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The recruiting experts have their ratings and ranks, but that only measures talent and potential. These 25 Big Ten recruits not only have talent, but opportunity to play, assistants who can coach them up and the ability to make at least a two-year impact at their schools. The World-Herald selected at least one recruit from each school (in alphabetical order).

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• Austin Appleby, 6-5/230, quarterback, Purdue: A sleeper in ESPN's Nike Elite 11 TV show this summer — he nearly brought Trent Dilfer to tears! — could be a three-year starter.

• Dami Ayoola, 5-10/200, running back, Illinois: From Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas — annually one of the nation's top programs — Ayoola has good shake and bake.

• Vince Biegel, 6-3/210, linebacker, Wisconsin: He tallied 175 tackles and 17 sacks in 2011. He can run laterally, cover, rush and stuff the run. He's the top Big Ten linebacker recruit.

• Joe Bolden, 6-3/220, linebacker, Michigan: Athletic blow-up artist who can cover and rush better than he sits in a hole. For now, he's a good LB vs. spread teams.

• Riley Bullough, 6-2/220, linebacker, Michigan State: Legacy kid — his older brother Max starts for the Spartans — who fits the Big Ten linebacker mold perfectly.

• Aaron Burbridge, 6-2/180, receiver, Michigan State: Fast. The Spartans continue a tradition of finding solid receiver recruits.

• Brionte Dunn, 6-2/218, running back, Ohio State: Biggun. The ideal “dive back” in Urban Meyer's spread option three-card monte.

• Maurice Fleming, 6-1/185, cornerback, Iowa: Could play early in the Hawkeyes' secondary. Watch him as a Wildcat quarterback, too.

• Greg Garmon, 6-1/200, running back, Iowa: The Hawkeyes know how to find quality running backs and develop them. Keeping them? Not so much.

• Bart Houston, 6-3/200, quarterback, Wisconsin: One bad game soured recruitniks. Nonsense. He's the top QB recruit in the Big Ten, winning three straight state titles in California.

• Kyle Kalis, 6-5/300, offensive lineman, Michigan: The expectation will be for Kalis to play the tackle spot, but he's really an All-American guard in the making.

• Nick Mangieri, 6-5/245, linebacker, Indiana: The younger brother of Nebraska long-snapper P.J. Mangieri carries his frame well and could play tight end, too.

• Ifeadi Odenigbo, 6-3/212, linebacker, Northwestern: Still raw — he hasn't played football for long — but Odenigbo is the best Northwestern recruit in years.

• Ondre Pipkins, 6-3/305, defensive tackle, Michigan: The Kansas City-area prospect was offered by Alabama, Florida and Oklahoma — but not Nebraska?

• Jonah Pirsig, 6-9/285, offensive tackle, Minnesota: If he's as good as he is big, the Gophers have the blind side covered for a while.

• Jamil Pollard, 6-4/270, defensive tackle, Penn State: He'll get to 300 pounds quickly. Pushes like a tank on the offensive and defensive lines.,

• Terry Richardson, 5-9/165, cornerback, Michigan: Recruiting services are a bit split on this guy, but there's a reason Alabama, LSU and USC offered. He's explosive and a playmaker.

• Michael Rose, 6-0/225, linebacker, Nebraska: His instincts, toughness and passion for the game stand out. And Rose wants to lead his teammates, too.

• Noah Spence, 6-3/235, defensive end, Ohio State: The nation's top rush end, Spence finished with 35 sacks over the last two years and calls to mind South Carolina's Melvin Ingram.

• Vincent Valentine, 6-4/313, defensive tackle, Nebraska: A big-bodied defensive tackle who was coveted by Florida of the D-linemen-rich SEC. Good sign for the Huskers.

• Dan Voltz, 6-4/285, offensive lineman, Wisconsin: When it comes to big boys in the trenches, Bucky got it done. Voltz is among UW's better offensive linemen recruits.

• Adolphus Washington, 6-5/245, defensive end, Ohio State: Big enough to play tackle if the Buckeyes so desire and nimble enough to switch to tight end. Great basketball player, too.

• Ryan Watson, 6-3/275, defensive line, Purdue: Purdue has a recent history of good DLs — Ryan Kerrigan, Kawann Short — and Watson is a diverse one from Maryland.

• Jordan Westerkamp, 6-1/190, receiver, Nebraska: One of the most accomplished receivers in Illinois state history is coming to NU? Yep. Big get for the Huskers.

• Brent Wilkerson, 6-4/245, tight end/defensive end, Penn State: He's a rising prospect. New coach Bill O'Brien knew how to use tight ends as the New England Patriots' offensive coordinator.

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