5 high school players who could be lethal for Big Ten coaches in class of 2026

By Viraj Mali

Modified Aug 05, 2024 18:39 GMT

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Top college programs in the country have shown serious interest in the class of 2026. The class is headlined by 5 five-star recruits Lamar Brown, Jackson Cantwell, Ryder Lyons, Immanuel Iheanacho, and Zion Elee.

Some of the best Big Ten colleges such as Ohio State, Oregon, and Penn State have extended offers to the talented athletes from the class. So let's look at five such 2026 recruits who can be a part of the Big Ten conference in the future.

Five high school players the Big Ten coaches can target

#5 Lamar Brown

Lamar Brown, the four-star recruit from University Lab High School, is one of the best high school players from the class of 2026. The interior offensive lineman is a force on both sides of the ball as he was the MaxPreps sophomore and freshman All-American.

The 6 foot 4 lineman is ranked no.5 nationally and is the best player at his position from the class of 2026, as per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the second-best overall prospect from the state of Louisiana.

Brown currently holds 23 offers from schools such as LSU, Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, and Auburn among others. The four-star recruit included the Big Ten schools USC and Michigan in his list of top-12 schools.

#4 Ryder Lyons

Another 2026 recruit that the Big Ten teams can target is a four-star quarterback from Folsom High School, Ryder Lyons. The 6 foot 4 athlete has generated a lot of interest from some of the best programs in the country as he holds offers from schools such as USC, Texas A&M, Florida State, Ole Miss, Utah, and Washington.

Lyons is ranked no.12 nationally and is the third-best quarterback from the class of 2026, as per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the second-best overall prospect from the state of California.

Lincoln Riley's USC is the frontrunner to acquire the talented, dual-threat quarterback. USC already had a similar athlete at QB last season, as Caleb Williams' elite performance led to a no.1 overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. Riley and company will hope to sign Lyons and make a run at the national championship.

#3 Immanuel Iheanacho

Five-star offensive tackle, Immanuel Iheanacho is one of the best high school prospects in the country. The 6-foot-6.5, dual-sport athlete from Georgetown Preparatory School is a dominant force on the football field as well as the basketball court. In 2023, he was the only freshman to be named to the first team in the state.

Iheanacho is ranked no.3 nationally and is the second-best offensive tackle in the country, as per On3 Industry rankings. He is also the best overall recruit from his home state of Maryland.

The five-star recruit currently holds 25 Division I offers from schools such as Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, Auburn, and Virginia Tech. The Nittany Lions are the frontrunners to acquire the talented lineman as they have a 26.2% chance of landing the coveted prospect, as per On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

#2 Jackson Cantwell

Jackson Cantwell is a five-star recruit from the class of 2026. The 6-foot-7.5 offensive tackle is nicknamed "Mr. Olympics" as he is the son of former Olympians, Christian Cantwell and Teri Steer-Cantwell. Apart from being a high-class lineman, Jackson is also a great shotput athlete.

The five-star recruit is ranked no.2 nationally and is the best offensive lineman in the country from the class of 2026, as per On3. He is also the best overall prospect from his home state of Missouri.

Cantwell currently sits on more than 30 offers from some of the best schools in the country. He has trimmed his list down to 14 schools which include Big Ten programs such as Michigan, Oregon, Ohio State, USC, and Nebraska.

#1 Zion Elee

Zion Elee is a five-star recruit from Saint Frances Academy and is targeted by Big Ten schools. Elee earned Class 1A all-state honors in 2023, and is a dominant force in the high school circuit.

The 6-foot-3 edge rusher is the 6th-best overall prospect in the nation and is the best player at his position, as per On3 Industry Rankings. He is also the second-best prospect from the state of Maryland.

Elee has received 30 scholarship offers from some of the best programs in the country. However, the five-star recruit has narrowed his options down to five schools. These schools include Big Ten teams such as Penn State, Oregon, and Ohio State. The Nittany Lions are the current leaders in landing the coveted recruit, as per On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.