Volume 8 brings 24 new players to the Big Ten.

Rising From The Ashes?
Probably not, but Chris Ash added the most players in the Big Ten last month. The five new commits moved his 2018 class up four spots from ninth to fifth in total number of recruits. The Scarlet Knights ended August with 20 players.  

Rutgers still has work to do on the composite front as the school sits at tenth. Illinois, Indiana and Iowa are behind the Scarlet Knights in composite average. Look for these schools to make a push on Rutgers as they have five to seven less committed players.

Landing the most players in the Big Ten last month (5) has Chris Ash all smiles. Will he be smiling during the season? 

King Of The Mountain
It's good to be on top. Meyer and the Buckeyes' 2018 recruiting class has just over a 22-point lead on second place Penn State. What makes this more impressive is that the Buckeyes have six fewer commits than their "rivals" from the Keystone state. 

On the national front, Ohio State has a new school nipping at its heels. Tom Herman and Texas are now in second place. The Longhorns have one more commit than the Buckeyes and are just over 15 points behind. Something to keep an eye on.

This piece has information on:

• 247's B1G Rankings
• Comprehensive Stars Chart
• Top B1G committed players by position and Ohio State's top offers
• Charting the B1G's 2018 average player ratings
• Charting Ohio State's committed players
• Committed players by school
• Open commit/decommit board in the comment section

The 2018 Composite Team Rankings as of 9/1/2017 according to 247

For the third straight update, Ohio State remains the top team in the Big Ten. Penn State inched another point closer, but Franklin's class will not finish ahead of the Buckeyes.

Third place Michigan is more than 86 points behind Ohio State and only has 13 players. Although The One Who Wears Khakis has four less players, that large of a deficit will be tough to overcome.

Five Up, Three Down
This cycle, the top four spots stayed steady, while there was some major action below the conference average line.

Tom Allen and Indiana were the big movers this month. The Hoosiers added 29.63 composite points and climbed two spots.

The other teams moving up the chart were Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan State. The Spartans gained a conference-high 30.0 points. 

Nebraska was the big loser by falling three positions. The Cornhuskers only have 10 commits and lost 6.17 comp. points. Northwestern (-1.62) was the only other B1G team to lose points. Iowa was the other team to lose a spot in the rankings.

Conference Average Line
There is definitely a division between the haves and have nots in the Big Ten. The conference average line should sit just after the seventh place team. However, the average is currently located behind fourth place Maryland. This indicates a big gap between the four top schools and the rest of the conference.

It's time for the middling schools to do their part. Looking at you Wisconsin, Michigan State and Nebraska.

I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I AM COMMITTED TO THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY pic.twitter.com/2vFW9AuGjs

— THE POPE (@Pop3Bad_81) August 4, 2017

B1G STARS BREAKDOWN

Ohio State and Penn State remain the only teams in the conference to have 5★ commits. The Buckeyes are up to four and the Nittany Lions have one.

Westerville South's Jaelen Gill received his fifth star last month. He joins Taron Vincent and Brenton Cox as Ohio State's 5★ players. Justin Shorter is Penn State's five star player. 

Two B1G Movers
Rutgers and Maryland had the largest upward trajectories this month. The Scarlet Knights went from ninth to fifth and the Terrapins climbed up two spots to fourth. Other teams making positive strides were Penn State, Indiana and Illinois.

Star Gazing
Six players had their star rating change. Ohio State's TE Jeremy Ruckert was bumped up from a 4★ to a 5★ this cycle. He joins fellow Buckeye commits Taron Vincent, Brenton Cox and Jaelen Gill with this elite ranking.  

Players making the move from 2 star to 3 star were: CB Deion Jennings of Rutgers, K Jack Pinegar of Penn State and K Joseph Petrino of Maryland.

96 percent of the Big Ten's commits are 4★ and 3★ players. To put Ohio State's recruiting in perspective, 23 percent of the conference's 4 star commits and 80 percent of the 5 star players are Buckeyes.

#BOOM Huber Heights Wayne four-star wide receiver L'Christian "Blue" Smith commits to Ohio State. https://t.co/mB2uZnTddc

— Eleven Warriors (@11W) August 27, 2017

A new name is at the top of the WDE position. Tyler Baylor (.870) committed to Maryland and is currently the best recruit in the B1G at his position. Baylor will keep that spot warm until Micah Parsons selects either Ohio State or Penn State.

At the end of August, 11 Ohio State commits are the highest rated players at there position in the conference. If you look at the players Urban Meyer has offered, the Buckeyes could have the best player at every position except for pro-style quarterback.

The Big Ten East still owns 15 of the 18 positions. Nebraska is the only team in the Big Ten West with players on the board. Will a team add a fullback this cycle?

New player. 

*Kickers, punters and long snappers are not included in player averages.

For the second straight month, Penn State and Nebraska switched positions. This time, the Nittany Lions moved up to second and the Cornhuskers dropped to third.

The other action happened at the bottom of the conference. Indiana passed Minnesota and Rutgers jumped Illinois. 

Meyer and the Buckeyes continue to have a massive lead over the rest of the conference. For the first time since April, Ohio State had its player average rating increase. With more 5★ and 4★ players on the horizon, the 2018 Ohio State recruiting class could be one for the ages. 

An impressive 12 schools had their player averages increase. Indiana had a nine-point increase, tops in the conference this cycle. Rutgers had an impressive eight-point jump and Iowa was plus six.

The only schools to drop were Nebraska and Michigan. The Cornhuskers sunk six points and the Wolverines fell five.

Which teams do you think will rise and fall over the next month? 

Urban Meyer is creating something special with the 2018 class.

2018 B1G Commitments as of 6/30/17

Below you will find every team in the Big Ten and the players in the 2018 class who have committed to play at each university.

• Players in bold are new commits since 6/30/2017.
• Kickers/punters/long snappers are not included in the team average. 
   

2018 Big Ten East Commits (123)

SCHOOL	NAME	POS	JUL RATING	AUG RATING	COMMIT DATE
	BRIAN SNEAD EMORY JONES JAIDEN WOODBEY JAELEN GILL TARON VINCENT MAX WRAY JOSH PROCTOR BRENTON COX SEVYN BANKS DALLAS GANT ANDREW CHATFIELD TERADJA MITCHELL MASTER TEAGUE III MATTHEW JONES JEREMY RUCKERT MARCUS HOOKER K'VAUGHAN POPE BLUE SMITH	RB DUAL SAF APB DT OT SAF SDE CB OLB WDE ILB RB OG TE CB ILB ATH	961 981 980 984 993 959 957 988 911 940 898 976 881 969 974 860 930 948	957 981 981 979 994 959 954 986 907 938 898 977 866 967 974 860 930 948	7/22/2017 7/29/2016 2/7/2017 3/1/2017 4/2/2017 4/15/2017 4/15/2017 4/25/2017 4/26/2017 5/16/2017 6/1/2017 6/2/2017 6/11/2017 6/17/2017 7/17/2017 7/27/2017 8/4/2017 8/27/2017
		AVG	954	953
	JORDAN JUSEVITCH ELIJAH RODGERS CAM JONES KRISTIAN PECHAC JACOLBY HEWITT MATT BJORSON NICK MAROZAS AARON CASEY GAVIN McCABE CHARLES CAMPBELL MILES MARSHALL AIDAN RAFFERTY JAMES HEAD MICAH McFADDEN JAYLIN WILLIAMS REESE TAYLOR RONNIE WALKER	SAF CB ATH RB WR TE OT SAF SDE K WR OT SDE OLB CB ATH RB	817 829 839 865 809 829 832 856 846 750 843 859 857 811 842 853 894	833 833 839 865 824 829 841 848 846 815 847 859 860 811 842 857 894	1/21/2017 4/1/2017 4/2/2017 4/8/2017 6/10/2017 6/14/2017 6/19/2017 6/20/2017 6/20/2017 7/16/2017 7/20/2017 7/21/2017 7/21/2017 7/30/2017 8/1/2017 8/2/2017 8/28/2017
		AVG	838	843
	DURELL NCHAMI TYLER DESUE NIHYM ANDERSON AUSTIN FONTAINE EVAN GREGORY MALEAK BRYANT CHANCE CAMPBELL DONTAY DEMUS JR JAELYN DUNCAN RAYMOND BOONE BRIAN COBBS SPENCER ANDERSON VINCENT FLYTHE NOAH BOYKIN JOSEPH PETRINO JORDAN MOSLEY DARRYL JONES TYLER BAYLOR CHIGOZIEM OKONKWO TJ BRADLEY	WDE DUAL OLB DT OG TE OLB WR OT ATH WR OT CB CB K OLB WR WDE TE OT	858 866 851 955 894 843 841 862 924 843 840 847 854 867 770 852 889 870 864 868	858 866 851 953 890 843 841 862 929 843 840 854 854 872 813 852 889 870 864 868	3/13/2017 4/12/2017 4/13/2017 4/22/2017 4/22/2017 5/21/2017 5/26/2017 6/2/2017 6/15/2017 6/16/2017 6/20/2017 6/21/2017 6/23/2017 7/5/2017 7/7/2017 7/17/2017 8/1/2017 8/1/2017 8/14/2017 8/19/2017
		AVG	860	866
	OTIS REESE EMIL EKIYOR AIDAN HUTCHINSON MYLES SIMS CHRISTIAN TURNER GEMON GREEN GERMAN GREEN JOE MILTON JALEN MAYFIELD RYAN HAYES LUKE SCHOONMAKER CAMERON McGRONE SAMMY FAUSTIN	OLB OG SDE CB RB CB CB PRO OT OT TE OLB CB	938 953 923 946 872 891 836 932 899 902 854 918 847	934 952 919 943 872 888 839 929 895 899 854 919 857	6/18/2016 10/2/2016 2/21/2017 4/7/2017 4/10/2017 4/20/2017 4/20/2017 5/7/2017 5/23/2017 5/27/2017 7/25/2017 7/31/2017 8/2/2017
		AVG	905	900
	XAVIER HENDERSON JOSEPH SCATES TRENTON GILLISON THEO DAY CHRISTIAN JACKSON EDWARD WARRINER MICHAEL DOWELL JESLORD BOATENG DAVION WILLIAMS DIMITRI DOUGLAS ZACH SLADE JACOB SLADE JAVEZ ALEXANDER PARKS GISSINGER CHASE KLINE JULIAN MAJOR	ATH WR TE PRO CB ILB SAF OLB CB OT WDE SDE DUAL WDE ILB WR	905 940 915 895 852 829 884 840 857 824 820 822 789 852 868 860	902 940 911 895 852 836 884 844 856 826 820 822 820 852 868 862	9/9/2016 1/18/2017 1/29/2017 2/26/2017 3/1/2017 4/12/2017 5/29/2017 6/12/2017 6/17/2017 6/19/2017 6/25/2017 6/25/2017 6/28/2017 7/20/2017 7/25/2017 7/29/2017
		AVG	854	857
	MICAH PARSONS CHRIS BLEICH JUSTIN SHORTER PAT FREIERMUTH ZACK KUNTZ JUSTIN FIELDS ISAIAH HUMPHRIES CHARLIE KATSHIR JESSE LUKETA RICKY SLADE NICK TARBURTON TRENT GORDON NANU ASIEDU ATWAN REED BRYCE EFFNER DORIAN HARDY JORDAN MINER JUDGE CULPEPPER WILL LEVIS SHAQUON ANDERSON JAKE PINEGAR DANIEL GEORGE ISHEEM YOUNG FREDRICK SCRUGGS PJ MUSTIPHER AENEAS HAWKINS	WDE OT WR SAF TE DUAL SAF OLB OLB APB ILB CB OT OT OT SDE CB SDE PRO ATH K WR S S OLB DT	999 896 989 925 957 997 883 862 892 982 893 874 968 890 859 928 892 869 855 887 789 921 948 924 955 902	999 896 977 919 955 997 883 862 889 983 893 874 968 886 859 926 892 869 860 887 829 919 947 920 953 900	2/27/2016 4/7/2016 8/6/2016 8/16/2016 11/26/2016 12/1/2016 12/31/2016 2/2/2017 2/3/2017 2/3/2017 2/9/2017 3/29/2017 4/22/2017 4/22/2017 5/6/2017 6/11/2017 7/6/2017 7/14/2017 7/15/2017 7/15/2017 7/16/2017 7/16/2017 7/18/2017 8/4/2017 8/7/2017 8/10/2017
		AVG	903	907
	RACHAD WILDGOOSE JARRETT PAUL JALEN CHATMAN ZIHIR LACEWELL SEAN CHAMBERS ISAIH PACHECO JAYDEN McDONALD KESSAWN ABRAHAM TRAVIS JONES ZAMIR MICKENS MATT ROSSO DEION JENNINGS REGINALD SUTTON AVERY YOUNG PAUL WOODS ADAM KORSAK EJ TURNER AMAD ANDERSON STEVIE SCOTT RAIQWON O'NEAL MATTHEW THOMAS TRAVON KING	SAF CB DUAL WR DUAL RB OLB ATH OG SAF OT CB OT CB WR P WR ATH RB OT WDE WR	789 801 839 885 829 846 833 830 699 833 826 790 810 825 839 740 848 862 832 839 833 809	789 801 839 881 829 846 833 830 699 833 827 790 810 833 839 840 848 869 832 848 842 809	4/15/2017 4/22/2017 5/15/2017 6/13/2017 6/17/2017 6/21/2017 6/21/2017 6/22/2017 6/23/2017 6/24/2017 6/24/2017 6/26/2017 6/27/2017 6/30/2017 7/11/2017 7/12/2017 7/22/2017 8/6/2017 8/8/2017 8/16/2017 8/25/2017 8/26/2017
		AVG	825	833

BIG TEN WEST COMMITS (114)

SCHOOL	NAME	POS	JULY RANK	AUG RANK	COMMIT DATE
	CORAN TAYLOR JULIAN PEARL ANTWAIN WALKER JORDYN SLAUGHTER JAKARI NORWOOD CARLOS SANDY RON HARDGE III KIEVAN MYERS DANIEL BARKER JARTAVIUS MARTIN KHALAN TOLSON CALVIN AVERY BRAEDEN DANIELS CORDELL LITTLEJOHN	DUAL OT CB OT RB WR SAF OT TE SAF OLB DT OT DUAL	839 832 813 839 796 831 816 852 832 811 850 926 825 817	839 824 813 839 796 831 816 852 832 811 850 922 825 817	4/3/2017 4/21/2017 6/6/2017 6/16/2017 6/16/2017 6/21/2017 6/26/2017 6/29/2017 7/4/2017 7/31/2017 7/31/2017 8/4/2017 8/22/2017 8/31/2017
		AVG	827	833
	MIKE BRUNER JEFFREY JENKINS DILLON DOYLE HENRY GEIL TYRONE TRACY TYLER LINDERBAUM SAMSON EVANS TERRY ROBERTS CODY INCE JACK PLUMB NOAH SHANNON ANTHONY TORRES DONALD JOHNSON JULIUS BRENTS	OLB OG OLB RB RB DT ATH CB OT TE DT TE CB S	826 845 850 844 854 845 842 813 850 842 859 839 885	826 845 850 844 854 845 847 813 850 847 859 839 885 879	10/23/2016 1/22/2017 3/20/2017 4/23/2017 4/29/2017 5/1/2017 5/21/2017 6/5/2017 6/19/2017 6/26/2017 7/4/2017 7/12/2017 8/22/2017 9/1/2017
		AVG	844	850
	BENJAMIN SAPP III JALEN MAYFIELD BRENNAN ARMSTRONG ELIJAH TEAGUE TERELL SMITH NOLAN EDMONDS ABI OKONJI LOGAN RICHTER AUSTIN BEIER JORNELL MANNS OYENMWEN UZEBU TYRIK HENDERSON ERIK GIBSON MARIONO SORI-MARIN NOAH SHANNON BREVYN SPANN-FORD JOSH AUNE SHAMAUR McDOWELL RASHOD BATEMAN NATHAN BOE THOMAS RUSH BRYCE WILLIAMS MAYAN AHANOTU NOLAN EDMONDS GRANT NORTON JACK YORK BRAELEN OLIVER	CB OT DUAL DT CB RB SDE DT OG ATH OT CB WR OLB DT TE ATH CB WR OC OLB RB SDE RB OT OT OLB	856 842 862 868 862 856 849 845 848 858 864 845 839 817 854 838 820 821 851 809 823 835 842 856 833 811 852	856 842 862 868 862 856 849 845 848 858 864 845 839 817 854 838 820 818 851 824 841 828 842 856 833 822 852	2/11/2017 2/18/2017 2/19/2017 2/25/2017 3/10/2017 3/15/2017 3/25/2017 3/25/2017 3/30/2017 4/14/2017 4/15/2017 4/19/2017 4/22/2017 4/28/2017 5/9/2017 6/2/2017 6/3/2017 6/11/2017 6/12/2017 6/17/2017 6/21/2017 6/22/2017 6/24/2017 7/29/2017 7/29/2017 7/29/2017 7/30/2017
		AVG	841	842
	CAMERON JURGENS MASRY MAPIEU ERIC FULLER WILL FARNIOK BRENDAN RADLEY-HILES MANUEL ALLEN TATE WILDEMAN CHASE WILLIAMS BARRET PICKERING CAMERON BROWN MARIO GOODRICH JOSHUA MOORE	TE DT CB OC CB WR WDE WR K WR ATH WR	946 849 938 835 974 923 861 949 800* 879 910 964	926 849 938 835 963 923 861 946 790* 879 909 958	8/6/2015 6/17/2016 1/18/2017 4/8/2017 4/14/2017 4/15/2017 4/16/2017 4/23/2017 5/2/2017 5/7/2017 5/23/2017 6/18/2017
		AVG	912	906
	JASON WHITTAKER PAYNE HE'BERT CHARLES SCHMIDT CHARLIE MANGIEIRI DEVIN O'ROURKE BRIAN KAISER WYATT BLAKE ANDREW LEOTA JACOB JEFFERSON GREG NEWSOME GRAYSON MANN ETHAN BONNER JEREMIAH McDONALD JAYLEN RIVERS ISAAIAH BOWSER KHALID JONES II	PRO OT OG ATH SDE TE OG WDE WR CB ILB CB SAF ATH RB ILB	865 833 847 841 914 840 862 860 829 863 844 828 866 822 842 859	865 838 847 841 913 840 862 860 846 863 845 828 866 839 843 859	12/10/2016 1/13/2017 3/5/2017 3/8/2017 3/10/2017 3/10/2017 3/17/2017 3/31/2017 4/1/2017 4/3/2017 4/7/2017 4/8/2017 4/10/2017 6/2/2017 6/23/2017 6/28/2017
		AVG	851	851
	JAYLAN ALEXANDER JACK PLUMMER KADIN SMITH ELIJAH BELL JACK CRAVAACK CHARLES ALLEN ERIC MILLER CORNELIUS McCOY BRYON PERKINS CONNOR PARKS CORY TRICE WILL BRAMEL LAWRENCE JOHNSON JIMMY McKENNA WILLIE LANE JORDAN BONNER KELVIN STOKES CLAY HARRIS DESTIN COATES BRANSON DEEN JACK SULLIVAN	ILB PRO SAF CB TE OG OT WR CB WDE SAF OT DT OT SDE WR WDE RB RB DT SDE	818 856 794 788 815 840 767 818 799 847 767 833 832 854 811 837 812 810 839 840 807	833 856 807 810 815 840 781 818 806 847 788 842 836 854 811 842 826 810 839 844 801	6/5/2017 6/8/2017 6/9/2017 6/11/2017 6/12/2017 6/13/2017 6/17/2017 6/16/2017 6/19/2017 6/20/2017 6/20/2017 6/21/2017 6/22/2017 6/24/2017 7/13/2017 7/22/2017 7/22/2017 7/23/2017 7/25/2017 7/26/2017 7/26/2017
		AVG	818	824
	BEN BRYANT REGGIE PEARSON TRENT INGALLS BOYD DIETZEN CJ GOETZ MASON PLATTER MICHAEL FURTNEY JACK SANBORN CHASE WOLF CORMAC SAMPSON ISAIAH MULLENS NAKIA WATSON JAYLAN FRANKLIN ALEXANDER SMITH TAJ MUSTAPHA AJ ABBOTT ARON CRUICKSHANK BRYSON WILLIAMS ISAAC GUERENDO TRAVIAN BLAYLOCK	PRO SAF SAF SDE ILB OLB OT ILB PRO WDE SDE RB ATH CB WR WR ATH DT WR CB	857 862 844 860 835 840 854 899 842 860 857 849 853 831 842 807 867 847 831 853	857 862 844 860 835 840 854 898 842 860 857 849 858 840 852 832 862 854 841 853	12/7/2016 8/27/2016 10/29/2016 2/20/2017 2/20/2017 2/20/2017 3/14/2017 3/22/2017 5/5/2017 5/13/2017 5/16/2017 6/10/2017 6/12/2017 6/13/2017 6/22/2017 6/23/2017 6/27/2017 7/5/2017 7/6/2017 7/6/2017
		AVG	849	853

I just open my recruitment please respect my decision

— Andrew Chatfield (@Drew_Chatfield) August 8, 2017

Three players changed their minds in August. Ethan Bonner (Northwestern), Andrew Chatfield (Ohio State) and Trent Ingalls (Wisconsin) rescinded their verbal commitments.  

BIG TEN DECOMMITS (19)

SCHOOL	NAME	POS	RANK	RATING	COMMIT DATE	DECOMMIT DATE	NEW SCHOOL
	JOSEPH SCATES	WR	42	933	1/18/2017	2/18/2017	OKLAHOMA (LEADER)
	JALEN MAYFIELD	OT	59	842	2/18/2017	3/26/2017	MICHIGAN 5/23/2017
	CHRIS BLEICH	OT	33	896	4/7/2016	4/22/2017	UCLA 6/19/2017
	MICAH PARSONS	WDE	1	998	2/27/2016	4/23/2017	OHIO STATE (LEADER)
	MIKE BRUNER	OLB	101	826	10/23/2016	4/25/2017	UNCLEAR
	BEN BRYANT	PRO	30	857	12/7/2016	5/12/2017	CINCINNATI 6/27/2017
	OYENMWEN UZEBU	OT	45	864	4/15/2017	5/14/2017	WEST VIRGINIA 7/30/2017
	RACHAD WILDGOOSE	S	115	789	4/15/2017	5/25/2017	GEORGIA 6/2/2017
	CAM JONES	ATH	84	839	4/2/2017	5/25/2017	TENNESSEE (LEADER)
	NOAH SHANNON	DT	43	854	5/9/2017	5/28/2017	IOWA 7/4/2017
	JUSTIN FIELDS	DUAL	1	997	12/1/2016	6/6/2017	FLORIDA STATE (LEADER)
	CAMERON BROWN	WR	56	879	5/7/2017	6/10/2017	NEBRASKA (LEADER)
	KRISTIAN PECHAC	RB	26	865	4/8/2017	6/12/2017	TOLEDO (LEADER)
	ERIC FULLER	CB	22	938	1/18/2017	6/19/2017	USC (LEADER)
	NOLAN EDMONDS	RB	21	856	3/15/2017	6/23/207	MINNESOTA 7/29/2017
	TRAVIS JONES	OG	51	833	6/23/2017	6/24/2017	CONNECTICUT 7/27/2017
	ETHAN BONNER	CB	102	837	4/8/2017	8/3/2017	STANFORD 8/3/2017
	ANDREW CHATFIELD	WDE	15	899	6/1/2017	8/7/2017	FLORIDA (LEADER)
	MANUEL ALLEN	WR	38	925	4/15/2017	8/17/2017	LOUISVILLE

If you receive news of  a player committing to a B1G school during the month of September post it in the comment section.