Nerlens Noel Highlights Class That Ensures Kentucky Will Remain at the Top

Kentucky is set to lose a ton of talent to the NBA draft, but it will be hard to tell by watching next year's team. 

Under John Calipari, Kentucky has turned into a team that does not rebuild; they reload. Despite lineups that consistently feature one-and-done players like Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, the Wildcats manage to add top-notch players that are ready to take their place. 

This next season, they might feature one that is better than all of those that came before him. 

Nerlens Noel, the 7' center who many considered the prize of this recruiting class, will step right in and fill Anthony Davis' sizable shoes. 

Noel is long and athletic. He can run the floor and finish breaks. He has nice touch and a solid post game. However, in this area, he's not quite as polished as Davis, and it's at the other end where he will outperform Davis. 

Noel is a great defender, and he absolutely excels at shot-blocking. Here is ESPN's college basketball expert Dick Vitale on Noel's shot-blocking. 

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I saw him myself at the City of Palms tournament in Fort Myers, Florida and was totally impressed. Noel is as good a shot-blocker as I have ever seen on the scholastic ranks.

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Noel is going to anchor this defense to an amazing season. His shot-blocking will allow his fellow defenders to crowd right up on their man and eliminate the outside shot. 

Noel will not be alone either, which is good because the Cats could lose as many as five underclassmen.

The Wildcats will be welcoming other top recruits in Alex Poythress, Archie Goodwin and Willie Cauley.

Goodwin is an outstanding shooting guard prospect. Poythress is a lanky and athletic wing who will help fill the role previously occupied by Terrence Jones, and Cauley is another 7' stud that will give Kentucky length in the front that's nearly impossible to match. 

The Wildcats may have lost an incredible wealth of talent, but they just keep bringing in more treasures.