the mix. After a decommitment, the Bulldogs were capable to fend disconnected different suitors, astir notably Oregon, and springiness themselves a imaginable interaction QB for the future. Curtis mightiness request to set to a comparatively steep leap successful contention level, but helium has elite carnal tools, including a smooth, speedy merchandise and the quality to alteration limb angles.

With 3 of their apical 4 walk catchers from 2024 having moved connected and the 4th apt to permission aft this season, Georgia is bringing successful caller receiving targets with speed. Vance Spafford retired of California won the fastest-man contention past summertime astatine the UA Future 50 event, and in-state imaginable Brady Marchese has been recorded hitting implicit 22 mph successful crippled play. After signing 2 ESPN 300 TEs successful their 2025 class, the Dawgs proceed to restock there, adding Lincoln Keyes, who with his large framework and bully assemblage power tin connection a wide drawback radius.

On defense, the Bulldogs person had 11 first-round NFL draught picks implicit the past 5 years and they proceed to infuse that portion with apical talent, including 2 of the apical DBs successful the state successful Fitzpatrick and Zechariah Fort. Fort is simply a information with bully scope who tin beryllium progressive successful tally support. Fitzpatrick is the younger member of erstwhile Alabama large DB Minkah Fitzpatrick; his blend of size and velocity gives him arsenic promising interaction potential.

7. Texas A&M Aggies

Previous ranking: 6

ESPN 300 commits: 7
Top violative prospect: RB Jonathan Hatton Jr.
Top antiaircraft prospect: CB Victor Singleton

Mike Elko has rapidly proved helium tin place and enlistee astatine a precocious level. He has worked fertile recruiting grounds, landing the Aggies' top-ranked commit, antiaircraft extremity Jordan Carter, retired of Georgia. He landed chap four-star antiaircraft tackle Jermaine Kinsler retired of New Jersey.

Elko has besides been capable to unearth endowment from much improbable places, specified arsenic backmost Helaman Casuga retired of Utah. Casuga is not a big, carnal imaginable astatine astir 6 feet, but helium has a unrecorded limb and tin get the shot retired quickly. Singleton, 1 of the apical prospects successful Ohio, was a bully flip from Illinois. He has clocked a 21 mph max velocity and has the benignant of quickness and fantabulous feet to thrive successful antheral coverage. A cardinal in-state support is Hatton, who has an fantabulous blend of size (200 pounds) and velocity (he was measured hitting 21 mph connected film).

8. Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Previous ranking: 19

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: WR Dyzier Carter
Top antiaircraft prospect: ATH Chris Hewitt Jr.

The Scarlet Knights person added immoderate apical endowment to their wide receiver country with Carter and Elias Coke, some of whom person been long-time commits, having joined the people earlier the 2024 play started. Carter is simply a bully way runner with beardown hands and could beryllium a speedy contributor erstwhile arriving. Coke is simply a bully people astatine astir 6-2.

On defense, Joey Kopec is simply a two-way subordinate successful precocious school, contributing astatine RB and LB. He has bully scope and is effectual dropping into coverage. Justin Edwards, who tallied 10 sacks arsenic a junior, was different bully summation astatine LB. Part of large June haul, Rinaldo Callaway III, retired of Georgia, is an absorbing summation to support an oculus on. A rangy borderline defender, helium is earthy and needs improvement but shows a bully ceiling for improvement and could turn into a disruptive walk rusher. Athlete Chris Hewitt projects to the secondary.

9. Illinois Fighting Illini

Previous ranking: 10

ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top violative prospect: ATH Nasir Rankin
Top antiaircraft prospect: LB Cam Thomas

Good recruiting starts astatine home, and an aboriginal precedence for the Fighting Illini was in-state jock Rankin. A two-sport prima who besides excels connected the hardwood, the ESPN 300 imaginable projects to wide receiver, wherever helium tin beryllium a playmaker with bully hands and the quality to marque defenders miss aft the catch. Also from in-state, large antheral Casey Thomann is 1 of the apical OL prospects successful Illinois, and three-star Tony Balanganayi is an absorbing large man. He projects to the antiaircraft line, wherever helium has shown helium tin beryllium disruptive, but with much wide could connection higher upside arsenic an OL.

From wrong the Big Ten footprint, four-star Thomas (Ohio) is simply a defender with an outstanding archetypal measurement and could make into an borderline rusher with large upside. Parker Crim brings bully limb length, tin determination good and has shown helium tin beryllium explosive disconnected the ball. Tony Williams, retired of Florida, is simply a mediate linebacker with bully instincts and tin beryllium a carnal beingness betwixt the tackles.

10. Syracuse Orange

Previous ranking: 8

ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top violative prospect: OT Javeion Cooper
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Kamron Wilson

The Fran Brown epoch successful Syracuse surely isn't boring. He led the Orange to conscionable their 2nd 10-win play since 2001 down Ohio State transportation Kyle McCord, past landed a coagulated 2025 recruiting class. Now he's pushing for much endowment successful 2026. Four-star antiaircraft extremity Jarius Rodgers retired of Florida is 1 of Brown's biggest gets truthful far. The 6-5 220-pounder has tremendous magnitude and an awesome way background. He has sizeable carnal tools and upside if Syracuse's coaching unit tin harness it. Wilson is different large propulsion retired of Florida; the borderline defender has bully archetypal quickness and tallied 17 sacks successful 2024.

Cooper has existent upside too. He has bully size (6-5, 300 pounds) yet plays with awesome equilibrium for idiosyncratic with his powerfulness and interaction explosiveness. The Orange besides person been progressive successful the mid-Atlantic, landing 3 receivers from Delaware. Among that radical is B.J. Garrett, a large people (6-3, 191 pounds) with bully hands who could make into a subordinate successful the mold of Oronde Gadsden, who had akin measurables coming retired successful the 2021 class.

11. SMU Mustangs

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: WR Jakai Anderson
Top antiaircraft prospect: LB Markel Dabney

The Mustangs charged into the CFP past play and are showing signs they program to beryllium a accordant contender. Capitalizing connected the affluent endowment basal astir them, they person added respective in-state prospects, including ESPN 300 backmost Christian Rhodes. An explosive runner who has been recorded hitting amended than 21 mph successful crippled play, helium rushed for much than 1,200 yards arsenic a junior.

High three-star Aljour Miles II is different bully in-state add, arsenic helium is simply a lengthy WR with bully quickness and assemblage control. Another receiving people with big-play potential, Jakai Anderson, was pulled retired of Louisiana. Not rather arsenic large a target, helium brings a bully blend of velocity and elusiveness and could besides beryllium productive successful the instrumentality game. On defense, the summation of DE Hudson Woods is simply a large plus. Woods shows immoderate savvy arsenic a walk rusher, with progressive hands and bully bend.

12. Arizona State Sun Devils

Previous ranking: 9

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: QB Jake Fette
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Julian Hugo

Kenny Dillingham deftly pulled each the roster-building levers disposable to him arsenic helium rebuilt the Sun Devils backmost to nationalist relevancy. They person an absorbing 2026 people truthful acold that includes a brace of ESPN 300 recruits. Fette, a four-star Texas native, is simply a dual-threat playmaker with fantabulous short-area quickness and a smooth, accordant release.

They mislaid a key, perchance productive, people with the decommitment of Israel Briggs, but inactive beryllium successful bully position. The people already included different TE successful Hayden Vercher, who possesses fantabulous shot skills and is simply a bully way runner, with much than 1,000 yards receiving successful 2024. Shortly aft losing Briggs, they added ESPN 300 WR Nalin Scott, a large people astatine astir 6-3, 210 pounds who moves good for his size and tin beryllium pugnacious to tackle aft the catch.

13. North Carolina Tar Heels

Previous ranking: 13

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: RB Crew Davis
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Zavion Griffin-Haynes

Unsurprisingly fixed his ethos, Bill Belichick is gathering North Carolina's 2026 people from the wrong out. Griffin-Haynes was a cardinal in-state keep. The aggressive, lengthy borderline defender tin bolster the Heels' antiaircraft beforehand with the tools to beryllium a three-down player. Four-star North Carolina antiaircraft tackle Trashawn Ruffin flipped from Texas A&M, and the 300-pounder has plentifulness of earthy physicality to mold. Ruffin is 1 of respective interior linemen successful the class, and Belichick went to his erstwhile location basal successful Massachusetts to bring successful 335-pound defender Lenneil Hall.

The secondary has undergone immoderate changes during this recruiting cycle, but Marcellous Ryan retired of California remains and gives UNC a thin but fluid CB to develop. Crew Davis tin beryllium a versatile backmost with the powerfulness to tally betwixt the tackles, but helium besides possesses bully shot skills. As a junior, helium rushed for much than 1,300 yards and besides hauled successful much than 50 receptions.

14. Kansas Jayhawks

Previous ranking: 7

ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top violative prospect: OL Kaden Snyder
Top antiaircraft prospect: CB J.J. Dunnigan

Lance Leipold is nary alien to gathering a program, and he's disconnected to a blistery commencement successful fortifying Kansas' 2026 class. At 6-3, 190 pounds, in-state country Dunnigan has the magnitude to reroute receivers disconnected the enactment and the straight-line velocity to bent with them connected vertical routes. The Jayhawks person a fewer violative linemen committed, led by 6-5 Kansas autochthonal Snyder, who has an enticing operation of athleticism, walk extortion skills and upside if helium tin proceed to capable retired his frame.

The Jalon Daniels epoch enters its sixth and last play successful 2025. In-state three-star perpetrate Jaylen Mason is an intriguing developmental enactment for the aboriginal astatine QB.

15. Arkansas Razorbacks

Previous ranking: 23

ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top violative prospect: OT Bryce Gilmore
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Colton Yarbrough

The speech astir manager Sam Pittman connected the blistery spot seemed to chill disconnected entering the offseason, which volition payment recruiting and assistance a 2026 people that already has a coagulated foundation. Four-star Dequane Prevo retired of Texas is simply a 5-10 receiver who has outstanding balance, assemblage power and short-area burst. Several high-three-star prospects anchor the class, including backmost Jayvon Gilmore, a gangly (6-4) but thin passer with a bully framework to develop. He has a beardown limb with a creaseless merchandise and is simply a bully aboriginal pickup by the Razorbacks.

Yarbrough brings upside astatine antiaircraft extremity with bully first-step quickness and range. Pittman, a erstwhile violative enactment coach, added immoderate endowment to that portion arsenic well. In-state large antheral Tucker Young tin get propulsion and assistance make lanes successful the tally game. ESPN 300 OT Gilmore has a bully framework to make and possesses bully flexibility and aggressiveness.

16. LSU Tigers

Previous ranking: 11

ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top violative prospect: WR Tristen Keys
Top antiaircraft prospect: CB Havon Finney Jr.

The Tigers are pugnacious to bushed for in-state talent, and they built the instauration for 1 of the apical classes successful the state connected homegrown recruits. But landing Keys from adjacent Mississippi delivered Brian Kelly and his unit their archetypal five-star of the 2026 cycle. As of now, the 6-3 Keys would beryllium the highest-rated receiver to marque it to Baton Rouge since Kayshon Boutte. Keys is simply a agelong strider with agelong arms who prioritizes winning and is simply a favourite of coaches and teammates alike.

LSU besides precocious added wide receiver Jabari Mack (a beardown way runner) and violative tackle Brysten Martinez, a brace of in-state four-star recruits who bolster a people that present features much than fractional of the apical 10 players from Louisiana. That includes a brace of teammates from Edna Karr High: DT Richard Anderson, a stout beingness astatine much than 300 pounds with bully archetypal quickness, and Aiden Hall, a information with bully length, velocity and downhill physicality. Though overmuch of their recruiting occurrence is from wrong their superior recruiting footprint, the Tigers did spell retired westbound to onshore ESPN 300 Finney. A 2027 imaginable who reclassified into the 2026 class, helium has shown helium tin beryllium carnal successful property sum but besides brings fantabulous velocity to beryllium capable to tally with receivers.

17. Miami Hurricanes

Previous ranking: 15

ESPN 300 commits: 5
Top violative prospect: OT Jackson Cantwell
Top antiaircraft prospect: LB Jordan Campbell

Despite a rocky decorativeness to the 2024 season, the Hurricanes are trending successful the close direction. They're coming disconnected a 10-win season, erstwhile QB Cam Ward was the No. 1 prime successful the NFL draught and they've reeled successful 2 consecutive top-15 recruiting classes. Mario Cristobal's 2026 people is moving to lucifer oregon adjacent transcend those groups.

The Hurricanes are adding pieces to tract a ascendant violative line. They could suffer respective projected 2025 starters aft this play but are adding large men who tin measurement successful and task a agleam aboriginal successful the trenches. In summation to landing the top-rated interior OL successful the 2025 class, they person added respective OLs to their 2026 class, led by No. 1 tackle Jackson Cantwell. Much similar existent standout OT Francis Mauigoa, who was a five-star himself and a Year 1 starter, Cantwell could measurement successful astatine 1 of the tackle spots upon arriving successful South Florida. He is simply a monolithic beingness astatine astir 6-7 and 320 pounds and carries his size well. In summation to being powerful, helium possesses bully quickness and flexibility, and overmuch similar Mauigoa is being projected to beryllium a precocious NFL draught pick.

QB Dereon Coleman has country for maturation but has a speedy merchandise and accuracy. Four-star Miami autochthonal Jordan Campbell is 6-2, 220 pounds with the versatility to marque plays successful pursuit and the crook and powerfulness that portend a imaginable interaction walk rusher. He's a campaigner to instrumentality a leap with assemblage coaching.

18. Louisville Cardinals

Previous ranking: 14

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: RB Evan Hampton
Top antiaircraft prospect: DB Jaydin Broadnax

Jeff Brohm has raised Louisville's level with a 19-8 grounds and an quality successful the ACC title crippled 2 years ago. His 2026 people already has much than a twelve commits, with four-star antiaircraft backmost Broadnax retired of Florida the biggest get truthful far. At astir 6-3, helium has large length, equilibrium and assemblage power for a corner. LB Karsten Busch is simply a bully summation from wrong the authorities who volition assistance connected defense. He possesses bully size and the quality to beryllium a physical, downhill beingness versus the run. Sam Dawson is different in-state antiaircraft add. He is simply a DT with active, dense hands and bully powerfulness who tin assistance worldly the tally arsenic well.

Evan Hampton, a three-star moving back, ran for 1,549 yards and 20 touchdowns arsenic a inferior astatine in-state Owensboro High School. He's an elusive, upright runner with the shot skills to impact the walk crippled and besides has a shot background; helium primitively committed to rival Kentucky arsenic a freshman earlier pursuing football. Adding much assistance on the enactment could beryllium a absorption for Louisville aft Miami flipped three-star violative tackle Joel Ervin.

19. Texas Longhorns

Previous ranking: 17

ESPN 300 commits: 8
Top violative prospect: QB Dia Bell
Top antiaircraft prospect: DT Corey Wells

As Texas tackles the 2025 play led by 1 of the astir high-profile signings successful caller years successful backmost Arch Manning, the Longhorns proceed to physique for the aboriginal arsenic well, including different five-star QB. Bell brings invaluable experience, having faced prime contention during his clip successful precocious school. He has shown bully accuracy and deep-ball touch, and arsenic a inferior threw for much than 2,500 yards and completed 70% of his passes.

The Horns besides added imaginable targets including ESPN 300 WRs Chris Stewart and Jermaine Bishop Jr. Stewart brings big-play speed, and Bishop is simply a quick, fluid people who tin make aft the catch. To support their caller violative weapons, they person besides landed immoderate apical in-state OLs, including top-10 OG Nicolas Robertson, a almighty large antheral with bully feet.

Texas deed the transportation portal hard to code needs on the antiaircraft enactment for this season, particularly interior DL, but determination are young pieces for that portion successful the 2026 class. Dylan Berymon has been a standout connected the campy circuit the past 2 offseasons and seems to support rising to immoderate situation is thrown astatine him. Corey Wells is different 300-pounder who tin crook good and beryllium disruptive.

20. UCLA Bruins

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: OT Micah Smith
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Anthony Jones

The DeShaun Foster epoch got disconnected to a rocky start, but the Bruins are showing immoderate ascension. In recruiting, the erstwhile moving backmost knows the value of a bully O-line and pulled a brace of ESPN 300 OLs retired of Florida successful Micah Smith and Johnnie Jones. Known arsenic Champ, Smith was an Under Armour All-American arsenic a inferior and has shown helium tin play against apical contention and beryllium a well-rounded OT. Tight extremity Camden Jensen should assistance propel the tally crippled arsenic well, arsenic helium is simply a bully blocker.

The Bruins person added aggregate WRs successful this class, including in-state four-star Kenneth Moore. Onetime SMU perpetrate Yahya Gaad has a sturdy, muscular physique with a bully archetypal burst and is simply a DE who tin acceptable the borderline and beryllium pugnacious against the run.

21. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 1
Top violative prospect: OT Andrew Trout
Top antiaircraft prospect: CB Justin Hopkins

The Gophers don't person a people that volition beryllium dense with ESPN 300 commits, but they're assembling a beardown radical anchored by a plethora of precocious three-star prospects. CBs Justin Hopkins and Chance Payne are bully examples of that, arsenic is borderline defender Aaden Aytch. A imaginable with a thin physique who needs to proceed to develop, Aytch brings a precocious ceiling arsenic helium has bully length, displays wiry strength, tin redirect good and tin beryllium a origin successful pursuit.

Beefing up the violative line, the Gophers person respective commits wrong the unit, led by the No. 1 subordinate successful the state, Andrew Trout, an ESPN 300 OT.

22. Michigan Wolverines

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top violative prospect: QB Brady Smigiel
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE McHale Blade

The Wolverines signed the No. 1 QB for the 2025 rhythm successful Bryce Underwood and helium carries precocious expectations, but they proceed to adhd endowment to the presumption and landed ESPN 300 signal-caller Brady Smigiel. The onetime Florida State perpetrate is not lone an close passer, but helium besides plays with the assurance and swagger that volition beryllium needed battling with five-star Underwood.

After losing 2 DLs successful the archetypal circular of the NFL draft, Michigan added respective DLs to this class, including ESPN 300 DE McHale Blade. Four-star DE Tariq Boney is simply a subordinate to support an oculus on. He lacks perfect magnitude but tin beryllium a well-rounded technician and a speedy contributor. After scoring from disconnected the beaten way with erstwhile standout TE Colston Loveland (Idaho), the Wolverines anticipation to onslaught large again from that aforesaid portion with Matt Ludwig retired of Montana. He is simply a versatile subordinate with bully shot skills who tin beryllium pugnacious aft the drawback and fights for yards.

23. Oregon Ducks

Previous ranking: 16

ESPN 300 commits: 4
Top violative prospect: TE Kendre' Harrison
Top antiaircraft prospect: DT Tony Cumberland

Dan Lanning's tally of sustained excellence successful Eugene rolls connected with Oregon's 2026 class. Reeling successful five-star choky extremity Harrison successful November acceptable the tone. The 6-6 250-pounder is simply a dynamic two-sport jock with an exceptional drawback radius who is simply a nightmare for opposing defenses successful the reddish zone. In precocious February, the Ducks added four-star antiaircraft backmost Xavier Lherisse, who clocked an awesome 1.62 10-yard dash and 4.49 40-yard dash a fewer days aboriginal astatine the Under Armour Miami camp. Four-star moving backmost Tradarian Ball adds explosiveness and fantabulous shot skills.

While the committedness of five-star DE Richard Wesley was short-lived, the Ducks inactive person a beardown antiaircraft enactment instauration wrong this class. They secured the apical 2 large men in-state, successful ESPN 300 DTs Cumberland and Viliami Moala. The second is simply a monolithic 300-pounder who not lone brings jolting powerfulness but is airy connected his feet for his size and tin beryllium a fistful successful the bosom of the trenches. DE Dutch Horisk volition get from 1 of the apical programs successful California (St. John Bosco), wherever helium volition person been a multiyear starter and is simply a dependable shot subordinate who uses his hands well. As a inferior helium had 9 TFLs and 4 sacks.

24. Washington Huskies

Previous ranking: 24

ESPN 300 commits: 3
Top violative prospect: OT Kodi Greene
Top antiaircraft prospect: DE Derek Colman-Brusa

Jedd Fisch did an fantabulous occupation bringing successful endowment astatine Arizona and is present moving to retool Washington's roster and get the Huskies backmost into the playoff hunt. The Huskies won a cardinal recruiting conflict by pulling distant Greene, an ESPN 300 OL, from rival Oregon. He is simply a 300-pounder who moves precise good for his size with bully quickness and the one-time Washington nonmigratory tin beryllium a cardinal enactment successful the trenches. The Huskies went eastbound to onshore their QB successful Derek Zammit, a tough, astute subordinate with a smooth, speedy release. He should proceed to amended with the tools to make into a productive starter.

Washington landed respective commitments successful the secondary, including in-state Durr, who has bully size astatine astir 6 feet and is creaseless successful his movements. He could make astatine cornerback oregon safety.

25. Stanford Cardinal

Previous ranking: NR

ESPN 300 commits: 2
Top violative prospect: ATH Ryelan Morris
Top antiaircraft prospect: LB Waswa Lugolobi

The Cardinal are moving to bounce backmost from a 3-9 campaign, and their 2026 people is showing the tools to marque aboriginal improvements. A cardinal pickup was ESPN 300 jock Ryelan Morris, a flip from Baylor. Although helium is diminutive, helium is versatile successful however helium tin beryllium utilized wrong an offense. He is speedy with bully hands and champion projects arsenic a slot receiver, wherever helium tin beryllium unsafe aft the catch.

Having had a estimation for fielding fantabulous OLs not agelong ago, the Cardinal are looking to rebuild that portion into a spot with respective large men committed. Jalayne Miller retired of Arizona possesses bully feet and flexibility, and Blaise Thomassie could beryllium a sleeper adhd from this class. He performed precise good astatine a loaded New Orleans Under Armour campy betwixt his inferior and elder years. He possesses bully assemblage quickness and is precise bully with his hands and could make astatine defender oregon center.