Rivals national recruiting analyst Greg Smith examines five developing recruiting storylines in the Big Ten as June visits loom.
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Can USC hold on to its early lead?
The efforts of USC on the recruiting trail have been one of the stories of the 2026 cycle. Coach Lincoln Riley revamped the recruiting department and it paid off immediately. The Trojans currently have the No. 1 class in the country with a whopping 27 commitments. But will it last?
In what’s becoming a yearly tradition (regardless of staff) the Trojans secured an early commitment from a Georgia native. Now summer has hit and that player – Xavier Griffin – has decommitted from the program.
Is this the start of the slide for the Trojans
I actually don’t think so. This time around USC has built its class largely on keeping in-state stars home. Seventeen of its commitments are from California, which is a winning formula for the Trojans. Especially as recruits wait for the wins to pile up on the field.
Will Oregon rebound?
Coach Dan Lanning has found himself in a position he isn’t used to during this recruiting cycle. The losing side of several high-profile recruitments. Recently, five-star quarterback Jared Curtis recommitted to Georgia over Oregon. Before that, high four-star receiver Kayden Dixon-Wyatt surprised and picked Ohio State over the Ducks.
Then Oregon struck back when it landed a big surprise of its own. Five-star defensive lineman Richard Wesley committed to Oregon in a shocker. It wasn’t surprising that he committed but the timing of it stunned many, including his family. The Ducks now have a top-10 class, but it speaks to the current expectations that we think they should be even higher.
We’ve learned to not count out Lanning on the recruiting trail, but for the first time in a while we are seeing the Ducks' recruiting machine slow down.
Can Penn State beat out Ohio State for Cincere Johnson?
The thought process around elite linebacker prospect Cincere Johnson’s recruitment all along has been that Ohio State is the clear team to beat. That is likely true. He’s an Ohio native that the Buckeyes have prioritized heavily and his high school has a strong pipeline to Columbus.
But there is another Big Ten team lurking.
Penn State also has its own rich linebacker tradition and the program has done a great job recruiting Johnson.
Of course the added wrinkle here is that defensive coordinator Jim Knowles is now in place at Penn State. He was recruiting Johnson to Ohio State so the two are very familiar with each other.
Alabama is also a good option for Johnson but this feels like a heavyweight fight between two Big Ten powers.
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Will Michigan State keep Kahlief Canty home?
Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith had the Spartans off to a hot start in the 2026 class early on. They nabbed a commitment from their preferred quarterback Kayd Coffman, who has continued to see his stock rise this cycle. Tight end Eddie Whiting may be one of the most underrated players in the region, tucked away in South Dakota.
But the momentum stalled and the Spartans have just four commitments.
This summer could be huge for the program and no one is a bigger target than Michigan native Khalief Canty. The four-star interior lineman is a terrific prospect that plays with a mean steak and something to prove. If the Spartans can keep him home it would really start to bring the class together. Also, it’d be a great in-state win for a coaching staff that is still getting its footing in a new region.
When will Nebraska’s class pick up steam?
The Huskers have recruited well under coach Matt Rhule. The roster is basically flipped fully now between high school and transfer recruiting. But it’s a little curious that the Huskers only have four commitments for the 2026 class right now. Especially when you factor in four-star defensive back CJ Bronaugh being a soft commitment.
Nebraska is looking at bringing in a smaller high school class this cycle that will likely have a max of 15 players. So that does factor into where the class is right now. Rhule and his staff seem content to chase bigger recruits that they will have to close after the official visit season.
Four-star defensive end Titan Davis, four-star running back Dezephen Walker and four-star wide receiver Ryan Mosley are just a few top-of-board targets that Nebraska wants.
If the Huskers are able to land these guys (and others) it’ll be a huge summer in Lincoln.
