Elite 5-star EDGE Ranked No. 1 Big Ten Commit in 2027 Class

Ohio State coach Ryan Day is making waves with a big 2027 class, including the Big Ten's top ranked commitment so far. Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Elite 5-star EDGE Ranked No. 1 Big Ten Commit in 2027 Class

Originally posted on CFB-HQ on SI | By Joe Cox | Last updated May 10, 2026 9:49 PM ET

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With three consecutive CFP titles in their back pocket, the Big Ten is obviously getting plenty of great players. That arms race for top talent certainly includes freshman recruiting. The Buckeyes are assembling another top class and despite a recent reshuffling of recruiting rankings and Oregon picking off the class's top QB recruit, Ohio State still has the biggest of pick-ups so far in the B1G's 2027 recruiting war.

The Big Ten's Biggest Incoming Star

Ohio State holds a commitment from five-star edge David Jacobs, currently ranked No. 12 nationally in Rivals' internatl 2027 rankings. The recruiting service definitely sees a close race to top the Big Ten, as recent Oregon commit (and top national QB recruit) Will Mencl comes in at No. 13 nationally, just behind Jacobs. Three of the current 18 five-star Rivals recruits are committed to the Big Ten, with USC EDGE commit Mekai Brown currently ranked No. 17 nationally.

Jacobs, who hails from Georgia, was a significant pick-up for the Buckeyes. At 6'5" and around 235 pounds, he has explosive pass rushing skills and a maturing body that should handle more weight well at the collegiate level. Jacobs committed to the Buckeyes in the final days of 2025 and has only firmed up his commitment since then. He took a late March unofficial visit to Columbus.

Top Big Ten commits in the 2027 Rivals300‼️

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— Rivals (@Rivals) May 6, 2026

Ohio State's 2027 Class

Ohio State has 11 commitments at the moment, with top wide receiver Jamier Brown the most likely to end up joining Jacobs as a five-star recruit (Jacobs has a fifth star in Rivals' industry rankings, which also place Jacobs as the No. 4 recruit in the nation). While Rivals' Industry rankings have Ohio State sixth nationally in recruiting, the Buckeyes are currently behind USC in those team rankings.

Top Uncommitted Stars (and top teams in '27 recruiting)

The Buckeyes-- and the Big Ten at large-- are unlikely to add any higher ranked recruits. While six of Rivals' top ten players in the national class are still uncommitted, only one, WR Monshun Sales, has Ohio State among the top two teams for his services, per Rivals' expert picks. The Buckeyes are perceived as a distant second to Alabama in that particular recruitment.

Among the programs doing particularly well at the top of the recruiting class are Oklahoma, with two top 15 players nationally already committed, and Texas A&M, currently projected as a favorite to nab three of the top 10 players and a close second in the race for No. 2 national recruit John Meredith. Of course, the Aggies haven't yet gotten commitments from any of these top targets, while Ohio State certainly has one top player in line to build on in 2027.