Every Big Ten Team's Biggest Recruiting Need for the Class of 2017
The 2016 recruiting cycle is officially in the books, but in a sport that never stops, coaches already find themselves looking ahead to 2017.
That rings especially true in the Big Ten, which dominated headlines during this year's national signing day and will look garner even more attention a year from now.
And while recruiting rankings matter, as evidenced by the teams that typically find themselves at the top, what's most important for a program is matching its particular needs. Much of that is determined by what a team attracted a year prior and filling in the gaps of what was left on the table.
The Big Ten is no different, with coaches hoping to acquire a mix of both talent and need. With that in mind, let's take a look at each team in the conference's top priority on the recruiting trail for the 2017 cycle.
Purdue: Quarterback
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Given the way that Purdue has produced in three seasons under head coach Darrell Hazell, the reality is that overall talent is what the Boilermakers need to add most to their roster in any year.
But if forced to single out a position in 2017, it would have to be quarterback, a spot where Purdue has been ineffective under its current head coach—as evidenced by its 6-30 record in the past three seasons.
Long gone are the days of Drew Brees and Kyle Orton in West Lafayette, replaced by a group of players that has totaled 45 interceptions in the past three seasons. Sophomore-to-be David Blough showed promise as a freshman in 2015, but the Boilermakers possess little depth behind him, having added just one quarterback to its roster in 2016—2-star prospect Jared Sparks.
Without any prospects committed to its 2017 class, Purdue would be wise to target one—if not two—signal-callers in the coming year. With Hazell on the hot seat, that may be tough to do, but attaching his name to a promising prospect may be the best way for the Boilermakers head coach to save his job.
Rutgers: Defensive Secondary
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If new head coach Chris Ash is going to build a winner at Rutgers, he's going to do it his way.
That means building his defense from the back to the front, a philosophy that could be found in the core of his success as the defensive coordinator at Wisconsin, Arkansas and, most recently, Ohio State.
Having not arrived in Piscataway until after the Buckeyes' win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Day, Ash wasn't able to implement that line of thinking in his first recruiting class with the Scarlet Knights, which only included one defensive back—3-star cornerback Damon Hayes. The only prospect currently committed to Rutgers' 2017 class is also a cornerback, Naijee Jones, who made his pledge to the Scarlet Knights before Ash was ever hired.
If the new Rutgers head coach's history is any indication, Jones will have plenty of company at his position in his class. Having coached potential first-round picks in Eli Apple and Vonn Bell at Ohio State, Ash built his reputation with strong secondaries, a trend he will hope to continue in his first stop as a head coach.
Maryland: Quarterback
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It's likely not a coincidence that as its quarterback play faltered, Maryland found itself searching for a new head coach after firing Randy Edsall at the midway point of the 2015 campaign.
And while new head coach D.J. Durkin's expertise comes on the defensive side of the ball, there may not be anyone more aware of the need for his team to have a top-level signal-caller.
After all, as a member of both Urban Meyer and Jim Harbaugh's coaching trees, Durkin has seen the impact that developing a high-quality quarterback can have on a program. Acquiring one will be imperative for the Terrapins in their 2017 recruiting class, after losing 4-star prospect Dwayne Haskins to Ohio State just weeks before this year's signing day.
Durkin did still manage to add 3-star pro-style passer Max Bortenschlager with his 2016 class, but with Perry Hills preparing for his senior season, adding at least one—and more likely, two—quarterbacks should be a top priority for Maryland in 2017. Given his history, that shouldn't be a secret to Durkin as he tries to create a blueprint of his own for success in the Big Ten.
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Illinois: Skill Players
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After building in the trenches in his 2016 class, adding a combined eight linemen on both sides of the ball, it's time for Illinois head coach Bill Cubit to turn his attention to the Fighting Illini's skill position players.
Altogether, Illinois acquired two wide receivers, three tight ends and a fullback in 2016, which is indicative of the type of ground-and-pound program that Cubit would like to run.
And while it's always important to recruit to your philosophy, the reality is that the Illini can't ignore the need for speed on the outside in today's day and age of college football—even in the Big Ten. Ideally, Illinois would add at least three wide receivers and another pure running back to its 2017 class, which already possesses a commitment from 3-star running back Mike Epstein.
While the emergence of freshman running back Ke'Shawn Vaughn and sophomore wideout Malik Turner gave the Illini some breathing room, 2017 will be a critical recruiting cycle in attracting potential replacements. Those players may seem young now, but they'll be on their way out the door before you know it, making it crucial for Cubit to diversify his strategy on the recruiting trail in the coming year.
Indiana: Linebacker
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In what was ultimately a 21-man haul, Indiana failed to sign a single linebacker to its 2016 class.
That could prove to be problematic for a Hoosiers program that ranked 120th in total defense in 2015 and is expected to start at least two seniors and a junior at the position in its 3-4 scheme in the coming year.
Thus, adding at least four linebackers, if not more, should be a priority for Indiana head coach Kevin Wilson in his 2017 class—one which already possesses commitments from three players, none of which are linebackers. The Hoosiers have, however, already targeted 4-star products Avery Roberts and Pete Werner, as well as 3-star prospect Amaud Willis-Dalton.
But given both the state of its defense and its depth chart, Indiana's going to need more than that at the linebacker position. Especially when running a 3-4 defense, the importance placed on linebackers should be at a premium in Bloomington, even if the Hoosiers' recent recruiting efforts would indicate otherwise.
Minnesota: Offensive Line
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Although Minnesota did manage to sign four offensive linemen to its 2016 class, two of those players were of the junior college variety and three of them project as guards at the college level.
As a result, it would behoove the Golden Gophers and head coach Tracy Claeys to place a strong emphasis on the offensive line in 2017, particularly at the tackle position. At the moment, Minnesota is expected to start a pair of seniors at tackle in 2016, meaning that it won't be able to add enough potential replacements to its depth chart in 2017.
And even if either of the Golden Gophers' JUCO signees prove capable of converting to tackle in the coming year, the clock of what's left of their careers in Minneapolis is already ticking. That makes the offensive line recruiting in 2017 crucial to the future of the Minnesota program, even if the prospects don't pan out as key contributors until years down the road.
The Golden Gophers find themselves without any commitments to their 2017 class. That shouldn't remain the case for long, particularly on the offensive line, which is a key component to the program's run-first philosophy.
Northwestern: Defensive Line
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For a program that's prided itself on defense, Northwestern's 2016 class was oddly light on talent recruited in the trenches.
Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald inked just three defensive linemen in his latest haul, including two defensive tackles and one defensive end.
A former linebacker himself, Fitzgerald knows it all starts up front on defense, which is why Northwestern's 2017 class should feature no shortage of pass-rushers and run-stuffers. Northwestern has already received a commitment from 3-star prospect Sam Miller, the 23rd-ranked defensive tackle in the 2017 class.
But with the Wildcats expected to start a senior and junior at defensive end in the coming season, adding a plethora of edge-rushers to the 2017 class will be imperative. Ideally, Fitzgerald would sign as many as four defensive ends in his next recruiting cycle in an effort to replenish one of his defensive unit's most important positions.
Nebraska: Wide Receiver
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Despite signing 21 players to his 2016 class, second-year Nebraska head coach Mike Riley only inked one pure wide receiver in 3-star prospect Derrion Grim.
That means you can expect a wide receiver-heavy haul in Lincoln in 2017, especially with wide receivers Jordan Westerkamp, Brandon Reilly and Alonzo Moore each entering their senior seasons in 2016.
And while the Cornhuskers' 2017 class is without any commitments, Riley has already targeted 5-star wideout Jeff Thomas, 4-star athlete Nathan Tilford and 4-star receiver Keyshawn Johnson in the coming year. Altogether, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Nebraska take in around five receivers/athletes in 2017.
As quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr.'s career comes to an end, it will be imperative for Riley to surround his replacement with no shortage of weapons. That will likely be reflected in the Cornhuskers' 2017 class, which should target plenty of playmakers for their next starting signal-caller to play with.
Penn State: Quarterback
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While the battle to replace Christian Hackenberg in State College is already underway, there's no guaranteeing that either Trace McSorley or Tommy Stevens will be the quarterback that can take Penn State to the next level under head coach James Franklin.
With just one signal-caller signee in their 2016 class in 3-star prospect Jake Zembiec added to the mix, it will be imperative for the Nittany Lions to add at least one more quarterback to its 2017 class, which already possesses a commitment from 4-star pro-style passer Sean Clifford.
But as Franklin learned in 2015, when Brandon Wimbush decommitted from Penn State before landing at Notre Dame, a commitment is only worth so much until a national letter of intent is signed. That will make holding on to the 6'2", 203-pound Clifford's commitment a top priority for Franklin, in addition to potentially adding another quarterback prospect to his 2017 haul.
At the moment, the Nittany Lions program possesses no shortage of questions, one of the most important of which is who will be playing quarterback in Happy Valley in the coming years. The long-term answer to that question may not arrive until 2017, which will be an important year on the recruiting trail in Franklin's Penn State tenure.
Iowa: Wide Receiver
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Although Kirk Ferentz has built his program with a run-first philosophy, the lack of wide receivers that could be found in Iowa's 2016 class was noticeable.
Coming off of their 12-0 regular season, which ended with consecutive losses in the Big Ten Championship Game and the Rose Bowl, Ferentz inked just two pure wideouts in 3-star prospects Emmanuel Rugamba and Devonte Young.
With wideout Matt VandeBerg entering his senior season in 2016, adding talent to the position in the coming season will be imperative. That will hold especially true as quarterback C.J. Beathard's eligibility expires at season's end and Iowa finds itself in need of playmakers to pair with its new starting signal-caller.
Even with Jerminic Smith, Jay Scheel and Adrian Falconer each entering just their sophomore seasons in Iowa City, the lack of emphasis the Hawkeyes placed on receiver in 2016 only means that they'll have to double their efforts at the position in 2017. In recruiting, it's not always about filling immediate needs, but keeping long-term development in mind, which Ferentz would be wise to do with his wideouts throughout the now-ongoing recruiting cycle.
Wisconsin: Quarterback
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As Joel Stave heads out the door, the four-year Wisconsin starting quarterback will find himself replaced by Bart Houston, who is already entering the senior season of his college career.
Behind Houston, the Badgers' quarterback depth chart is bare, with redshirt freshman-to-be Alex Hornibrook set to back up the Wisconsin senior and 3-star prospect Kare' Lyles having also enrolled early.
A former signal-caller himself, it's a safe bet that Badgers head coach Paul Chryst will make attracting another quarterback to his roster a top priority in 2017, as Wisconsin faces no shortage of uncertainty at the sport's most important position. According to 247Sports, the Badgers have already set their sights 4-star prospect Davis Mills, the fifth-ranked pro-style passer in the 2017 class.
While he'll have the rare benefit of possessing a senior quarterback in both his first and second seasons in Madison, it won't be long until Chryst is forced to turn to a less experienced quarterback to run his offense. That will make adding another option to choose from in 2017 and beyond paramount as Chryst prepares a long-term succession plan at his alma mater.
Michigan State: Defensive Line
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For a program that's built itself on toughness and dominating the line of scrimmage, it was somewhat of a surprise to see Michigan State only sign three defensive linemen in its 2016 class.
That holds especially true when considering that the Spartans lost star end Shilique Calhoun and two other starting seniors in Lawrence Thomas and Joel Heath from their 2015 Big Ten championship team.
That likely means head coach Mark Dantonio will place a large emphasis on his defensive line unit in the 2017 class, which doesn't possess a single commitment from any prospects. Michigan State has, however, already targeted a number of high-profile defensive linemen, including 5-star defensive tackle Marvin Wilson, 4-star defensive end Chase Young and 4-star defensive tackle Fred Hansard.
While the Spartans won't be short on depth on its line, which will be anchored by Malik McDowell in the coming year, the lack of attention paid to the position in the 2016 recruiting cycle only means more spots will be available in the next class. A strong defensive line usually means a strong Michigan State, which should ultimately be reflected in their 2017 haul.
Michigan: Defensive Secondary
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Returning arguably the Big Ten's top two defensive backs in Jabrill Peppers and Jourdan Lewis, there may not be a more talented secondary in all of the Big Ten than Michigan's.
But with Peppers and Lewis' college careers both likely coming to an end after the season, head coach Jim Harbaugh would be wise to turn his attention toward his defensive backfield in the 2017 class.
That will almost assuredly be the case, with the Wolverines signing five defensive backs—three safeties and two cornerbacks—in their 2016 class. In 2017, Harbaugh already possesses a commitment from 3-star cornerback Benjamin St-Juste, the 82nd-ranked player at his position in his class.
Look for Michigan to continue heavily targeting defensive backs, specifically cornerbacks, in the coming year. The Wolverines are already pursuing 5-star cornerback Deangelo Gibbs and 4-star corners Stanford Samuels and Ambry Thomas in what will be an important class for Harbaugh when it comes to replenishing his defensive backfield.
Ohio State: Linebacker
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Since arriving at Ohio State in 2012, Urban Meyer has put together relatively balanced recruiting classes, rarely ignoring any single positions in any of his first five hauls in Columbus.
That will likely be the case in 2017—which should be one of Meyer's smaller recruiting classes—but if there's one position the Buckeyes could stand to focus on in the coming year, it's linebacker.
Having signed just two players at the position in 2016 after going heavy on it in its previous two classes, Meyer will likely look to bolster a linebacking corps that could very well be losing Raekwon McMillan after the 2016 season. Ohio State's two other expected starters, Chris Worley and Dante Booker, are both already juniors as well, meaning the 2017 class will be crucial when it comes to replenishing the depth chart in the long term.
Curiously, of the 11 commits the Buckeyes already posses in its 2017 class, none happen to play linebacker. That shouldn't remain the case for long, even with the limited space Ohio State already has available in its coming class.
Ben Axelrod is Bleacher Report's Big Ten lead writer. You can follow him on Twitter @BenAxelrod. Unless noted otherwise, all quotes were obtained firsthand. All statistics courtesy of cfbstats.com. Recruiting rankings courtesy of 247Sports.
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