ESPNU will have 11 hours of coverage on national signing day (Feb. 4), with analysis and live commitments from some of the top prospects in the country. A few of those recruits are considering Big Ten teams, and there are some big questions going into signing day.
For team-by-team coverage of the Big Ten, check out the conference’s recruiting pages:
Programming schedule:
Signing Day Special (8 a.m. ET- 5 p.m. ET): ESPNU or Watch ESPN
Here is a look at a few items to watch when all the action happens on the big day.
One storyline to watch: Michigan is currently sitting at nine commitments and is hoping to close out strong. The Wolverines are being considered by three prospects announcing on ESPNU: defensive back Iman Marshall, tight end Chris Clark and linebacker Roquan Smith.
There are a few other targets still out there, including Jarius Adams, a Rutgers commit. This class won’t make or break Michigan, but how the program closes could be impactful in the near future.
If the coaches can land one of the big three announcing on ESPNU, it would be a huge deal for the program. Marshall could be an immediate, impact-type prospect, and Clark would be a huge addition to the offense. Either of these would boost the depth and competition level on the roster and would be a huge positive for Michigan heading into spring ball.
One recruit to watch: Torrance Gibson is currently committed to Ohio State but has been listening to overtures from Auburn, LSU and Miami. Other than a few tweets, the five-star prospect hasn’t been talking much about his commitment.
Gibson hosted coaches from Auburn, LSU and Ohio State on in-home visits, and now fans are waiting to see what he does. The opportunity to play quarterback is there at all the schools. Auburn might have the best opportunity for early playing time and be the best fit for Gibson.
He is still committed to the Buckeyes, however, and could very well stay that way. His decision hasn’t gone public yet, so this is definitely something to watch as we head into signing day.
One signing day surprise: It might not be too much of a surprise at this point, but it looks as though Ohio State will close strong. Wide receiver K.J. Hill and defensive back Damon Arnette could very well choose the Buckeyes.
It’s tough to put the Buckeyes in this category because Ohio State fans aren’t surprised by Urban Meyer's closing strong this late in the process, but besides Ohio State, Michigan and potentially Maryland, there might not be too many big surprises for the Big Ten.
The Terps have a chance to surprise, though, if they can pull in defensive lineman Austrian Robinson and ESPN 300 offensive lineman Isaiah Prince. It would be a big close for coach Randy Edsall and his staff, who have some positive momentum.
Running back Mike Weber could be on this list as well, if he doesn't announce anything until signing day. Weber is currently committed to Ohio State, but he has been listening to Michigan recently. He has kept quiet about his final decision, so there is still some intrigue with him.