by Alex Schwartz

The Big Ten is in its first year as a a 12-team conference and the crop of freshmen in the conference were ranked No. 5 coming out of high school. Right now, the Big Ten is at No. 4 when it comes to the conference rankings for the 2012 recruiting class.

Only four members of the Big Ten are ranked in the Team Recruiting Rankings, though another one is listed as an Honorable Mention. The Big 12 took the No. 3 spot over the Big Ten due to having much more top-tier talent, but it was not by all that wide of a margin. The ACC at No. 1 and the Big East at No. 2 were much more clear cut.

Amongst BCS conferences, the Big Ten is tied for last in number of top 10 and top 25 prospects from the Northstar Basketball Post-July 2012 Top 150. However, the the conference is in the top half when it comes to how many top 100 and top 150 players are on their way to member programs.

Below is a look at how the dozen teams in the Big Ten Conference are looking in terms of their 2012 recruiting hauls with the early signing period well in the rear view mirror.

BIG 12 RECRUITING BREAKDOWN
*Asterisk indicates that player is a junior college transfer and not eligible to be ranked
^Carrot indicates player is verbally committed, but has not signed NLI
HM = Honorable Mention, NR = Not Ranked

Number of Top 30 Classes: 4 (plus 1 HM)
Class with the Most Commits: Iowa, Indiana and Nebraska with 5 each
Class with the Most Ranked Commits: Indiana with 4

Top Ranked Player: Mitch McGary, Michigan
Best Unranked Player: Ron Patterson, Indiana
Top Ranked Point Guard: Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, Indiana
Top Ranked Shooting Guard: Gary Harris, Michigan State
Top Ranked Small Forward: Sam Dekker, Wisconsin
Top Ranked Power Forward: Mitch McGary, Michigan
Top Ranked Center: Adam Woodbury, Iowa

Number of Top 10 Players: 1
Number of Top 25 Players: 2
Number of Top 50 Players: 4
Number of Top 100 Players: 13
Number of Top 150 Players: 17

CLASS RANKINGS
Rank. School (National Rank)
Player, Position, Height, High School (State), Rank

1. Indiana (8th)
Hanner Perea, PF, 6'8, La Lumiere (IN), #39
Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell, PG, 5'10, Park Tudor School (IN), #43
Jeremy Hollowell, SF, 6'7, Lawrence Central (IN), #66
Peter Jurkin, C, 7'0, United Faith Christian Academy (NC), #92
Ron Patterson, SG, 6'3, Broad Ripple (IN), NR

2. Michigan (11th)
Mitch McGary, PF, 6'10, Brewster Academy (NH), #3
Nick Stauskas, SG, 6'5, St. Mark's (MA), #82
Glenn Robinson III, SF, 6'6, Lake Central (IN), #136

3. Michigan State (19th)
Gary Harris, SG, 6'4, Hamilton Southeastern (IN), #20
Matt Costello, PF, 6'9, Bay City Western (MI), #77
Denzel Valentine, SF, 6'5, Sexton (MI), #145
Kenny Kaminski, PF, 6'7, Medina (OH), NR

4. Iowa (20th)
Adam Woodbury, C, 7'0, Sioux City East (IA), #52
Mike Gesell, PG, 6'1, South Sioux City (NE), #58
Patrick Ingram, SG, 6'3, North Central (IN), NR
Kyle Meyer, C, 6'9, Northview (GA), NR
Anthony Clemmons, PG, 6'1, Sexton (MI), NR

5. Purdue (HM)
Ronnie Johnson, PG, 6'0, North Central (IN), #86
AJ Hammons, C, 6'11, Oak Hill Academy (VA), #100
Jay Simpson, C, 6'9, La Lumiere (IN), #133
Raphael Davis, SF, 6'5, La Lumiere (IN), NR

6. Wisconsin (NR)
Sam Dekker, SF, 6'7, Sheboygan Lutheran (WI), #60

7. Penn State (NR)
Brandon Taylor, PF, 6'7, Trenton Catholic (NJ), #137
^Akosa Maduegbunam, SG, 6'3, Winchendon (MA), NR

8. Nebraska (NR)
*Keith Coleman, PF, 6'9, Marshalltown CC (IA)
*Jerran Young, SF, 6'5, McLennan CC (TX)
Shavon Shields, SG, 6'4, Olathe Northwest (KS), NR
Benny Parker, PG, 5'9, Sumner Academy (KS), NR
*Fahro Alihodzic, PF, 6'9, Southeastern CC (IA)

9. Northwestern (NR)
Kale Abrahamson, SF, 6'7, West Des Moines Valley (IA), NR
^Alex Olah, C, 6'11, Traders Point Christian (IN), NR
Sanjay Lumpkin,SG, 6'6, Benilde-St. Margaret's (MN), NR

10. Minnesota (NR)
Wally Ellenson, SG, 6'5, Rice Lake (WI), NR
Charles Buggs, PF, 6'7, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), NR

11. Illinois (NR)
Michael Orris, PG, 6'2, Crete-Monee (IL), NR

12. Ohio State (NR)
No commits

Note- photo is of Indiana head coach Tom Crean and is from http://iuhoosiers.cstv.com/