More and more, highly rated high school prospects are making their college decisions based on the relationships they’ve formed with various coaching staffs, as opposed to focusing on what conference a school may compete in.
Now that we’ve gone through and ranked the top recruiting classes in the top conferences, it’s time to take a look at the Best of the Rest, recruiting classes that are highly rated but not apart of those conferences.
1.) UNLV
Dave Rice and company scored a huge pick up by landing local phenom Stephen Zimmerman, a five-star center that had picked the Rebels over the likes of Kentucky, UCLA, and others. Alongside him, Rice inked high flying Derrick Jones, a four-star small forward from outside of Philadelphia. This is the kind of class we’ve come to expect from this staff, but they’ll need to turn it into wins, fast.
2.) Memphis
Another program not in a major conference that we’ve come to expect big things from on the recruiting trail, and 2015 was no different. Josh Pastner inked three four-star prospects, including Dedric Lawson and K.J. Lawson, two players that should anchor their wings for the next few years.
3.) UConn
Okay, this one might be a bit unfair, but the reality is that UConn is no longer in the Big East, and thus, no longer apart of a major conference. However, they’re still one of the best programs in the country, without a doubt, and their recruiting shows that. Five-star point guards Jalen Adams is one of the most explosive guards out east, and Steve Enoch will give Kevin Ollie quality minutes underneath with his ability to affect the game in various ways without the ball.
4.) SMU
Shake Milton, a four-star shooting guard, is definitely the gem of this class for Larry Brown, but watch out for Sedrick Barefield as well, a former four-star point guard from Southern California. The Mustangs aren’t in need of immediate help at PG, meaning that Barefield will have time to develop behind potential All-American, Nic Moore.
5.) San Diego State
Steve Fisher continues to stack talent on The Mesa, this time bringing in four-star shooting guard Jeremy Hemsley and Top 150 big man Brodricks Jones, both of whom will also have time to develop behind an experienced group at SDSU next season.
