College Basketball Recruiting: Most Overrated, Underrated Recruits in 2012 Class

The rankings of prospects in the college basketball recruiting Class of 2012 are not as cut-and-dried as they seem. While Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad are easily the two best players in the class, the rest is filled with hidden gems and future busts.

These next 10 recruits are either overrated or underrated in the rankings, and it's time we set the record straight.

All previous rankings from other sources are from ESPNU's Top 100 recruits. However, the corrected rankings are my own.

With that, let's run down the most overrated and underrated incoming freshmen.

Overrated: Glenn Robinson

Position: Small Forward

School: Michigan

Previous Ranking: 18

Revised Ranking: 38



Glenn Robinson Jr. does not have the same level of talent as his dad, "Big Dog." The future Michigan small forward's ranking is probably thanks to his genes, and the expectations for him are a bit too high.

Robinson is a good small forward who is solid in a lot of areas, including finishing in the lane and spotting up for a jumper.

However, this kid has a few glaring weaknesses.

Robinson has a tendency to lose his focus at times during the game, which hurts him on the glass. He also needs to add some more strength if he is going to remain a good wing player and add the ability to beat his man off the dribble, so he won't be shut down on the offensive end.

Robinson is still a great recruit, don't get me wrong. He just needs to improve in a few areas to deserve the No. 18 spot in the country.

Underrated: Torian Graham

Position: Shooting Guard

School: Undecided

Previous Ranking: 90

Revised Ranking: 56

Torian Graham is an undecided shooting guard, and he is the best left in the country. He is also grossly underrated.

Graham might have been in the ballpark of No. 90 in the country about 10 months ago, when he was just an athlete. Now, however, he has evolved into a great scorer that should be vaulting up the rankings.

Instead, he is dropping like a rock.

Graham was ranked as high as No. 36 by ESPN several months ago, but he has been steadily dropping, despite improving in leaps and bounds. He now has a better shot, doesn't rush things and doesn't turn the ball over as much in traffic.

Graham is actually a great player right now, and I would conservatively rank him at No. 56 in the country.

Overrated: Tyler Lewis

Position: Point Guard

School: North Carolina State

Previous Ranking: 44

Revised Ranking: 68

Tyler Lewis is a point guard who is part of North Carolina State's incredible recruiting class that will be bringing the Wolfpack back up the ACC rankings, fighting for No. 1 next season. He may also get the chance to play alongside Torian Graham of the last slide.

At 5'11", 165 pounds, Lewis doesn't look like a true basketball player, and his frame will most likely hold him back at the college level.

Lewis is a true point guard who won't be scoring much at the next level, but when he does, it will be by his floater. He is going to be shorter, smaller and weaker than most point guards he will be facing, and he also lacks the quickness to always stay in front of his man.

While Lewis should be good on the offensive end, he will not be great. When a recruit is in the top 50 in his class, you would expect him to excel on both ends of the court, but Lewis is not going to be a good defender at the next level.

Underrated: Mitch McGary

Position: Power Forward

School: Michigan

Previous Ranking: 27

Revised Ranking: 15

Mitch McGary might be best known for breaking a backboard at Elite 24 over the summer and needing stitches to close his wounds. (No long-term damage was done.)

McGary next took the media by storm by committing to Michigan, which gave life to the term "Mitch-igan." At the time, he was No. 2 in the nation among all recruits, but he is now No. 27.

McGary did have a slightly disappointing senior season, but he still has the frame and talent to be an elite big man at the next level.

The biggest flaw in McGary's game is when his back is to the basket, but he is steadily improving, and he is a dangerous screener. He is also imposing on the defensive end, and I see him being a great player for the Wolverines next season.

McGary did not deserve the No. 2 ranking in the country, but he should not be No. 27 (which makes him just the second-best recruit in Michigan's class). He should be ranked in the mid-teens, and I would rank him No. 15 in the nation.

Overrated: Steven Adams

Position: Center

School: Pittsburgh

Previous Ranking: 6

Revised Ranking: 17

Steven Adams is the New Zealander who is making waves in the U.S. He's been in the country for less than a year, but he is already getting quite a bit of press.

One of the biggest mistakes most basketball analysts have is trusting players from overseas to come over and adapt to our style of play in a day. It's a different game, and it's hard to master.

Adams did the right thing by coming to the U.S. a year early, and it is going to help him, but he is not the sixth-best player in the nation just yet.

Adams still plays standing up straighter than he should. While that hasn't been holding him back as much in high school, it is going to hurt in college. His offensive game in the post is still limited as well.

While I do think Adams is a good player, and I love that he blocks shots and doesn't leave his feet early on the defensive end, I don't think he belongs in the top 10 just yet.

Underrated: Brandon Ashley

Position: Power Forward

School: Arizona

Previous Ranking: 16

Revised Ranking: 9

If you watched the National High School Invitational Championship, you probably noticed that Brandon Ashley played a pretty good game. He finished with 31 points to lead Findlay Prep to its third national championship in the last four years.

Ashley has been as high as No. 4 in the class before, but he dropped to No. 16 in ESPN's latest update.

Ashley is a bit small at 6'8" and 215 pounds, but he is athletic enough to play small forward despite only having range out to about 18 feet.

Ashley is incredibly long, however, which allows him to wreak havoc on the defensive end. He is also steadily improving his range and ball-handling, and has completely eliminated his problem with his footwork.

Ashley is now a great option at the 3 or the 4, and he should be a top-10 prospect.

Overrated: Sam Dekker

Position: Small Forward

School: Wisconsin

Previous Ranking: 17

Revised Ranking: 32

Sam Dekker is a small forward who will be staying in Wisconsin to play his college ball, but Bo Ryan should be wary of his potential to bust.

Dekker does have good range, which works to his advantage, but he also has a few areas that he needs to work on.

Dekker is 6'7" and only 190 pounds, which is not big enough to play his game at the college level. He was a good rebounder in high school because he was tall, but he is going to be bullied in college if he can't add about 10-30 pounds.

Along with strength, Dekker is not well-conditioned enough to play a lot of minutes at the collegiate level, and Big Ten basketball can be very physical and taxing.

While Dekker does have a lot of potential if he can hit the gym and see some major improvements, he is not good enough to be in the top 25 right now.

Underrated: Devonta Pollard

Position: Small Forward

School: Undecided

Previous Ranking: 28

Revised Ranking: 10

Devonta Pollard has been called a versatile small forward. Versatile is an understatement.

This kid can do everything in the game of basketball, and his 6'7", 200-pound frame will allow him to play every position except for center in college. Pollard can beat an opponent in a different way every night, and he is equally effective in all areas.

He can sink eight threes in a game, thanks to his great range. He can force turnovers and throw down some highlight-reel dunks in transition. He can cut through the lane in traffic and finish through contact. He can shut down opponents on the defensive end. He can play point guard and create for his teammates. He can literally do it all.

Pollard is a special player because of his (for lack of a better word) versatility. He is going to be a stud in college, and we will see him in the NBA in a year or two.

Overrated: Marcus Smart

Position: Shooting Guard

School: Oklahoma State

Previous Ranking: 10

Revised Ranking: 17

Marcus Smart, dubbed "Smart-acus," is a top-10 player, according to ESPNU. The shooting guard will be going to Oklahoma State next season.

At 6'3" and 200 pounds, he has a big frame, and he is pretty quick considering his size. He can drive through the lane and finish through traffic, thanks to his frame, but he does have a weakness.

Smart is not a very good shooter for the college level. He has dominated in high school and was a National Player of the Year finalist, but his game will not be as successful at the next level.

Smart does not have a good jump shot, and his range is incredibly limited. We saw just how much this could hurt him against better competition when Smart only recorded a single point in the McDonald's All-American Game. I didn't think Smart deserved to be in the game, and his lack of offensive production in such a high-scoring affair proved that.

Underrated: Gabe York

Position: Point Guard

School: Arizona

Previous Ranking: 65

Revised Ranking: 12

If you read this first, you might be asking yourself how I have Gabe York moving up 53 spots to No. 12 in the country. If you watched the video first, you are probably saying, "Yeah, that's about right."

York is a special player, exceeding the limits of being only 6' tall. He has the potential to jump out of the roof, which is why he throws down so many dunks in this highlight reel.

Apart from his hops, York also has incredible range, taking shots that you wouldn't expect anyone to take besides Jimmer Fredette.

York is a great passer with great court vision, and he is a potent offensive player. He is also good on the defensive end, but he will be better once he is coached up by Sean Miller at Arizona.

York is an incredible player, and he deserves to be near the top 10 in the class.

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