Wins on Saturdays are often determined by signed letters of intent over Februaries past. This piece is a look at the composite ratings of Saturday's starters that signed on the dotted line for Illinois and Ohio State.

RECRUITING RANKINGS: OHIO STATE'S OFF. STARTERS VS. ILLINOIS' DEF. STARTERS 

POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING	POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING
FS	STANLEY GREEN	.815	QB	J.T. BARRETT	.935
LB	DELE HARDING	.855	RB	J.K. DOBBINS	.979
CB	JAYLEN DUNLAP	.795	WR	AUSTIN MACK	.961
CB	NATE HOBBS	.814	WR	JOHNNIE DIXON	.964
SS	BENNETT WILLIAMS	.808	HY	PARRIS CAMPBELL	.936
LB	DEL'SHAWN PHILLIPS	.874	TE	MARCUS BAUGH	.960
DE	BOBBY ROUNDTREE	.833	LT	JAMARCO JONES	.970
DT	JAMAL MILAN	.849	LG	MICHAEL JORDAN	.939
DT	TYMIR OLIVER	.810	C	BILLY PRICE	.916
DE	JAMES CRAWFORD	.808	RG	DEMTRIUS KNOX	.952
LB	JAMES KNIGHT	.824	RT	ISAIAH PRINCE	.950
	AVERAGE	.826		AVERAGE	.951

Illinois does not have a single defensive starter ranked in the .900s. Ten of the Illini defensive starters are ranked in the .800s and one is in the .700s. All of Ohio State's offensive starters are ranked in the .900s.

Mike Weber, KJ Hill, Binjimen Victor and Terry McLaurin are listed as "or" at their respective positions. If all four are substituted into the starting lineup, Ohio State's average goes from .951 to .942. 

OFFENSIVE/DEFENSIVE RECRUITING NOTES

• Illinois' highest rated defensive starter is LB Del'Shawn Phillips (.874).
• The largest gap between these units is the 166 point difference between Ohio State's WR Austin Mack (.961) and Illinois' CB Jaylen Dunlap (.795).
• The average of Ohio State's offensive starters is 125 points better than the Illini's defensive starters.

RECRUITING RANKINGS: OHIO STATE'S DEF. STARTERS VS. ILLINOIS' OFF. STARTERS

POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING	POSITION	PLAYER	COMP. RATING
LT	LARRY BOYD	.872	DE	TYQUAN LEWIS	.898
LG	ALEX PALCZEWSKI	.832	DT	TRACY SPRINKLE	.859
C	DOUG KRAMER	.803	DT	DRE'MONT JONES	.938
RG	NICK ALLEGRETTI	.848	DE	SAM HUBBARD	.923
RT	VEDERIAN LOWE	.837	LB	DANTE BOOKER	.972
WR/TE	DOMINIC THIEMAN	.811	MLB	CHRIS WORLEY	.868
RB	KENDRICK FOSTER	.822	LB	JEROME BAKER	.969
WR	MIKE DUDEK	.842	CB	DENZEL WARD	.903
WR	MALIK TURNER	.811	S	DAMON WEBB	.982
QB	JEFF GEORGE JR.	.780	S	JORDAN FULLER	.938
TE	LOUIS DORSEY	.844	CB	DAMON ARNETTE	.944
	AVERAGE	.827		AVERAGE	.927

The and/or players this week are: DE Nick Bosa (.997), DE Jalyn Holmes (.962), LB Malik Harrison (.857), MLB Tuf Borland (.893) and Kendall Sheffield (.931).

If all of the and/or players are substituted, Ohio State's average jumps from .927 to .930. That is a three point difference.

DEFENSIVE/OFFENSIVE RECRUITING NOTES

• Illinois' highest rated offensive starter is LT Larry Boyd (.872).
• The largest gap between these units is the 171 point difference between Ohio State's SAF Damon Webb (.982) and Illini WR Malik Turner (.811).
• The average of Ohio State's defensive starters is 100 points better than Illinois' offensive starters.

Comparing Ohio State's and Illinois' Recruiting Classes

YEAR	OHIO STATE	ILLINOIS
2014	.906	.823
2015	.903	.835
2016	.916	.813
2017	.946	.837
AVG	.918	.827

Ohio State averaged a national ranking of 4th over the last four years.
Over the past four recruiting cycles, Illinois averaged a national ranking of 60th. 

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