Now that the class of 2020 rankings have been completed, we have a basic understanding of what programs will finish with the top-ranked classes this spring. In this week's Evans Seven, Rivals.com Basketball Recruiting Analyst Corey Evans looks at the top seven classes in the Rivals.com Team Recruiting Rankings and evaluates whether those programs can repeat their top-10 efforts in 2021.
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2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position
2022 Rankings: Top 75
1. KENTUCKY
The only thing more definite than Kentucky finishing with an elite recruiting class every year is the sun coming up in the morning. The Wildcats may not need such an expansive class as the one it put together this year, but that won’t stop John Calipari from pursuing the very best.
Thanks to the looming threat of the G League, Calipari may have to be more selective with the 2021 class. Kentucky has already made Paolo Banchero, Kennedy Chandler, Jaden Hardy and Patrick Baldwin a priority, and key target Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, the younger cousin of former Kentucky standout Alex Poythress, reclassify into the 2021 class. The Wildcats will likely hand out a few more offers in the coming months, but the chances that they strike out on the majority of their early targets are small. It's safe to say that Big Blue Nation will celebrate another top-tier class next year.
2. DUKE
Duke, like Kentucky, has consistently enrolled top recruiting classes every fall, and the 2021 class will surely be more of the same. The Blue Devils may not need to ink a large 2021 group but Jalen Johnson, Mark Williams, Jeremy Roach, Matthew Hurt and Wendell Moore could all be gone for the NBA this time next year which is why it was crucial that Duke secured an early commitment from top-10 wing A.J. Griffin. The Blue Devils in a great spot for Baldwin, are in the mix with Max Christie, Banchero and Charles Bediako, and remain in contact with Chandler and Trevor Keels. Take it to the bank: Duke will finish with another nationally recognized class.
3. NORTH CAROLINA
North Carolina is not quite recruiting at the same level as Kentucky and Duke, though that could be changing after what the Tar Heels were able to put together in 2020. Roy Williams may have to replace another large group of players departing for either the NBA or graduation. North Carolina's 2021 efforts started out with a bang with the addition of in-state star Dontrez Styles, and the program has handed out offers to D’Marco Dunn, Hunter Sallis and Chet Holmgren in recent weeks. The Tar Heels also remain a suitor for Kennedy Chandler, Harrison Ingram, Patrick Baldwin and Trevor Keels. While a top-10 2021 class is not a definite for North Carolina, landing one of its five-star targets would go a long way in ensuring a quality finish next year.
4. OKLAHOMA STATE
Mike Boynton worked wonders with his 2020 class and while five-star Cade Cunningham was the biggest reason for Oklahoma State's top-four finish, an onslaught of talent will surely follow. The Cowboys will only graduate Ferron Flavors next season so replacing Flavors and expected one-and-done Cunningham will be the only certain holes Oklahoma State needs to fill with the 2021 class. The Pokes have handed out a bevy of 2021 offers and have made a push for the likes of Deebo Coleman, Trey Alexander, Alex Fudge, Moussa Diabate and Arthur Kaluma. It's not a stretch to think that Oklahoma State's 2020 class will be the hallmark class of Boynton's tenure but the Pokes could still follow it up with a top-25 haul in 2021.
5. LSU
It is going to be interesting to see if Will Wade can top the class that he is about to enroll in Baton Rouge. A bevy of four and five-star talent will hit the SEC campus in the coming weeks and while some could depart for the NBA after the 2020-21 season, the Tigers won't be under the gun to sign as many prospects in 2021. LSU already holds a commitment from top-50 center Jarrell Colbert. Wade's program has a good shot with Alex Fudge and Daimion Collins, and are also a suitor for top-five junior Jabari Smith. It could be close, but I would bet on the Tigers finishing with a top-10 class again next year.
6. TENNESSEE
Tennessee will enroll a top-10 class this summer and, after signing back-to-back five-star prospects, this could become the norm in Knoxville every year. While the Vols' efforts may not be entirely boom-or-bust in 2021, that description is not far off the mark. Rick Barnes' program could pull off one of the greatest recruiting heists in recent memory if it secures both Banchero and Chandler. If not, the Vols have also placed themselves into a solid spot for Jabari Smith, Harrison Ingram and John Butler. They might not win all of their battles ahead, but it's likely that Tennessee inks another top-10 class next year.
7. AUBURN
The 2021 class is arguably the most mystifying groups for Auburn compared to prior years. Many expected the Tigers to be heavily in the mix for Isaac Okoro, Sharife Cooper, Jaylin Williams and Dylan Cardwell but among current juniors, no four or five-star prospect is leaning toward the Tigers. That will likely change in the coming weeks because Bruce Pearl is an excellent closer in recruiting, and some combination of JD Davison, Chance Moore, Matthew Cleveland, Franck Kepnang and Moussa Diabate is all attainable. That would add up to another top-10 class for the Tigers.
