I've Got Five On It: Mid-major bound prospects that will impact the sport

Whether they stick around for four years and become beloved stars or transfer up a level after leaving their mark, players that sign with mid-major programs impact the national conversation year in and year out. This year’s crop of prospects that signed with small programs will be no different.

Today's I Got Five On it column attempts to sniff out five mid-major signees that are capable of becoming well-known names down the road.

Below, national recruiting analyst Rob Cassidy spotlights five 2024 prospects that seem destined to impact college hoops despite starting off at the mid-major level.

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Calling Lewis a steal for the Gaels is understating the point. Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep guard is a no-doubt top-100 prospect and will arrive in Moraga as a battle-tested commodity.

An EYBL standout, Lewis plays a truly national schedule at Prolific Prep and routinely runs up against top-flight competition. He recently went for 14 points, two rebounds and two assists in a narrow defeat at the hands of No 1-ranked Montverde Academy, a super team absolutely loaded with future high-major stars, including three McDonald’s All-Americans.

Lewis is a score-first guard that routinely creates shots off the dribble and has a reliable pull-up from range. There’s a reason he garnered offers from programs such as Kansas, Arizona State, LSU and Illinois before choosing the Gaels back in October. He’ll need to become a more complete guard as his career evolves but his scoring ability is off-the charts and could have helped any number of high-major teams.

Hinton is headed to the Ivy League but could easily have an impact in a major conference had he chosen that route. He briefly dipped out of the Rivals150 in the last update but has played his way back into the conversation this season and will see his name on the list once again when it updates for the final time in April.

A key cog for California-based powerhouse Harvard Westlake High School, the 6-foot-4 Hinton is a true two-way guard that makes an impact on both ends of the floor. He’s a certified shot-maker with the type of defensive versatility and passing ability that allows him to impact games even when his shot isn’t falling.

Hilton is capable of absolutely explosive nights, but he impacts winning in more ways than one, which allows him to impact games while staying within the offense.

Guerengomba didn’t really come into his own until early this summer, which stunted his recruitment a bit and allowed UMass to grab what might end up looking like a steal down the road. Guerengomba sometimes struggles a bit with efficiency, but the 6-foot-4 wing is capable of taking over a game with three-level scoring ability when things are going well.

He has the ability to absolutely take over a game, even if he is a bit streaky from long-range shooting. The three-star wing is long and athletic, and he's a gifted finisher around the rim both in transition and the half-court.

Guerengomba garnered a few high-major offers before choosing Frank Martin’s Minutemen in August.

The Mountain West is barely a mid-major league these days, but, whatever you decide to call it, the conference is about to add another high-level player in Compton, who possesses high-major ability. Ideally, the 6-foot-6 power forward would be a couple inches longer, but his broad-shoulder build, impressive footwork and soft hands allow him to play larger than his height.

Compton is a throwback of sorts, and his physicality and ability to dunk any pass he catches deep in the pain makes him a weapon. He impacts games on the boards in a major way but could stand to develop more as a defender and rim-protector.

As he does that, he could become an extremely dangerous weapon for San Diego State.

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Riley chose San Francisco over offers from Cal, Florida, TCU and Arizona State in addition to a host of mid-major options. The 6-foot-5 wing is a gifted slasher that has shown the ability to absorb contact and finish at the rim as well as knock down open looks from the perimeter.

Riley has a bit of a slow summer in 2023 after bursting onto the scene in 2002, but is back to posting gaudy point totals for California's St. Pius X–St. Matthias Academy as a senior. Riley is athletically gifted and showcases tremendous body control, which allows him to impact games on the boards as well as the scoring column.

He also seems to be playing some of the best basketball of his high school career which should be encouraging for Dons fans.