Maryland lands Big Ten's top prize according to Rivals

The Big Ten boasts 98 verbal commitments from Rivals300 players who represent the best of what the Class of 2026 has to offer.

There was originally 91, but the list has grown to 98.

Rivals released their initial rankings for the 2026 cycle on Monday.

The Big Ten is represented proportionately to how successful the programs have been in the past.

That would mean Northwestern is the only school without a top 300 player.

The University of Southern California, who checks in with the nation's No.

2 ranked class, leads the Big Ten with 17 commits.

Ohio State, Michigan and Oregon have also attained double-digit recruits from the list.

Rivals also announced that four Big Ten commits were ranked as five-star prospects on Monday.

The top 10 released by Rivals is clearly a "who's who" of high school football.

Each of these ten players should make an immediate contribution right off the bat.

The Maryland Terrapins have secured a verbal commitment from the gigantic edge rusher Zion Elee.

He is the No.

1 edge rusher in the country according to Rivals and is also listed as the No.

3 overall most talented recruit for the class.

Elee has been committed since Dec.

7, 2024 and he appears to be be pretty solid lock for College Park.

There was nothing but praise coming from the scouting director at Rivals , who wrote up his synopsis of Elee.

Electric speed rusher with an elite combination of athleticism and length off the edge.

Measured around 6-foot-3, 220 pounds prior to his junior season.

Has truly elite length, with arms that measure 35.5 inches," the report said.

"Pairs the rare length with top-shelf athleticism.

A standout in the combine setting who transfers the speed over to the field.

Plays with an eye-popping burst, dating back to his sophomore year at Joppatowne (Md.) High.

"Explodes into the backfield with high-end first-step quickness," the scout said.

"Transferred to Baltimore power St.

Frances Academy for his junior season and turned in a strong campaign, racking up 28 tackles for loss and 10 sacks against top competition." For those reasons and more, the scouts at Rivals have Elee as the most dominant edge rusher and the best recruit in the Big Ten.

"Has blow-by speed off the edge.

Play strength and ability to set the edge is solid but will need to continue improving," Rivals said.

"Rare athletic and physical traits combined with consecutive years of high-level production make him the top EDGE prospect in the 2026 cycle entering his senior season.

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