Scout.com: Conference Breakdown: No. 4 Big Ten

Conference Breakdown: No. 4 Big Ten

Kevin Ferrell

By Brian Snow

Recruiting Analyst
Posted Nov 9, 2011

| More

Indiana leads the way in the Big Ten. How do the rest stack up? Check our Big Ten rankings and breakdown.

Best Class?

The best class in the Big Ten clearly goes to Tom Crean and the Indiana Hoosiers. Crean mined one of the best in-state classes in a long time, and brought in several top prospects. Leading the way for the Hoosiers is a trio of top 40 prospects in Hanner Perea, Kevin Ferrell, and Jeremy Hollowell.

Signing Week Coverage

* Signing Day Blog
* Top 25 Class Rankings
* Best Availables
* Six Impact Performers
* Miller surpasses expectations
* Grading the new head coaches
* Signing Day Superlatives
* No. 1 prospect won’t sign early
* Schools that surprised
* Conference Breakdown: No. 1 ACC
* Conference Breakdown: No. 2 PAC-12
* Conference Breakdown: No. 3 Big East
* Conference Breakdown: No. 4 Big Ten
* Conference Breakdown: No. 5 Big 12
* Conference Breakdown: No. 6 SEC
* Non-BCS Breakdown
* Schools that surprised
* Gathers opens it up
* Goodwin goes with Memphis
* 2012 Rankings
* 2013 Rankings
* National Message Board

Perea is one of the premier athletes in the entire country, and somebody who is a force rebounding the ball as well as finishing above the rim. His long arms and natural strength make him someone who is difficult to contend with around the rim on both ends of the floor.

Ferrell is one of the best floor generals in the country. His strength, quickness, and shot making make him a problem for opposing defenders. At the NBA Players Association Camp, Ferrell was probably the top player based on performance.

With Hollowell it is all about natural ability. At 6-foot-8 with a great shooting stroke, a good handle, and solid athleticism, Hollowell has as much raw ability as any player in the nation. Add in that he is starting to make strides with his motor and as a leader, and Hollowell’s best basketball could be in front of him.

Those three make up the meat and potatoes of the class, but Ron Patterson and Peter Jurkin are also solid additions. Patterson is an excellent on-ball defender and someone who can make shots while Jurkin is a shot blocking machine, and a great athlete who really runs the floor for a 6-foot-11 player.

Overall this is a class that will rank as one of the best in the nation, and it has three players that could make an instant impact for the Hoosiers.

Other Winners?

Big Ten Rankings

1. Indiana 2. Michigan 3. Purdue 4. Iowa 5. Michigan State 6. Wisconsin 7. Northwestern 8. Nebraska 9. Minnesota 10. Penn State 11. Illinois 12. Ohio State

Along with Indiana, the Big Ten also got solid recruiting performances from Michigan, Purdue, and Iowa. Mitch McGary as well as four-star wing Glenn Robinson both picked the Wolverines.

McGary is the No. 2 player in the class and the best big man in the country. He has the ability to be a one-and-done prospect, and should make an impact from day one for the Wolverines with his size, motor, and toughness.

Robinson is one of the fastest rising players in the country. He has grown, gotten stronger, more athletic, and is now also a very good outside shooter. Robinson is just now figuring out how good he is, and the level he has stepped his game up to is impressive.

Those two are joined by a big time shooter in Nick Stauskas. The Canadian native had a good summer for Grassroots Canada, and could be a surprise to some since his ability to make shots should help him see the floor right away.

While Indiana got a lot of the press in the state, Purdue also brought in a very talented class. The Boilermakers are led by top 100 prospects Ronnie Johnson and A.J. Hammons, as well as another four-star prospect in Jay Simpson.

Johnson had a big time junior year, and then really broke out at the NBA Players Association Camp where he proved his worth as an elite floor general who can really pass the basketball and has a good feel for the game.

Hammons and Simpson will give depth down low. Hammons is an aircraft carrier center who had offers from nearly the entire conference, but in the end wanted to come back close to home and pick Purdue. Simpson was an early pledge, and as a skilled power forward he has a ton of upside.

Also the Iowa Hawkeyes deserve a ton of praise. The Hawkeyes went head-to-head with North Carolina for Adam Woodbury and landed his commitment. The in-state pledge was a huge one for the Hawkeyes, but not the only big time get. Also they landed Woodbury’s AAU teammate and good friend Mike Gesell. Gesell is a tough combo guard who makes shots and can run a team.

Also complementary pieces such as Patrick Ingram, Kyle Myer, and Anthony Clemmons also join what is a top 25 class for Fran McCaffery.

How the Big Ten stacks up?

Top Big Ten Prospects

Top Prospect:	Mitch McGary, Michigan
Best Scorer:	Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
Best Passer:	Ronnie Johnson, Purdue
Best Shot Blocker:	Peter Jurkin, Indiana
Best Floor General:	Ronnie Johnson, Purdue
Best Post Player:	Mitch McGary, Michigan
Best Shooter:	Nick Stauskas, Michigan
Best Rebounder:	Hanner Perea, Indiana
Best Athlete:	Hanner Perea, Indiana

Only one five-star prospect was signed by a Big Ten school so far this year, though Gary Harris remains uncommitted and he is still considering Indiana, Purdue, and Michigan State from the conference, so that number could grow to two.

Overall it was just an average recruiting cycle. The fact that Ohio State hasn’t signed anybody and Illinois only brought in one prospect means that the conference was light on scholarships available.

Indiana, Purdue, Michigan, and Iowa all deserve mention for doing a good job and landing a top 25 class, and if Michigan State can pull off Harris they would also join that mix.

Not a banner year for the Big Ten, but it was one that provided some depth to the conference.