College Basketball Recruiting: Michigan and the New Top 2012 Recruiting Classes

Mitch McGary's recent commitment to the Michigan Wolverines shakes up my 2012 recruiting class rankings from last month.

Because this commitment is so earth-shaking, I thought it worthwhile to update these rankings.  Then I started thinking: Why not make this a monthly article?

So, from now on I am going to have monthly article about the updated recruiting class rankings during the first half of the month, and then updated uncommitted recruits during the second half.

Without further ado, I give you the first (second?) installment of the monthly updated rankings for the 2012 recruiting classes.  Thank you, Mitch McGary.

15. Michigan State Spartans

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: PF Kenny Kaminski

Michigan State had a head start on the competition, but Sparty hasn't been doing much recently, and they haven't landed anyone new since last month.

This class is still led by Kenny Kaminski, who ranks No. 66 in the Top 100, and is one of three big men in the class.  Kaminski is joined by C Matt Costello (No. 85) and SF Denzel Valentine (No. 87).

This class is built for the future as all three of these guys will be playing for the Spartans for at least two or three seasons, if not all four.

With only SG Gary Harris (No. 10) still considering, Michigan State is in danger of falling out of the top 15.

14. Syracuse

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Best Recruit: C DaJuan Coleman

Ah, fresh faces.

The Syracuse Orange had a delayed start, not securing a commitment until mid-September.  When last we checked the Orange only had SF Jerami Grant, who ranks No. 43 on the ESPNU Top 100.

Since then the Orange signed DaJuan Coleman, who is an imposing center who ranks No. 14 on the ESPNU Top 100.

Jim Boeheim has secured two top recruits who are both poised to have an impact from Day 1. While it's not a very secure position, the Orange crack the top 15 at No. 14.

13. Wake Forest

Recruits: 6

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Best Recruit: SF Arnaud Moto

Another new team to this list, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, weren't on my last list, but they make it at No. 13 for November.  Jeff Bdzelik came out swinging, and he recruited three players in March, including point guard Codi Miller-McIntyre who committed before other teams caught on to the fact that he is going to be a star.

The Deacons then went out and landed three more recruits, including Arnaud Moto, who leads the class.

This class consists of six players who are pretty much guaranteed to play all four years, and they are going to set the foundation for the rebirth of Wake Forest basketball.  And just in time for the new-look ACC.

12. Houston

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SF Danuel House

The Houston Cougars were on my October list at No. 13 and have moved up one spot.  They haven't recruited anyone new, but their recruits look better now than they did before.

James Dickey recruited the two local stars and convinced them to stay close to home.  Danuel House is a consensus No. 15 recruit, while PF Danrad Knowles has impressed me a lot more than before.

I clearly underrated this class last time around but I'm not making the same mistake twice.

11. Kentucky

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SG Archie Goodwin

John Calipari is known for bringing in incredible recruiting classes, yet he seems to be off to a slow start this year.

At this time last month Calipari had only recruited Archie Goodwin, but since then he has also landed C Willie Cauley.  He now has a great inside-outside combo joining them, and knowing Calipari there's no way he's done just yet.

Goodwin ranks No. 13 in the ESPNU Top 100, while Cauley is No. 32.  These two are both top-notch recruits, with Goodwin being arguably the best shooting guard in the class.

Calipari has found his way on this list, and you can expect him to keep recruiting and stay here for the next few months.

10. UCLA

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SF Kyle Anderson

UCLA was No. 2 on my list last month, yet they have fallen eight spots for two reasons.  First, they have not had any new commitments.  Second, PG Dominic Artis has decommitted.

Artis had previously committed to UCLA, yet decommitted on Oct. 6.  Dominic's uncle and coach, Derrick Artis, told Scout.com: "We just want to make sure we're making the right decision."

Apparently UCLA was not the right decision as Artis committed to Oregon just over three weeks later.

UCLA's class not consists of two small forwards: Kyle Anderson and Jordan Adams.  Anderson is No. 5 overall in the class, and Adams No. 50.

Losing their point guard hurts, and the Bruins could fall of this list next month if they can't find a replacement.

9. Baylor

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Isaiah Austin

The Baylor Bears started recruited early by getting a commitment from No. 3 overall recruit Isaiah Austin in early August.  Since then they have been consistently in the top 10 for recruiting classes.

The Bears also have the No. 74 recruit, PG L.J. Rose, joining them for the 2012 season as well as unranked C Chad Rykhoek.

They have not done much recently, however, not having a Top 100 recruit commit in over two months.  The Bears are steadily falling down this list, as they were No. 6 last month, dropping three spots.

There has been a flurry of recruiting moves made recently, and Baylor has been left out.  If they fail to get back into the thick of things they could fall off this list completely next month.

Baylor also starts a tri-fecta of schools who can't seem to separate from each other.

8. Pittsburgh

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 1

Top Recruit: C Steven Adams

The Pittsburgh Panthers have also fallen three spots since last month, falling from No. 5 to No. 9.  They have not made any new moves either, yet they are kept afloat by their inside-out-side combo.

Their only recruit ranked in the ESPNU Top 100 is PG James Robinson (No. 48).  However, their best recruit comes to them from New Zealand and is not ranked by ESPN, although he is No. 4 overall according to Rivals.com.

Steven Adams is the exotic talent coming to Pittsburgh, and he is one of the best big men we've seen from overseas.

Adams is so talented that it is common knowledge that he will only play for one year, but he will have a huge impact.  With crafty point guard Robinson getting the ball to him, Adams is going to have huge scoring numbers, and once he adjusts to USA basketball he will surely be ready for the NBA.

7. Providence

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SG Ricardo Ledo

The third and final school to have dropped five spots since last month, the Providence Friars, are in the same boat as Baylor and Pittsburgh: They used to be higher but have not had much recent activity.

The Friars recruited heavily from the end of August to the beginning of September, and in those two weeks they landed SG Ricardo Ledo (No. 22), PG Kris Dunn (No. 29) and SG Josh Fortune.

However, they have done nothing recently, and their last chance to get back into the top five is PF Christopher Obekpa.  If they can't land him then they are in danger of falling off this list in a couple of months.

6. Indiana

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: PG Yogi Ferrell

The Indiana Hoosiers rank No. 3 last month, but they have not received a commitment in over seven months.

With four of their five players committed before December of 2010, the Hoosiers had a fast start but have cooled off, with their only commit since then being SF Jeremy Hollowell, who committed on March 24 of this year.

The class consists of PG Yogi Ferrell (No. 33), PF Hanner Perea (No. 47) and Holloway (No. 58). They also have SG Ron Patterson and C Peter Jurkin.

Last month I said that they won't fall out of the top 15 classes with this talent, and I stand by that.  However, if they don't make another move they will end up in the bottom half, as they have already fallen three spots.

5. Michigan

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: C Mitch McGary

Shall we call them Mitch-igan?  I know it's not original, but I like it.

The Michigan Wolverines were not even on the radar for this list last month, but signing the No. 2 overall recruit will help you grab a top five spot.  Just like whoever signs Shabazz Muhammad will immediately join the top five.

Well, maybe I shouldn't say they weren't on the radar.  I would've put Michigan around No. 20 or so last month because they already had small forwards Glenn Robinson and Nik Stauskas, both of whom are in the ESPNU Top 100, yet neither of whom makes the top 50.

Now they add star center Mitch McGary, who broke the backboard and got national recognition for it.  I'm deeming him the white Shaq because of this dunk, although he is much more athletic.

The Wolverines looked like the front runner for McGary, but they have to be relieved that he didn't choose Duke or Florida.

Michigan is going to be a strong team in the Big Ten in the 2012-13 season, and they might not be done yet.  If SG Gary Harris commits to them they will have two top 10 recruits and could take the No. 2 spot on this list.

4. Texas

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: C Cameron Ridley

Texas may be getting a replacement for Tristan Thompson in Cameron Ridley.  Ridley is a 6-foot-10 big man who carried this class to No. 8 on my list last month.  Ridley's stock has gone up in my mind, and the Longhorns have added another three players to their 2012 class.

The Longhorns added C Prince Ibeh, PF Connor Lammert and SF Ioannis Papapetrou in the past month.  The only position the Longhorns don't have a recruit playing is shooting guard, and this class is one of their best in school history.

The Longhorns had a great month of October, and they have moved up four spots because of it.

3. North Carolina State

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Best Recruit: SG Rodney Purvis

The North Carolina State Wolfpack already had No. 16 Rodney Purvis and No. 69 PG Tyler Lewis committed to them last month, yet they added one more.

The Wolfpack now has SF T.J. Warren joining them.  Warren is No. 23 in the ESPNU Top 100, and I personally believe he should be much higher.

Purvis and Lewis make up a formidable backcourt, while Warren can play inside or out.

All three of these guys should play multiple years, and they give this class enough talent to be No. 3 on this list.

2. North Carolina

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 4

Best Recruit: PF Brice Johnson

In the introduction of my ranking last month I made a comment about how rare it was not to see Duke, North Carolina or Kentucky on this list.  Well now two of them are on the list, with UNC jumping from unranked to No. 2 in the nation.

I knew it wouldn't take long to be talking about the Tar Heels, and here they are.

The Tar Heels didn't have two of their top three recruits last month, but they went out and signed big men Brice Johnson and C Joel James.  Johnson ranks No. 25 in the class, which puts him just above PG Marcus Paige, who ranks No. 28.  James ranks No. 57, less than 10 spots above SF J.P. Tokoto who has also committed to UNC.

Johnson is a talented big man, while James is a space-eater.  Paige is the best point guard in the class, and Tokoto has the build of the perfect basketball player.

This class has a lot of talent, and seeing them jump from around No. 18 to No. 2 shouldn't surprise anyone.

1. Arizona

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 4

Top Recruit: PF Brandon Ashley

Maintaining the No. 1 spot on this list, the Arizona Wildcats made one more huge move to stay atop this list, and with the talent they're bringing in I can't see anyone passing them.

This class is one of the best in history, and rivals that of John Calipari's 2011 class which included three top eight recruits.

The Wildcats bring in PF Brandon Ashley (No. 4), C Kaleb Tarczewski (No. 6), PF Grant Jerrett (No. 9) and SG Gabe York (No. 36).

All four of these guys are incredible athletes, and even York, who is considered the worst by far, is incredible and I advise all of you to look him up on YouTube.

This class is indescribably good, and they are set to turn this Arizona program into one of the best in the country.

Josh Schoch is an aspiring sportswriter dedicated to bringing you everything related to the Pacquiao vs. Marquez fight, college basketball, the NFL, MLB, NBA, college football and much more.  Follow him on Twitter.