Writing Illini
Fansided

Big Ten Conference: 2017 Team Recruiting Rankings

By Rees Woodcock

Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A Big Ten logo on the field before the Big Ten Conference football championship game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Michigan State Spartans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 5, 2015; Indianapolis, IN, USA; A Big Ten logo on the field before the Big Ten Conference football championship game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Michigan State Spartans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 14
Next
Oct 15, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Malcom Dotson (83) is congratulated by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz during a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 15, 2016; West Lafayette, IN, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes wide receiver Malcom Dotson (83) is congratulated by Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz during a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross Ade Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports /

No. 6 Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa comes in as the No. 6 team in the new rankings, but they are literally neck and neck with Nebraska for that No. 5 spot.

The Hawkeyes currently have an average of .66 5-star recruits for the class of 2017.

Strong-side defensive end AJ Epenesa leads the way for Iowa as their top recruit that is listed as a 5-star by two of the sites.

Epenesa is a huge steal from the state of Illinois.  He is a 6-foot-5, 260-pound, monster that is going to do damage in the Big Ten on defense.

Iowa also has an average of 2.66 4-star recruits as well.  These players will also help boost the program led by running back Eno Benjamin.

Benjamin is a top 200 player that Iowa picked out of the state of Texas.  He is only 5-foot-9, 204-pounds, but I think he is going to end up like Ray Rice on the football field.

I am impressed by the quality of players at the top for Iowa.  But, I am also impressed by the quantity of 3-star players as well.

Iowa currently has an average of 12 3-star recruits committed for 2017.

The best out of the 3-star players is cornerback Djimon Colbert.

Colbert is a lockdown defensive back that will be a nightmare to face if you are a quarterback in the Big Ten.  He is a bigger cornerback standing at 6-foot and weighing 210-pounds.

Iowa has a nice recruiting class coming in for 2017.  They are only a player or two away from jumping up on this list.

Home/Illinois Football