Talking season is coming to a close as football is right around the corner. With the fall rapidly approaching, the 2026 recruiting cycle is way ahead of schedule. Many of the nation’s top prospects have already announced their college decisions. The Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, an equally weighted formula that utilizes the three major […]
Talking season is coming to a close as football is right around the corner. With the fall rapidly approaching, the 2026 recruiting cycle is way ahead of schedule. Many of the nation’s top prospects have already announced their college decisions.
The Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings, an equally weighted formula that utilizes the three major recruiting services, have fluctuated all summer long as commitments come left and right. The Big 12 has been on the right side of some high-profile five-star recruitments to this point.
Three Big 12 programs are currently featured throughout the top 30 of the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. BYU continues to hold the top spot in the conference, though that’s far from safe heading into the fall.
Below are the top 2026 recruiting classes in the Big 12 to date, according to the Rivals Industry Team Recruiting Rankings:
1. BYU — 88.235
20 total commits
1 five-star | 3 four-stars | 16 three-stars
Top Commit: QB Ryder Lyons, No. 32 NATL. (No. 5 QB)
National Class Ranking: No. 24
Behind family ties and a strong push from head coach Kalani Sitake and Co., BYU won out for Lyons last month. Not enrolling until spring of 2027, the gunslinger will look to lead the Cougars down the road. For now, he’s a recruiting beacon in Provo, alongside top-100 TE commit Brock Harris, who joined the class in April. The blue-chip OL duo of Bott Mulitalo and Jax Tanner also sit at the top of the pledge list coming out of the summer.
2. Texas Tech — 87.956
19 total commits
1 five-stars | 2 four-star | 16 three-stars
Top Commit: OT Felix Ojo, No. 12 NATL. (No. 3 OT)
National Class Ranking: No. 26
The Red Raiders pulled off one of the biggest stunners of the cycle on the Fourth of July by beating Texas and Ohio State for Ojo. The elite trench monster has since shut down his recruitment and has now been joined by top in-state receiver Chase Campbell this month. Joey McGuire and the Texas Tech staff have made their presence felt on the trail in multiple ways. Of the 19 commits in the class, 16 hail from the Lone Star State.
3. Baylor — 87.933
16 total commits
0 five-stars | 4 four-stars | 12 three-stars
Top Commit: EDGE Jamarion Carlton, No. 62 NATL. (No. 11 EDGE)
National Class Ranking: No. 27
Dave Aranda and the Bears have made their fair share of splashes this summer, too. Beating Texas for Carlton, the No. 8 prospect in Texas, earlier this month headlines the big wins in Waco thus far. In-state cornerback Jamarion Vincent has seen his stock rise and is now also a top-100 prospect. Receiver Jordan Clay and interior offensive lineman Donel Robinson are the other blue-chippers in the class. Clay is the nation’s No. 24 wideout.
4. TCU — 87.652
19 total commits
0 five-stars | 3 four-star | 16 three-stars
Top Commit: EDGE Jesse Ford, No. 192 (No. 24 EDGE)
National Class Ranking: No. 31
Like many of the Power Four programs in Texas, TCU is leaning on in-state recruiting to flesh out its 2026 pledge list. All 20 of the commits in the class hail from the Lone Star State. Ford committed back in January and has only seen his stock rise since. He now checks in as the No. 27 player in Texas. Other top commits in the mix for the Horned Frogs include Rivals300 interior offensive lineman Vincent Johnson, safety Jason Bradford and safety Zachary Taylor.
5. Houston — 87.394
16 total commits
1 five-star | 2 four-stars | 13 three-stars
Top Commit: QB Keisean Henderson, No. 18 NATL. (No. 4 QB)
National Class Ranking: No. 39
Keeping Henderson, a Houston Legacy SSS product, home was priority No. 1 for head coach Willie Fritz as he looks to build Houston into a Big 12 contender. The elite signal-caller says his recruitment is shut down and he’s now looking to build the pledge list with other top in-state recruits. Top-200 receiver Jayden Warren and athlete Paris Melvin Jr. committed earlier this month and are now right behind Henderson at the top of the class. There’s still plenty of space in the class, but it looks like a massive step is being taken by the Cougars this cycle.
6. Kansas — 87.248
19 total commit
0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 17 three-stars
Top Commit: S James Dunnigan Jr., No. 133 NATL. (No. 12 S)
National Class Ranking: No. 41
Both of the blue-chippers in KU’s class check in from the Sunflower State. Dunnigan, a Kansas State legacy, spurned the Wildcats with a January pledge to the Jayhawks. Bruising four-star interior offensive lineman Kaden Snyder joined the class later that month. Both continue to look like the biggest additions to the class. Michigan running back Kory Amachree is Rivals’ No. 22 burner and he joined the fold at the end of May. The Jayhawks have done some good work on the Midwest recruiting trail this year.
7. Arizona State — 86.922
18 total commits
0 five-stars | 4 four-stars | 14 three-stars
Top Commit: QB Jake Fette, No. 79 NATL. (No. 7 QB)
National Class Ranking: No. 48
The Sun Devils have cooled down after a hot start to recruiting in the spring. However, many of the recruits who joined the fold earlier this year continue to see their rankings rise. Fette’s pledge came as a surprise last September, but he continues to look like a massive steal for head coach Kenny Dillingham and Co. Rivals300 tight end Hayden Vercher and edge rusher Julian Hugo help highlight the top of the class. Eight of the 10 highest-ranked commits in the class hail from Texas.
8. Oklahoma State — 86.820
15 total commits
0 five-stars | 2 four-stars | 13 three-stars
Top Commit: DL Danny Beale, No. 193 NATL. (No. 20 DL)
National Class Ranking: No. 49
Also paced by local recruiting, Oklahoma State has been fairly quiet this summer. Beale and fellow four-star defensive lineman Tajh Overton sit atop the class. Overton is the No. 2 player in Oklahoma and one of seven in-state commits for Mike Gundy. March brought an important commitment from in-state running back Kaydin Jones, as he chose the Cowboys over Oklahoma.
9. West Virginia — 86.728
25 total commits
0 five-stars | 2 four-star | 23 three-stars
Top Commit: ATH Jyron Hughley, No. 444 NATL. (No. 19 ATH)
National Class Ranking: No. 51
The return of Rich Rodriguez to Morgantown has brought plenty of intrigue. He and his staff are in line to sign a 2026 class that features prospects from a whopping 15 states. Hughley headlines as a do-it-all athlete from the Sunshine State. The WVU class is loaded in the secondary and also features a trio of running backs: Christopher Talley, Jett Walker and SirPaul Cheeks.
10. Arizona — 86.710
20 total commits
0 five-stars | 1 four-star | 19 three-stars
Top Commit: QB Oscar Rios, No. 179 NATL. (No. 13 QB)
National Class Ranking: No. 48
Arizona beat UCLA for Rios’ commitment last month, giving the Wildcats a marquee win this cycle. The rising gunslinger is a crucial piece to the puzzle as Brent Brennan and the new staff in Tucson march on. Rios is surrounded by mostly West Coast talent, including edge rusher Prince Williams, athlete Brandon Smith, interior offensive lineman Malachi Joyner and athlete Henry Gabalis.
11. Iowa State — 86.628
12. Kansas State — 86.509
13. Utah — 86.424
14. UCF — 85.354
15. Colorado — 85.061
16. Cincinnati — 84.982
Category: General Sports
