Early Signing Period: Breaking down the Big 12
With most of the Early Signing Period action in the books, Rivals continues its conference-by-conference look at how things on the recruiting trail are shaping up. Today, we dive into the Big 12, where Iowa State landed a historic class and K-State seems to be building momentum under its new staff.
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RELATED: Breaking down the ACC | Big 12 recruiting rankings
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 40
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TOP CLASS: Iowa State
The Cyclones sit atop the Big 12 rankings for the first time since Rivals started publishing team rankings, and they do so on the back of five-star forward Omaha Biliew, the No. 15 player in the 2023 class and the highest-ranked recruit in Iowa State history. Billew, who chose ISU over schools such as Kansas, Texas and Oregon, rightfully gets most of the ink when people write about the Cyclones’ class, but supplemental pieces Milan Momcilovic and Jelani Hamilton (ranked No. 31 and 96, respectively) are potential instant impact players as well.
The class speaks to the momentum T.J. Otzelberger has built in Ames in less than two seasons as the team’s head coach and the message last year’s surprising 22-win season and Sweet 16 run sends about the program. The future feels bright at Iowa State, and the program's best recruiting haul in Rivals history indicates that things on that front may be compounding.
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TOP PROSPECT: Texas' Ron Holland
Texas used one of the more impressive closes of the cycle to snatch up Holland, who once looked to be an Arkansas lean. Chris Beard has won a number of major national recruiting battles in his short time in Austin, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Holland is a versatile weapon who is an absolute nightmare in transition and has the size and skill necessary to be a pro.
He’ll need to become a better long-range shooter, sure, but Holland is a certified offensive weapon in transition and his size and athleticism lend him defensive versatility. Holland has become a more dangerous weapon off the bounce in recent months, and he seems to have a positive development trajectory as he heads toward his freshman year at UT.
SLEEPER TEAM: Kansas State
Jermone Tang’s first full recruiting cycle as K-State’s head coach has borne the kind of recruiting fruit the Wildcats haven’t seen in years. The additions of four-star point guard Darrin Ames and combo guard RJ Jones mark the first time the program has landed multiple top 100 recruits in the same class since 2009. That has contributed to renewed excitement around the program on the heels of its offseason coaching change.
A tough, exciting point guard out of Chicago, Ames seems to fit the up-and-down, athletic style of play Tang is already showcasing in Manhattan. Meanwhile, the Texas-based Jones should provide plenty of scoring, as he’s capable of creating his own shot from the outside and in the paint through the use of pull-up jumpers and a reliable catch-and-shoot stroke.
Fellow signee Macaleab Rich is a candidate to move up the rankings as a senior and could crack the Rivals150 by year’s end. Tang seems to have serious momentum building in the Little Apple despite having coached just a few games in the big chair.
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WORK LEFT TO DO: Texas Tech
There are things to like about Texas Tech’s recruiting haul, as signees Drew Steffe and Jason Jackson are capable Big 12 players that will impact the league down the road. That said, the Red Raiders have lost a handful of recruiting battles this cycle and are without a truly marquee name in the 2023 class.
It doesn’t seem as though Tech will make much noise from a national perspective this cycle, but head coach Mark Adams has shown the ability to work the transfer portal well, so there will likely be reinforcements on the way following the season if need be.