Early Signing Period: Biggest team storylines
The first day of the Early Signing Period has come and gone, making this a perfect time to take a look around at some notable classes. Below, Rivals examines some top classes, some surprises and a couple of hauls that could get even better in the near future.
*****
More: Colorado lands four-star F Cody Williams
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 40
Transfer Portal: Latest news
*****
TOP CLASS: Duke
The recruiting run Jon Scheyer is on is unheard of for a first-year head coach. After landing the nation’s top haul before ever coaching a game in the big chair a year ago, Scheyer once again occupies the top spot in the recruiting rankings. This time around, his class is headlined by No. 5 overall prospect Mackenzie Mgbako and includes five five-star prospects. Guards Jared McCain and Caleb Foster complement a frontcourt haul that includes Mgbako in addition to T.J. Power and Sean Stewart, both of whom had tremendous summers and boast encouraging trajectories. The depth of talent Scheyer has built before he’s worked three games as a head coach is astounding, and the momentum he has built has shown zero signs of fading. Power, Foster and McCain all signed on Wednesday. Mgbako and Power are expected to sign this week.
*****
IN STRIKING DISTANCE: Kentucky
There’s not much separating the top two classes in the country, as Kentucky will further close the gap on Duke if it lands five-star guard DJ Wagner as it is expected to do down the road. What Kentucky has in the fold already is impressive on its own, however, as No. 2 overall prospect Justin Edwards, No. 6 overall prospect Robert Dillingham and No. 8 overall prospect Aaron Bradshaw headline a class full of players with NBA aspirations. Should Wagner choose UK and all current commits keep their current ranking, it would give John Calipari five five-star prospects in the same class for the first since 2017.
*****
PLEASANT SURPRISE: Stanford
It’s been a while since the Cardinal made this kind of noise on the national recruiting stage, as four-star recruits Andrej Stojakovic and Kanaan Carlyle both signed on Wednesday and represent the most touted duo Stanford has locked up in years. More specifically, the program hasn’t landed multiple top-50 recruits since it signed Brook and Robin Lopez in 2006. Add in the fact that some think head coach Jared Hasse is coaching for his job this season, and the coaching staff’s work seems even more remarkable. The Stanford brand is obviously bigger than a coach or the game of basketball, obviously, but Hasse should be praised for landing the duo nevertheless.
*****
SLEEPER HAUL: Kansas State
The Wildcats won’t land a five-star in this class and haven’t blown anyone away by winning a major national recruiting battle, but it’s clear that Kansas State is recruiting a few planes above where the program has typically hovered. First -year head coach Jerome Tang’s Texas connections are working for K-State, as four-star signee RJ Jones decided to sign with the upstart Wildcats despite offers from schools such as Illinois, USC and Notre Dame. K-State also reached into the Chicago area to grab four-star point guard Darrin Ames, who was being pursued by the in-state Illini in addition to Michigan State, LSU and others. Previous head coach Bruce Weber experienced plenty of on-court success during his time in Manhattan, but he rarely was able to recruit at the level Tang has in just his first year on campus. This is the first time since 2009 that K-State has landed multiple top-100 recruits in the same class. Ames and three-star guard Macaleab Rich both signed with the Wildcats on Wednesday. Jones is expected to do so in the near future.
*****
KEEP AN EYE ON: USC
Andy Enfield’s 2023 class has a solid foundation in the form of four-star forward Arrinten Page and four-star guard Silas Demary Jr., who rank 57th and 58th in the class respectively. The big fish is yet to be reeled in, however, as the Trojans are sitting in good position to land five-star point guard Isaiah Collier, when he announces his pledge on Nov. 16. Should Collier land at USC, it would have USC three top-75 recruits in the same class for the first time since 2019 and round out one of the more complete hauls in the country.
*****
BRIGHT FUTURE: Michigan State
The Spartans started the day exactly how they drew it up, by signing No. 1 overall prospect Xavier Booker around breakfast and had their entire, four-member class locked up well before the sun set. Booker is joined by top-100 prospects Coen Carr, Gehrig Normand and Jeremy Fears Jr.. The haul is one of Tom Izzo’s most promising classes in his nearly three-decade run as the program’s head coach. The talent the legendary head coach has added to the fold is both deep and versatile. It has already created sky-high expectations for next season and beyond.
*****
GOOD AND COULD GET BETTER: Texas
Texas has been winning recruiting battles at a massive clip since Chris Beard took over the program prior to last season, most recently snatching five-star wing Ron Holland away from Arkansas, which seemed to lead for the majority of the process. Next on Beard’s radar, however, is AJ Johnson, who remains uncommitted and has set no timetable for a decision. That said, Texas is certainly among the leaders to land the budding star and pairing him with Holland would give Texas multiple five-star prospects for the second consecutive year. It’s good to be Texas in the NIL era, and that fact doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. Holland has not signed his letter of intent as of Wednesday evening.