The just released ESPNU 150 backs up my contention that even though Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has the most current commitments of any Big Ten coach, the two best recruiting classes right now belong to Joe Paterno and Jim Tressel.
Much has been made this recruiting season about the class Rodriguez is putting together. Michigan has 16 commitments, the most of any Big Ten school.
While I feel Rodriguez has a solid class going, I am not sold on it being a great one or even a top 10 class nationally.
The ESPNU 150 rankings released Wednesday echoed that sentiment. Penn State and Ohio State dominated among Big Ten schools, not Michigan.
Five Paterno commitments landed in the ESPNU 150. Paterno’s highest-ranked player was defensive end Dakota Royer at No. 71. Other Penn State commitments who made the 150 were defensive lineman Evan Hailes at No. 81, wide receiver Adrian Coxson at No. 103, quarterback Robert Bolden at No. 114 and offensive lineman Miles Dieffenbach at No. 134.
Tressel has four ESPNU 150 commitments, including running back Roderick Smith at No. 58. Smith is ranked higher than any prospect that has committed to Penn State or Michigan. The Buckeyes also have wide receiver James Louis at No. 83, defensive end Darryl Baldwin at No. 112 and offensive lineman Andrew Norwell at No. 115.
On the other hand, Rodriguez has just one ESPNU 150 prospect, quarterback Devin Gardner. Gardner is No. 117 on the list, meaning all four of the Buckeyes’ commitments are ranked higher than Michigan’s only 150 representative.
Four of Paterno’s five commitments are ranked higher than Gardner including Bolden, a fellow Michigan native and quarterback.
Rodriguez’s class could turn out to be a great one. The Michigan boss has taken a number of players not highly recruited by many other schools he feels will fit his system. For example, Rodriguez has commitments from two Pennsylvania prospects not offered a scholarship by the Nittany Lions.
Rodriguez has commitments from five Ohioans. None were offered a scholarship by the Buckeyes.
Just how good a recruiting class is cannot be accurately judged for at least two to three years after signing day. We won’t truly know how well Paterno, Tressel and Rodriguez have done this recruiting season until at least that time.
But for now, I strongly feel the top two recruiting classes in the Big Ten at this point are Penn State at No. 1 and Ohio State at No. 2.
Lions lead Big Ten recruiting race
