Report Card: Breaking down early signings in non-power leagues

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The dust has settled on the Early Signing Period, and while there was a slew of non-power conference programs that cleaned up, others have more work to do in the spring.

Corey Evans breaks down the non-power conference platform for who fared the best during the early period.

Gonzaga went out and struck early with commitments from Rivals150 prospects Brock Ravet and Anton Watson and then followed up with Lithuanian forward Martynas Arlauskas. The Bulldogs made their greatest pounce this past week with the addition of five-star Drew Timme and then Pavel Zahkarov. This class represents an onslaught of talent for Mark Few that should help keep the Zags among college basketball's elite.

This may not be is a surprise to the Memphis faithful but the fact that Penny Hardaway could go toe-to-toe with John Calipari and come out on top in the recruitment of five-star James Wiseman sent ripples across the country last week. The Tigers sit with a top-10 class this fall and, despite a slew of down years in Memphis, Hardaway has surprised many with his tremendous success rate in the early going along the recruiting trail.

Where did the Mountain West Conference go? This league, just five years ago, was arguably the best conference out West. Now, the league barely has one program in the top 70 of the team rankings (Colorado State is No. 68). We have become accustomed to New Mexico, San Diego State and UNLV carrying the baton for the conference but if things don’t get going soon, the league could be left behind and remain a one-team league come NCAA Tournament time.

Dan Hurley’s early tenure in Storrs has been surrounded by optimism, but despite all of the positive vibes surrounding the program, the Huskies still have not hit on the recruiting trail outside of their two early guard commits. This winter could define the short and long-term futures of the program as UConn remains in pursuit of five-star forward Precious Achiuwa, along with four-star prospects Tre Mitchell, Akok Akok, Qudus Wahab and Kofi Cockburn. The next several weeks are vital for Hurley’s fate in return UConn back to its former glory.

Gonzaga: A. Gonzaga is on fire and has not struggled to replenish its frontcourt this fall. Next year, they will enroll four very talented but also very different prospects along its frontline and a heady playmaker in the form of Brock Ravet.

Memphis: A. Penny Hardaway has already achieved much of what he was hired to do, that is locking down the city’s borders and keeping the best talent home. He missed on Boogie Ellis and Jahmius Ramsey but James Wiseman’s commitment is a boon, in more ways than one. The Tigers are back for the time being.

Harvard: B-. There is a major drop-off between second and third in the non-power league rankings but the Crimson do have a weapon in their holster with Chris Ledlum. The four-star forward eschewed a litany of power level offers for the Ivy League program and he should be someone that Tommy Amaker rides to future league titles.

Wichita State: C+. A relatively down year in Wichita should just be a blip as the Shockers have three ready-made contributors in the fold. Noah Fernandes is a tough and gritty lead guard and DeAntoni Gordon is the rangy, versatile forward that Gregg Marshall has come to love. However, Tyson Etienne is the gem of the class and someone that should have the ball in his hands early and often.

UConn: C+. The Huskies needs to hit on a few of their frontcourt needs in the coming months but they have accomplished what they had set out to do on the perimeter. Jalen Gaffney is a sturdy shot maker with athleticism and James Bouknight, a four-star guard, has the chance to outplay his ranking.

Houston: B-. A good group for Kellen Sampson as he continues to build a program on the backs of versatile, high-ceiling prospects. He returned to the Tar Heel State and hit with four-star guard Caleb Mills, who will actually enroll this winter. Marcus Sasser is a good one but so is J’Wan Roberts, a super under-recruited big man that should be a steady producer in the frontcourt during his four years on campus.

Loyola Chicago: C. Porter Moser used the heightened platform of last season’s Final Four run by patching together the top-ranked class within the Missouri Valley this fall. Furthermore, he has three signatures of prospects that know each other well as they all played for the Illinois Wolves team on the Under Armour circuit. Paxson Wojcik, Marquise Kennedy and Thomas Welch should infuse toughness into the budding MVC program.

Rhode Island: C. Sitting with the best class within the Atlantic 10 Conference, URI missed on a few of its frontcourt targets but they were also proactive in landing Marial Mading, a high-upside forward from the region. Mekhi Long will bring toughness and a defensive prowess and Gregory Hammond gives a strong scoring punch to David Cox’s program.

St. Louis: C. History shows that Travis Ford does not struggle on the recruiting trail and that assessment is true again this fall. Terrence Hargrove is a premier athlete on the wing and Gibson Jimerson is arguably a top-five shooter nationally. Throw in floor setting guard Yuri Collins and the Billikens achieved a lot of what they had set out to do months ago.

Charlotte: C. It was not a great fall for Conference USA as a whole but Charlotte did its part with the signings of four prospects. Jahmir Young and Caleb Stone-Carrawel headline the Niners' class but do not overlook Brice Williams, a rangy wing that was beginning to hear overtures from the local ACC programs.