2017 Recruiting: Five teams eyeing big years

In the class of 2017, the highest ranked player to have made an early commitment is Auburn-bound five-star big man Austin Wiley, who checks in at No. 18 overall.

In total, only 24 players in the 2017 Rivals150 have made early decisions. With so few prospects off the board, it’s too early to really rank the recruiting classes. However, we would like to take a look at five programs that are either off to a great start or have something special brewing.

Who they have: Austin Wiley, PF, Birmingham (Ala.) Spain Park (No. 18); Davion Mitchell, PG, Hinesville (Ga.) Liberty County (No. 34).

Who are they targeting?: One of the biggest reasons for hiring Bruce Pearl at Auburn was to become a recruiting force and turn the Tigers' fortunes in the SEC. In 2017, they already have the highest ranked duo in Wiley and Mitchell. While Wiley is a big, athletic interior player who can score and rebound, Mitchell is an electric athlete at the point who could ultimately push for five-star status himself.

The Tigers aren’t satisfied and are looking to key in on a Southeast region that is loaded with talent. Five-stars like big man Ikey Obiagu (No. 20) and scorer M.J. Walker (No. 22) are in the mix. Also in play for the Tigers are four-star forwards like Alex Reese (No. 51), Chuma Okeke (No. 62), Rayshaun Hammonds (No. 69) and fast rising four-star combo guard Collin Sexton (No. 59). Adding any one or two of those guys could quickly turn an already good class great.

Who they have: Mitchell Ballock, SG, Eudora (Kans.) High (No. 38); Ty-Shon Alexander, SG, Mouth of Wilson (Va.) Oak Hill (No. 89).

Who are they targeting?: Regardless of who else they land, Creighton has already accomplished something that they’ve never done in the Rivals era by landing two four-star prospects. They stole a playmaking shooter with size away from Kansas in Ballock and pulled the confident and smooth scoring Alexander out of a prep power in Oak Hill.

Because they have two high level players committed, the Jays can afford to swing for the fences from here on out. Among those that they have targeted are five-star shooting guard Hamidou Diallo (No. 10), five-star small forward Brian Bowen (No. 14), four-star point guard Tremont Waters (No. 47), four-star small forward Christian David (No. 77), four-star wing Jordan Goodwin (No. 87) and potential sleeper big man Hunter Thompson from Wyoming. If they can land even one of those guys, we are talking about a historically good recruiting class in Omaha.

Who they have: No early commitments

Who are they targeting?: The defending National Champions haven’t yet landed anybody from the class of 2017, but there’s no doubting that they will end up with their share of talent.

This weekend, the nation’s No. 7 player, Kevin Knox, will be making his second visit in the past month or so and the versatile wing -- who will also check out North Carolina for a second time -- could be getting very close to making a decision. In addition to Knox, the Blue Devils are considered to be in excellent shape with big men Mohamed Bamba and Wendell Carter, who rank No. 3 and No. 4 overall. Other five-stars that Duke has been linked to include wings Gary Trent (No. 15) and D.J. Harvey (No. 24), but keep an eye on smooth scoring wing Brian Bowen (No. 14). It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him move up their radar in the near future.

Who they have: No early commitments

Who are they targeting?: While the Jayhawks are spending a lot of time making sure that they finish 2016 -- where they are still involved with the nation’s top player Josh Jackson and other five-stars like Terrance Ferguson and Thon Maker – they have been building momentum in 2017.

2017’s No. 1 player, Deandre Ayton, has listed the Jayhawks among his top three programs and the seven-footer has listed Kansas when asked who has recruited him the hardest. In addition to establishing good early position with Ayton, they are in deep with the potential package duo of No. 2 overall Michael Porter and No. 13 Trae Young, the second-highest ranked point guard in the class. Five-star forward Jarred Vanderbilt (No. 11) is another that they’ve spent a lot of early time with and they recently offered fast-rising four-star point guard Marcus Garrett (No. 61).

Who they have: Jaylen Hands, PG, San Diego (Calif.) Balboa (No. 21), Jalen Hill, PF, Corona (Calif.) Centennial (No. 49) and LiAngelo Ball, SG, Chino Hills (Calif.) High (NR 3-star).

Who are they targeting?: As they have done for the past few years, the Bruins are loading up on local talent. Hands is a slick point guard who can be an explosive scorer while Hill is an athletic rebounding machine who can really run the floor and Ball is an unabashed gunner from deep.

Four-star combo forward Cody Riley (No. 26) has publicly named the Bruins a leader, and wrapping him up would give them quite the impressive trio. Also heavily considering the Bruins are five-star forward P.J. Washington (No. 23), who visited Westwood this week, and players like five-star guards Troy Brown (No. 8) and Gary Trent (No. 15), five-star center Brandon McCoy (No. 9) and four-star wing Charles O’Bannon Jr. (No. 27).