The early signing period has wrapped up. Here is a report card for the Pac-12 on how its teams fared during the early signing period.
HEAD OF THE CLASS
USC was in some headlines it didn’t want to be a part of when assistant coach Tony Bland was arrested in the federal investigation into college corruption, yet Andy Enfield and the Trojans have held onto a class that is currently the top-rated in the Pac-12 and No. 6 nationally. The Trojans did lose four-star big man J’Raan Brooks in the aftermath but shooting guard Kevin Porter, combo guard Elijah Weaver and forward Taeshon Cherry all rank in the top 40 nationally.
However, Oregon is charging hard and has closed quickly on the Trojans while rising to No. 8 nationally. The Ducks added five-star Louis King from New Jersey, four-star guard Will Richardson from Georgia and Miles Norris out of California. If the Ducks can secure Bol Bol, the class would rank in the top three nationally.
BIGGEST SURPRISE (IN A GOOD WAY)
Arizona State is still trying to claw its way into the top tier of the Pac-12. If the 2018 class is any indication, the Sun Devils are definitely making progress. Luguentz Dort is a versatile guard who will bring some toughness to Bobby Hurley’s program. Four-star wing Elias Valtonen gives Arizona State one of the better shooters in the 2018 class.
BIGGEST SURPRISE (IN A NOT-SO-GOOD WAY)
Arizona has dominated the Pac-12 recruiting rankings for the past few years, so it’s a bit strange to not see Sean Miller’s program at the top of the standings here. There is an obvious reason for this though. Book Richardson’s arrest in the FBI’s investigation into college hoops led to five-star point guard Jahvon Quinerly opening up his recruitment and likely cost Arizona top-five Nassir Little, who ended up picking North Carolina.
NEXT SEMESTER
California native Jordan Brown is going to be at the center of a battle between Cal and UCLA that goes into the late signing period. The No. 9 overall player also has Nevada and St. John’s on his list among a few others. If he does choose Cal or UCLA, he would be the second-highest ranked prospect entering the Pac-12 next year.
REPORT CARD
Arizona: B. The Wildcats lost Jahvon Quinerly following the recent college basketball scandal, but managed to hang on to Brandon Williams and Shareef O’Neal, who both signed scholarship agreements during the early signing period.
Arizona State: B. Bobby Hurley scored two big signees with do-it-all guard Luguentz Dort and Elias Valtonen from Finland.
California: B. The Bears also hauled in a pair of four-stars who should make an impact early with Matt Bradley and Jacobi Gordon.
Colorado: B-. Tad Boyle’s class includes a pair of three-star guards who committed on back-to-back days in September.
Oregon: A. Dana Altman’s top class covers the entire country geographically, and could get even stronger if Bol Bol chooses the Ducks.
Oregon State: C+. Size was an emphasis for the Beavers as they added three signees at 6-foot-11 or taller.
Stanford: B-. Jerod Haase continues to add talent to the Cardinal program, and could still add four-star guard Bryce Wills to an already strong class.
UCLA: B. A pair of four-star California wings highlight the Bruins' class, but a late addition from big man Kenny Nwuba could end up being very helpful.
USC: A. Despite losing an assistant and a four-star commitment in the recent college hoops scandal, the Trojans still managed to close with three four-stars in the early signing period.
Utah: B-. Four-star small forward Timmy Allen highlights the Utes' 2018 class.
Washington: C+. Mike Hopkins added a trio three-star prospects in his first class as a head coach.
Washington State: C-. Ernie Kent and the Cougars signed high-scoring Seattle small forward C.J. Elleby.
