ESPN College Football

Two more Big Ten teams have produced their depth charts for Week 1. Let's take a look at Illinois' depth chart for the opener against Arkansas State, and Minnesota's depth chart for its opener at USC.

ILLINOIS

Depth chart (Page 10)

• As expected, redshirt freshman Michael Heitz has earned the starting strong-side offensive tackle spot. Scott McDowell and Simon Cvijanovic will serve as backups at tackle.
• Sophomore receiver Darius Millines earned a starting spot with a very strong performance in preseason camp. Classmate Spencer Harris also is listed as a starter at receiver alongside veteran A.J. Jenkins. Ryan Lankford, who had a strong spring, is listed as a backup to Jenkins.
• Senior Jason Ford is the No. 1 running back, while three players -- senior Troy Pollard and true freshmen Donovonn Young and Josh Ferguson -- are listed as co-backups. Don't be surprised if Young gets significant playing time behind Ford.
• Interesting to see Justin Green and Terry Hawthorne listed as co-starters at cornerback opposite senior Tavon Wilson. Hawthorne has been pretty impressive when healthy, but Green is right there in the mix.
• After starting last season at safety, Trulon Henry is listed as the starting strong-side linebacker. Sophomore Jonathan Brown enters the season as the top weak-side linebacker ahead of redshirt freshman Houston Bates.
• Sophomore Miles Osei and freshman Reilly O'Toole are listed as co-backups at quarterback behind Nathan Scheelhaase.
• No major surprises on the starting defensive line, as senior Craig Wilson steps into the tackle spot vacated by first-round draft pick Corey Liuget.
• Hawthorne is the team's No. 1 punt returner, while Pollard and Millines are the top two men on kickoff returns.
• Illinois has a good number of true freshmen and redshirt freshmen on the depth chart, including tight end Jon Davis, and defensive tackles Austin Teitsma and Jake Howe.

MINNESOTA

Depth chart (Page 22)

• Junior college transfer Malcolm Moulton has made quite an impression. Moulton is listed as the starter at two receiver positions (the "Z" and "V"); freshman Marcus Jones is the backup at both spots. Senior Collin McGarry is listed as another starting receiver alongside All-Big Ten candidate Da'Jon McKnight.
• Ryan Wynn and Zach Mottla are listed as co-starters at center, the result of Wynn battling a sprained ankle during preseason camp.
• Although Minnesota's interior offensive line might feature three senior starters, the top tackles are a sophomore (Ed Olson) and a redshirt freshman (Jimmy Gjere). Two other freshmen, Sean Ferguson and Foster Bush, are listed as Gjere's backups.
• The depth chart includes another redshirt freshman starter in defensive end Ben Perry. Minnesota is very young along the D-line, as tackles Anthony Jacobs and Brandon Kirksey are the only seniors listed among the top three players at each position.
• Freshman quarterback Max Shortell has won the backup job behind MarQueis Gray.
• Not many surprises among the linebackers, although Florida transfer Brendan Beal is just a co-backup with junior Ryan Grant at middle linebacker.
• Eric Lair, who stood out at tight end for Minnesota in 2010, is listed as the team's starting H-back/fullback.
• Sophomore Brock Vereen appears as the team's No. 1 cornerback opposite senior Troy Stoudermire. Shady Salamon and Kim Royston are the starting safeties.
• Not surprisingly, freshmen and redshirt freshmen fill coach Jerry Kill's Week 1 depth chart. Quite a few young players will get their college football baptism Saturday afternoon at the L.A. Coliseum.

The 2010 classes are filling up around the Big Ten. Here are a few items from ESPN's Scouts Inc.

Penn State chasing SEC schools for DT

Defensive tackle Michael Thornton (Stone Mountain, Ga./Stephenson) made an official visit to Penn State the weekend of Nov. 7. Penn State remains one of a handful of schools in the running for Thornton, though it is going to take a catch-up effort by Joe Paterno if he is going to land the star defender.

"He has a few schools he is still considering, but the two that have always been there are Georgia and Auburn," Stephenson linebackers coach Corey Johnson said. "He took a visit to Penn State, but I'm not sure to what degree they stand with him right now."

Schools still in the equation are Georgia, Auburn, Penn State, South Carolina and Michigan, though there is a chance another school or two could emerge.

Wolverines land three-star Maryland linebacker Josh Furman

Old Mill (Millersville , Md.) outside linebacker Josh Furman has announced for Michigan over Virginia Tech. The 6-foot-3, 194-pound prospect is expected to play safety/linebacker for the Wolverines.

"I was thinking real hard about the playing time, academics and the atmosphere and that was everything I wanted to be in, so that's why I chose Michigan," Furman told the Detroit Free Press.

Among other schools were Illinois, Maryland, Oklahoma, Miami-Florida, North Carolina, Purdue and West Virginia.

He rushed for 2,200 yards and 31 touchdowns while also racking up 50 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions as a senior.

Furman is Michigan's 24th commitment in the Class of 2010.

Rockhurst defensive back Dexter McDonald dumps Illini for Missouri

A three-star 6-foot-2, 190-pound cornerback, Dexter McDonald of Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.) has pledged to sign with the Tigers' recruiting class of 2010 after decommitting from Illinois. McDonald holds other offers from Kansas and Iowa State.

ESPN's Bill Conley added, "Talented defensive back Dexter McDonald ended his love affair with Illinois and switched to Missouri. The Tigers are putting together and excellent group of skilled athletes in a class that is nearly maxed out. It will be interesting to see if this commitment stays solid since it is only his second official visit and there is six weeks to go till signing day."

Illini land Jacksonville receiver Ryan Lankford for 2010

Ryan Lankford, a 5-foot-11, 160-pound wideout from Paxon School (Jacksonville, Fla.), has accepted an offer from Illinois.

Among his other class of 2010 offers were Louisville, Central Florida, Connecticut, Tulane, Central Michigan and Florida Atlantic.

Lankford posted an electronically timed 4.48 40-yard dash, 4.42 20-yard shuttle and 33-inch vertical at the Miami Nike Combine.

His father, Paul, was a long-time defensive back for the NFL Miami Dolphins.

Hun School product Sean Ferguson to the Gophers

Minnesota has beefed up its defensive line with a class of 2010 commitment from 6-foot-6, 305-pound Sean Ferguson of The Hun School (Princeton, N.J.).

Ferguson was also offered by Kent State.