Making the Case: Who could jump into final top 10 of 2019 class?

The top 10 in the 2019 class is set after the post-spring update of the Rivals150, but there are still a few more updates to go before we make a final ranking of the class in April of 2019. With several players knocking on the door of the national top 10, here are three in a position to make a strong case over the next nine months.

MORE ON THE RANKINGS: Class of 2019 top 10 | Players who were tough to slot

RANKINGS: 2018 Rivals150 | 2018 Team | 2018 Position

During this rankings cycle, combo guard Jalen Lecque fell out of the national top 10. We had moved the super-athletic guard into the top 10 because we felt he was ready to make the move from slashing two guard to full-time playmaker, creator and distributor. After watching him several times during the spring, that’s not quite the game that he’s comfortable with yet.

Because of his extreme athleticism, Lecque is virtually impossible to guard off the dribble and that should translate to the college level and beyond, because even at the NBA level, he’s an elite athlete. However, as good as Lecque is off the dribble and attacking the rim, he’s not yet developed the confidence in his jump shot to keep defenders honest with that aspect of his game. Watching him in the spring, the troubles with his jumper seemed to disrupt his overall confidence - and mixing that with an attempt to transition to full-time point guard led to some problems.

So what’s next? The answer is easy. It’s time for Lecque to get serious about that jump shot and making defenders respect it. If he gains confidence there, it should flow into the other areas of his game and get him right back on track. Add in what is still untapped potential to be an elite on-the-ball defender and you have a guy who could easily recover from a small slide in the rankings to make his way back into the top 10. – Eric Bossi

One of the most heavily covered prospects in his class, five-star guard Bryan Antoine has hovered around the national top 10 since we began ranking the class of 2019.

Down to a final list of schools that consists of Duke, Florida, Kentucky, Villanova and Kansas, Antoine remains a priority for those five. They see Antoine as a big lead guard capable of carrying a team on the scoreboard while defending multiple positions and making others better.

If Antoine is to make his way into the final top 10 for his class, the key will be showing more consistency with his play. I have always compared to him a smaller version of Duke-bound guard Cameron Reddish. Antoine is someone who has all of the talent in the world, but doesn’t always bring it every game and sometimes leaves you wanting more. Reddish took some steps in the right direction with his overall game and consistency as a senior, which allowed him to finish as a top five prospect in the class of 2018. So, can Antoine do the same? I am betting on yes. If he does, the backcourt versatility, athleticism and difficult shot-making is all there to land him in the top 10 of 2019’s final rankings next spring. – Corey Evans

RELATED: Antoine sets four official visits

The top of the recruiting rankings are an area where we could see prospects becoming NBA players, and doing so within a year or two of leaving high school. Josiah James is somebody who fits that bill.

The Porter-Gaud School (S.C.) star has so many attributes that will allow him to make an instant impact in college - while getting NBA scouts excited. Let's start with his size and length at 6-foot-6. Today's game has become more positionless on all levels. In the NBA, it has turned into a lot of switching ball-screens to take advantage of mismatches. James, because of his size, length and athleticism will be tough to exploit as a defender in those situations.

As for his actual game, James is a natural floor general who should be capable of playing all of the perimeter positions and even some small-ball four in college. His court vision is probably the best in his class among the elite prospects. He's a guy who will make others around him better and will probably attract others to play with him at the school he chooses. He's a capable scorer as well. When all is said and done, I don't think it's out of the realm of possibility that he becomes the best point guard from the 2019 class and lands in the final top 10. – Dan McDonald