When you lose a talent like D’Angelo Russell, the pressure is on the coaching staff to fill the hole left by his absence. Unfortunately, that is much easier said than done.
But Thad Matta did manage to fill out an extremely impressive recruiting class, one that tops our Big Ten recruiting rankings.
1.) Ohio State Buckeyes
No one in the conference is bringing in a more versatile, deep, and talented class than the Buckeyes. Five four-star recruits, headlined by former five-star JaQuan Lyle, will give Thad Matta instant depth and versatility to replace last year’s top-heavy roster.
2.) Illinois Illini
John Groce needed a big class here, and he got just that, dipping into the top basketball factory in Chicago, one of the top prep schools in the country, and the JUCO ranks as well. If the Illini are going to become nationally relevant under his leadership, this class will be a big reason why.
3.) Michigan State Spartans
Sure, having Caleb Swanigan on board certainly would have been ideal, but it’s not like the Spartans aren’t bringing in talent next season. Deyonta Davis and Matt McQuaid are the headliners, and both should contribute immediately.
4.) Indiana Hoosiers
Landing five-star big man Thomas Bryant was a tremendous coup for Tom Crean, who needed a big man on next year’s roster. Juwan Morgan will provide quality depth at the PF spot, as well.
5.) Nebraska Cornhuskers
The Huskers will be bringing in one of the best classes they’ve had in recent memory, thanks to two four-star talents out of Illinois.
6.) Purdue Boilermakers
Caleb Swanigan was a must-get for Matt Painter once he decommitted from Sparty, and the Boilermakers are plenty happy that it worked out in their favor. Pair him with a couple of promising guard prospects, and Purdue seems to be back on track.
7.) Maryland Terrapins
The Terps didn’t have much room in this class, so making the most out of each scholarship was vital. Well, landing a top ten recruit does just that, and fans in College Park should enjoy watching Diamond Stone control the paint next season.
8.) Penn State Nittany Lions
While this 2015 class isn’t sure to put Penn State atop the Big Ten, it is certainly a step in the right direction for the program, and one that they can build on down the road. Mike Watkins and Josh Reaves, both four-star recruits, are the types of prospects that can provide an instant impact, while also showing tremendous potential over the course of a college career.
9.) Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers shouldn’t need to leave New Jersey to bring talent into the program, but I doubt anyone will be complaining that their top recruit, four-star PG Corey Sanders, is from Florida. Mix him in with the wings that they’re bringing in, and this could be a class that helps Rutgers gain some traction in their new conference.
10.) Wisconsin Badgers
Bo Ryan has another very Bo Ryan-esque class coming in next season, and it’s headlined by a local four-star recruit. Brevin Pritzl should give the Badgers a much needed boost at SG, while Alex Illikainen will continue UW’s legacy of skilled big men.
11.) Minnesota Golden Gophers
Kevin Dorsey has long been the gem of this class for head coach Richard Pitino, but securing the services of former VCU commit Jordan Murphy rounded out this class. UM is another school that must do better recruiting its home territory, though.
12.) Northwestern Wildcats
Signing Aaron Falzon was a major recruiting coup for a program looking to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance in the next few seasons.
13.) Iowa Hawkeyes
This is a huge class in numbers for the Hawkeyes, but no one that looks like an instant impact, season changing type of freshman.
14.) Michigan Wolverines
Michigan isn’t bringing in much for 2015, but expect their class ranking to be much higher in 2016, where they’re already off to a strong start.
