College Basketball Recruiting: Power Ranking the Top 15 2012 Classes for January

The 2012 college basketball recruiting process is almost over, as there are only a handful of elite recruits left. Sean Miller's near-historic recruiting class for the Arizona Wildcats leads the way in my monthly rankings, maintaining their position from last month.

The best recruit in the country, Shabazz Muhammad, has not committed yet, and he, Anthony Bennett, Devonta Pollard and a few other recruits could change these rankings drastically when they commit to a school.

These rankings are similar to those of last month because most recruits had already committed by December, and there is little to change this month. However, now I bring you a more in-depth analysis of each player.

The high school basketball season is underway, and now it's no longer speculation on what these kids will do this year, but it has been grounded on what they have done so far.

With that, I give you January's rankings of the best 2012 recruiting classes in the nation.

15. Purdue Boilermakers

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Best Recruit: SG Rapheal Davis

Purdue is bringing in another recruiting class featuring three Top 100 recruits. While this one is not as good as the one featuring Robbie Hummel, JuJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, they will still bring the Boilermakers some success.

No. 76 SG Rapheal Davis, No. 78 C A.J. Hammons and No. 80 PG Ronnie Johnson will be the ones changing the future of this program, as a good backcourt and a big man can change a team.

Look for Purdue to be back in the Big Ten title hunt as soon as the 2013 season.

14. Baylor Bears

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Isaiah Austin

The Baylor Bears fall from No. 11 to No. 14 this month, despite Isaiah Austin moving up in the rankings. Scott Drew brings in yet another great recruiting class, and it's no wonder to those following recruiting why Baylor has done so well this season.

Austin continues the trend of talented big men, following Quincy Acy, Perry Jones III and Quincy Miller. Unfortunately Austin will probably only play with Miller, as Acy is a senior and Jones is NBA-bound.

This class also has No. 73 PG L.J. Rose and C Chad Rykhoek.

Baylor will stay on the national stage next year with Austin coming in, and Drew should get a nice extension on his contract soon.

13. Syracuse Orange

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Best Recruit: C DaJuan Coleman

Jim Boeheim's Syracuse Orange are already an elite team, but he still needs to add some talent. Scoop Jardine and Kris Joseph will be huge losses next season, and not even this talented class could make up for them. Luckily Boeheim has made a start.

No. 12 C DaJuan Coleman is the star of the class, and he will be another great option inside with Fab Melo. No. 40 SF Jerami Grant gives this class an athletic look, but he can also play inside.

If these two tell us anything about next year's team it's that he's focusing on the frontcourt, and the team will play to them next year.

12. UCLA Bruins

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SF Kyle Anderson

The UCLA Bruins must be happy with the new recruit rankings, since their best player, SF Kyle Anderson, jumped from No. 5 to No. 3 in the class, while SF Jordan Adams also moved up in the rankings about 10 spots to No. 37.

This class could have been elite if PG Dominic Artis had stayed committed, but since he left for Oregon Ben Howland's 2012 recruiting class is No. 12 in the country.

Howland is trying to counter Sean Miller's Arizona class, and while he's on the right track, he'll need a few more classes like this one to do so.

11. Pittsburgh Panthers

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Steven Adams

Finally! Steven Adams has been one of the best players in the 2012 class but wasn't ranked until now, finally getting his recognition.

Adams is a great big man from New Zealand, which is why he has been a relative unknown until now. I've been advocating this kid for several months now, and it's great to see him finally get some publicity.

Jamie Dixon and the Pittsburgh Panthers are also bringing in No. 44 PG James Robinson, who is the fifth-best point guard in the class.

These two will form a good connection and they will give Pitt a good inside game, as Robinson is a great passer.

10. Providence Friars

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SG Ricardo Ledo

The Providence Friars are looking to develop into a relevant program, and this class will help.

The Friars recruited well to end the summer, but have done nothing since then..

While they've secured commitments from No. 22 SG Ricardo Ledo, No. 29 PG Kris Dunn and SG Josh Fortune, these players don't make Providence elite...yet.

The Friars want to become relevant again, and these players will surely help, but if they aim to become a Top-25 program, they'll need a few more classes like this one.

9. Kansas Jayhawks

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: PF Perry Ellis

The Kansas Jayhawks appear on my list after not being ranked last month. Bill Self has finally cracked the Top 15 with his 2012 class, and it's a big one.

Self knows that he is going to lose quite a bit of talent at the end of the season to the NBA, and he needs to stock up again this year. He is bringing in five recruits, two of whom are Top 100 recruits.

No. 30 PF Perry Ellis heads the class, while No. 48 SF Andrew White is also in the Top 100. The class also has PF Landen Lucas, SG Anrio Adams and PF Zach Peters.

The Jayhawks will need to make up for the loss of Tyshawn Taylor, Jordan Juenemann and Connor Teahan. Thomas Robinson will also probably leave, and with good reason if you know his story.

8. Michigan Wolverines

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: C Mitch McGary

The Michigan Wolverines thought they had just won the lottery when they were chosen by PF Mitch McGary, who was ranked No. 2 in the nation at that time. Now, however, he is ranked No. 21 in the country.

McGary has disappointed in his senior season, which has many scouts backing off of their high ranking of him at the end of the summer.

Luckily for Michigan McGary is not their only recruit, as they also have No. 26 SF Glenn Robinson and No. 78 SF Nik Stauskas joining them.

The Wolverines may feel a bit of a let down from McGary, but they still have a great class.

7. Indiana Hoosiers

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: PG Yogi Ferrell

Tom Crean's Indiana Hoosiers haven't had a 2012 recruit commit to them in almost a full year. They had a very early start, however, landing five recruits, including three in the Top 100. Their class was once ranked No. 1 in the country, but they must settle for No. 7 now.

The class contains No. 32 PG Yogi Ferrell, No. 38 SF Jeremy Holloway and No. 69 PF Hanner Mosquera-Perea. They'll also be joined by SG Ron Patterson and C Peter Jurkin, who could have made a top-125 list in the minds of most recruiting nerds, like myself.

Indiana is already a highly ranked team, due in part to freshman Cody Zeller. If any of these recruits turn out to be as good as Zeller, Indiana will be competing for the Big Ten crown.

6. Michigan State Sparatans

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 4

Top Recruit: SG Gary Harris

Tom Izzo is bringing in even more elite recruits than usual this year, and his Michigan State Spartans will have success for years to come with these guys on the team.

Shooting guard Gary Harris is the No. 10 player in the nation and the No. 1 shooting guard. Harris heads the class and will be an instant-impact player, as he will be a starter next season.

The class also features PF Kenny Kaminski, C Matt Costello and SF Denzel Valentine, all of whom are in the Top 100 in the class of 2012.

With either Keith Appling or Branden Dawson playing point guard, these four guys can form a core that will keep Michigan State on the national stage for years to come. Would you expect anything else from Tom Izzo's crew?

5. North Carolina State Wolfpack

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Best Recruit: SG Rodney Purvis

Named as the head coach of North Carolina State less than 10 months ago, Mark Gottfried has already put together an amazing recruiting class at NC State.

No. 19 Rodney Purvis is arguably the best shooting guard in the 2012 class, while No. 28 T.J. Warren is an elite small forward. No. 43 Tyler Lewis is a good point guard who will play for a few years, and these guys will be the foundation on which Gottfried builds the Wolfpack back up.

With three Top 100 recruits (two of which are in the Top 25), Gottfried has a good recruiting class that should become even better soon.

The Wolfpack could have been No. 2 in my rankings at one point, after SG Torian Graham committed to them, but he then decommitted shortly afterward. This is the second time Graham has teased the Wolfpack like that.

NC State should still land Graham, however, as they appear to be the only school on his list that he is very excited about. While he has decommitted from them twice, the third time will be the charm.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 4

Best Recruit: PG Marcus Paige

Do you remember when Roy Williams and the North Carolina weren't even on my list in October? They then jumped to No. 2 in November, and maintained that position in December. However, they are No. 4 in January, not because of any new commits, but because of the development of their players.

UNC's commits are still elite, but they have disappointed in the beginning of their senior seasons. The next school's commits have done even better than expected, and these two factors have North Carolina dropping to No. 4 in the nation.

Williams knows that he is going to lose just about his entire starting five after the season, as they all have NBA-level talent. It is because of that that his 2012 recruiting class relies on four players, who will help this team maintain their national prestige.

No. 22 PG Marcus Paige, No. 29 PF Brice Johnson, No. 65 SF J.P. Tokoto and No. 76 C Joel James are all great players who will help replenish this team. They will have to have an immediate impact with players like Harrison Barnes, Tyler Zeller, John Henson and Kendall Marshall all potentially leaving next season.

Look for these guys to have a good amount of playing time next year.

3. Texas Longhorns

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 4

Top Recruit: C Cameron Ridley

Rick Barnes is bringing in five new recruits this year, and what is more surprising is that all of them are from the United States. Known for recruiting international players, he missed out on the best international recruit in C Steven Adams who ranks No. 5 in the class.

Barnes' top recruit in 2012 is No. 7 C Cameron Ridley, who I've compared to Tristan Thompson. He is an elite big man who will be an instant-star in Texas.

C Prince Ibeh, PF Connor Lammert, PG Javan Felix and SF Ioannis Papapetrou round out the class, with Papapetrou being the only one who is not a Top 100 recruit.

Barnes was certainly busy, and his hard work paid off, as his class is now No. 3 in the country.

2. Kentucky Wildcats

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: SG Archie Goodwin

John Calipari was at it again this year, bringing in three recruits in the Top 30. No. 14 Archie Goodwin heads the class, but No. 15 Alex Poythress is very athletic and may be just as good. No. 39 Willie Cauley brings height to this team, as he is a 6'10" center.

Calipari has had the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation every year since he came to Lexington to join the Kentucky Wildcats. He ranks No. 2 as of now, but he is still recruiting some of the best players in the country.

Shabazz Muhammad is first ion Calipari's wish list, as he is the No. 1 player in the country. He would love to land Anthony Bennett, Tony Parker or Amile Jefferson, as he still needs a good power forward now that Terrence Jones will be in the NBA next season. Devonta Pollard is also on Calipari's radar, and he fits the typical mold of a Kentucky player.

Far from done recruiting, Calipari is still pursuing the five best recruits in the nation left unsigned, and I would be absolutely shocked if he didn't land two of them.

Muhammad appears to be leaning toward Kentucky, and as of now I believe he will be in Lexington next year. Calipari will also make sure he gets one of the three power forwards on his list, giving him five Top 40 recruits, and most likely the best recruiting class in the nation.

However, for now that honor belongs to this next program.

1. Arizona Wildcats

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 4

Top Recruit: C Kaleb Tarczewski

Sean Miller was busy this year, forming one of the greatest recruiting classes in history. Led by three players ranked in the Top 10 in the class, Miller's class is head-and-shoulders above the rest.

No. 4 C Kaleb Tarczewski is the best player in the class, but not by much. No. 8 Grant Jerrett and No. 9 Brandon Ashley are right behind Tarc, and No. 35 Gabe York is probably the most grossly underrated player in the class, as he is a highly skilled point guard.

Miller's class is already good enough to make the Wildcats a Top 25 team, but it may get even better. Miller and Arizona are still recruiting No. 1 Shabazz Muhammad (although it appears unlikely that he will go to Zona), No. 6 Anthony Bennett whose high school teammates, Ashley, is already headed to Arizona and No. 80 Torian Graham (who appears to belong to North Carolina State).

While it's unlikely that they land a fifth Top 35 recruit, it is possible, and with Miller's recruiting talent it would not be unheard of.

Miller brings in four legitimate stars next year, and Arizona will dominate in the Pac-12 next year.

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