Recently, the SEC has gained a reputation of being one of, if not the, most top-heavy conferences in college basketball. Programs like Florida and Kentucky have dominated under the leadership of their head coaches, while others seem to be playing for third, at best.
The only way to change such a reputation is to bring in recruiting classes that change the face of a program. However, it’s not like the conference leaders are slacking off in that department, so the competition will always be fierce to see who brings in the top class.
In 2015, the best recruiting class in the conference was as predictable as ever.
1.) Kentucky Wildcats
John Calipari may not be bringing in the same kind of class in 2015 that he has recently, but that’s not to say that next season’s freshmen won’t be stepping in right away to contribute. Landing Skal Labissiere, arguably the top prospect in the country, continued UK’s run of elite big men, but it might be Isaiah Briscoe, the five-star point guard, that fills the most pressing need for next year: reliable depth at the guard spots.
2.) LSU Tigers
If Labissiere isn’t the best recruit in the country, then Ben Simmons is, and Simmons will be in Baton Rouge next fall. Pair him with Antonio Blakeney, and the Tigers have one of the nation’s top five recruiting classes overall. Adding Brandon Sampson in the spring period was a huge pick up as well.
3.) Texas A&M
The Aggies are bringing in a quartet of Texas four-star prospects, all of whom will help A&M do what they failed to do a year ago, reach the NCAA Tournament. With D.J. Hogg, Tyler Davis, and Elijah Thomas on hand, they could have the best frontcourt in the SEC.
4.) Auburn Tigers
Bruce Pearl continues to build momentum at Auburn, and his 2015 class should be the cornerstone of what he’s trying to accomplish in the SEC. Horace Spencer, Danjiel Purifoy, and T.J. Dunans are the headliners, but don’t be surprised if New Williams, from Southern California, makes a name for himself in the SEC, thanks to his explosive athleticism.
5.) Mississippi State Bulldogs
First year head coach Ben Howland might have the most complete scoring package in the conference next year with five-star recruit Malik Newman. Pair him alongside two other local four-star prospects, and things are heating up in Starkvegas.
6.) Florida Gators
Though they did lose one piece of their impressive recruiting haul once Billy Donovan left for the NBA, the Gators are still bringing in three four-star prospects, headlined by Arkansas product KeVaughn Allen, an explosive and skilled shooting guard.
7.) Arkansas Razorbacks
Four-stars Ted Kapita and Jimmy Whitt should give Mike Anderson a quality inside-out duo, and that’s especially needed with the losses that the Razorbacks have suffered this offseason. Arkansas struggled with consistency at PG last season, and may rely heavily on Whitt to right that ship.
8.) South Carolina Gamecocks
They may not be a recruiting power, but the Gamecocks got just what they needed in Perry Dozier, an elite-level shooting guard and local product. The rest of the class, especially Chris Silva, will help add quality depth to a roster that had some nice moments last season.
9.) Missouri Tigers
This is a big class, but lacks any real star power. Terrance Mitchell, a three-star point guard from Oak Hill, has the biggest upside of the six new Tigers.
10.) Vanderbilt Commodores
Another depth class for Vandy, but it is missing the instant impact, all-conference potential that we’ve seen from past classes. Joseph Toye should have a nice career in Nashville.
11.) Georgia Bulldogs
There’s really no excuse for UGA to strike out on high-level prospects coming out of Atlanta, but it seems like they have again. William Jackson is a local prospect from the Athens area that does flash some nice potential, though.
12.) Ole Miss Rebels
Andy Kennedy has done well with player development with the absence of any real stars coming out of high school, and his 2015 class is another nod towards that approach.
13.) Tennessee Volunteers
No one should be surprised that UT had difficulty recruiting with the pressure on their former head coach, but they did manage to land Ray Kosongo, a former four-star prospect.
14.) Alabama Crimson Tide
Avery Johnson has his work cut out for him, as the Tide’s recruiting has plummeted in recent seasons.
