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There's an accepted truth in college football recruiting over the last few years that Ohio State and Michigan will dominate the conference and bring in an overwhelming amount of top talent. In 2012, Ohio State and Michigan combined to sign 31 of the Big Ten's 54 prospects rated four- or five-stars. In 2013, the number was 38 of 61. In 2014, the trend continues, with the pair currently holding commitments from 18 of the conference's 34 prospects to hold a rating of four- or five-stars.
One way to demonstrate this is with an all-conference recruiting team.
The format is simple. Using the 247 Sports Composite of the four major recruiting rankings (Scout, Rivals, ESPN and 247), we'll assemble the top QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, TE, 5 OL, 5 DL, 4 LB, 5 DB.
Note: Every effort was made to slot players at the positions they'll be playing in college. Analysis follows the table.
Here are the six new additions and subtractions to the team.
Welcome: WR DeAndre Thompkins (Penn State), OL Jamarco Jones (Ohio State), OL Demetrius Knox (Ohio State), DL Jalyn Holmes (Ohio State), DB Troy Vincent (Penn State), DB Kiy Hester (Rutgers)
Goodbye: WR Chris Godwin (Penn State), OL Kyle Trout (Ohio State), OL Juwann Bushell-Beatty (Michigan), DL Conor Sheehy (Wisconsin), DB Jordan Thomas (Northwestern), DB Daquan Worley (Penn State)
| Player | From | Stars | Committed to |
Quarterback | |||
| Northwestern, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Michigan State, Michigan and Maryland were close to making the list with their respective quarterback commitments. | |||
| Michael O'Connor | Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy | 4 | Penn State |
| O'Connor is a 6'4, 225-pound pocket passer who has blossomed at the IMG Academy. He formerly played in Tennessee after moving from Canada. | |||
Backs | |||
| Can Minnesota and Northwestern hold on to the top running back spots in the B1G? | |||
| Jeff Jones | Minneapolis (Minn.) Washburn | 4 | Minnesota |
| Jones has excellent agility and moves for a 6'0 back. | |||
| Justin Jackson | Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North | 4 | Northwestern |
| Jackson is an all-purpose back with the ability to take any touch for a score. | |||
Wide Receiver | |||
| There is no shortage of good receivers in the Big Ten, and the race for the top spots was tough. | |||
| Drake Harris | Grand Rapids (Mich.) Christian | 4 | Michigan |
| Harris is one of the five best receivers in the country and has excellent potential as a big-play and 6'4 red-zone threat. | |||
| Parris Campbell | Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St. Mary | 4 | Ohio State |
| Campbell is a skinny four-star speedster who should thrive in Urban Meyer's spread. | |||
| DeAndre Thompkins | Swansboro (N.C.) | 4 | Penn State |
| Thompkins can be a deep threat at 6'0 and 170 pounds. | |||
Tight End | |||
| Ian Bunting | Hinsdale (Ill.) Central | 4 | Michigan |
| Bunting is a solid tight end recruit who should become a better blocker as he adds strength to his 6'6, 210-pound frame. | |||
Offensive Line | |||
| The five are the five highest-rated offensive linemen, regardless of position (tackle, guard or center). | |||
| Jamarco Jones | Chicago (Ill.) De La Salle | 4 | Ohio State |
| Jones is one of the best offensive tackles in the country. | |||
| Ross Pierschbacher | Cedar Falls (Iowa) | 4 | Iowa |
| Pierschbacher is an athletic 6'6, 285-pound tackle with good balance and technique. He's been on the radar of the recruiting world for several years. | |||
| Demetrius Knox | Fort Worth (Texas) All Saints Episcopal | 4 | Ohio State |
| Knox is one of the most tenacious guards in the country. | |||
| Mason Cole | Tarpon Springs (Fla.) East Lake | 4 | Michigan |
| Cole is an athletic 6'4, 280-pound guard, who could also play tackle in some systems, particularly if he keeps growing. | |||
| Jaden Gault | Madison (Wis.) Monona Grove | 4 | Wisconsin |
| It's always nice to have a 6'7, 285-pound tackle who can move playing in your backyard. | |||
Defensive Line | |||
| These are the four highest-rated defensive linemen, be they ends or tackles. | |||
| Bryan Mone | Salt Lake City (Utah) Highland | 4 | Michigan |
| Mone is a massive defensive tackle at 6'4 and 338 pounds, with good athleticism relative to his size. He should contribute immediately for the Wolverines. | |||
| Jalyn Holmes | Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor | 4 | Ohio State |
| Holmes is one of the most dangerous defensive ends nationally. | |||
| Lawrence Marshall | Southfield (Mich.) | 4 | Michigan |
| Marshall is the prototypical edge rusher at 6'3 and 225 pounds. | |||
| Craig Evans | Sun Prairie (Wis.) | 4 | Wisconsin |
| Evans is a quick defensive tackle recruit standing 6'3 and 300 pounds. | |||
Linebacker | |||
| As usual, the Big Ten is loaded with linebackers. | |||
| Dante Booker | Akron (Ohio) St. Vincent-St.Mary | 4 | Ohio State |
| Booker is an exceptional prospect with great length at 6'4 and 210 pounds. | |||
| Michael Ferns | St. Clairsville (Ohio) | 4 | Michigan |
| The 6'3, 235-pound Ferns is the traditional thumper at middle linebacker. | |||
| Kyle Berger | Cleveland (Ohio) St. Ignatius | 4 | Ohio State |
| Berger is a very good linebacker prospect, with a promising 6'3, 215-pound build. | |||
| Sam Hubbard | Cincinnati (Ohio) Archbishop Moeller | 4 | Ohio State |
| Hubbard is listed as an athlete by some recruiting services, but he's a linebacker at Ohio State. | |||
Defensive Back | |||
| With teams playing more and more nickel and dime defense, it was appropriate to include five defensive backs. | |||
| Jabrill Peppers | Paramus (N.J.) Catholic | 5 | Michigan |
| Peppers is a ridiculous, 6'1, 200-pound athlete who could excel at receiver, running back, corner or safety, and in the return game. For Michigan, he plans to be a cornerback. | |||
| Damon Webb | Detroit (Mich.) Cass Tech | 4 | Ohio State |
| Webb is an excellent corner, with solid technique and a motor that doesn't quit. He is relentless and has OK size at 5'11 and 180 pounds. | |||
| Troy Vincent | Rockville (Md.) Gilman | 4 | Penn State |
| An NFL legacy, Vincent is an excellent get for Penn State at corner. | |||
| Kiy Hester | Wayne (N.J.) St. Joseph Regional | 4 | Rutgers |
| Hester is a versatile safety who will support the run well. | |||
| Marcus Allen | Upper Marlboro (Md.) Dr. Henry Wise | 4 | Penn State |
| Allen can cover, but he is a big hitter at 6'1, 180 pounds. | |||
Do Michigan and Ohio State dominate the conference? That depends on your definition of dominate. The Buckeyes and Wolverines do have 15 of the top 25 players, and most of the best prospects are committed to the pair, but 10 other prospects are committed to schools other than the two.
Ohio State and Michigan dominate the B1G more than any other pair in the other four major conferences.
Is that a good thing? Will that trend continue? Will teams like Indiana, Purdue, Illinois, Nebraska, Michigan State and Maryland land a representative on the squad? Let us know in the comments section, and stay tuned, as this team will be updated monthly until National Signing Day 2014.
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