Anthony Bennett and Mid-Major Freshmen Who Will Be Huge Contributors in 2012-13

Anthony Bennett's decision to go to UNLV over a powerhouse school like Kentucky or Florida proved that mid-majors are closing the gap on power-conference schools because of recruiting.

Success in college basketball begins on the recruiting trail, and the reason Shaka Smart's VCU teams and Brad Stevens' Butler teams made noise in the NCAA tournament over the last three years is because these two coaches are great recruiters, as well as coaches.

Mid-majors are doing better than ever before when it comes to college basketball now. More than a dozen different mid-majors were ranked in the Top 25 last season, including powerhouses like Murray State, UNLV, Creighton and Wichita State.

Players like Bennett are picking mid-major schools for different reasons, including staying close to home (which Bennett did) or preferring to be the star of a program.

These players are helping to revolutionize the college basketball world by helping small schools make national headlines, especially during March Madness.

The Class of 2012 has a lot of elite players choosing mid-majors, and these are the ones who will be stars at their respective programs.

*Note: For the purposes of this list, mid-majors are considered schools that were not in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Big East, Pac-12 or SEC during the 2011-12 season because that is when these players were recruited.

Honorable Mentions

These players just missed the cutoff but will still be good players as freshmen:

Skylar Spencer, San Diego State

Mike Hall, Harvard

Myles Davis, Xavier

Damien Wilson, Memphis

Demetris Morant, UNLV

Daniel Dingle, Temple

15. Jerome Hairston, Towson

School: Towson

Conference: CAA

With a 1-31 record on the season, I have no idea how Towson is bringing in five recruits and one JUCO transfer, but the Tigers have found a way to bring good players into the program.

Jerome Hairston is the best of these six new players, and he is the one who will have the biggest impact next season.

Hairston is a versatile point guard who is an excellent passer, but he can also score. He is a good player who will be seeing a lot of playing time with Towson.

The Tigers ranked dead-last in the nation in assists and points per game, but Hairston has the potential to considerably boost those stats. He does a great job of moving the ball, and he knows how to push the tempo.

Hairston is a smart player who knows what he has to work with, and he will not be pushing his team too far, unlike most other young players.

While his stats probably won't blow you away because he is surrounded by the worst team in college basketball from last season, he is going to be huge for the school.

14. Jordan Hare, Rhode Island

School: Rhode Island

Conference: A-10

Jordan Hare is a 6'10" center who is going to help Rhode Island remain among the best rebounding schools in the country. The Rams ranked No. 24 last season with 38.4 boards per contest, but Hare's size and ability will help the young team remain dominant on the glass.

Hare is not overwhelmingly big for his 6'10" frame and will need to put on some muscle, but starting his college weight-lifting program will do him a lot of good.

He is a great shot-blocker because of his height, length, timing and athleticism. He can be a force in the paint on the defensive end, which is where he excels.

On offense Hare does most of his scoring from within a few feet of the basket, thanks to his many dunks. He could work on his game with his back to the basket, but his athleticism allows him to attack the basket well.

Hare is still raw—and there's no getting around that fact—but he is working to improve and will be vital for URI's success in the A-10.

13. Chris Washburn, UTEP

School: UTEP

Conference: C-USA

Chris Washburn Jr. is the son of the former North Carolina State player who was a bust in the NBA due to a drug problem.

CW2 still has high hopes, as he is developing into a great basketball player and has not reached his potential yet.

The 6'8" power forward from Texas did not make the cut for ESPN's Top 100 recruits in the Class of 2012, but that is because he has not yet finishing improving his game. He is a raw talent who has a lot of potential but needs to keep playing in order to attain it.

Washburn Jr. will be going to UTEP next season, where he will be given the chance to play early and often. He is going to try to evade his father's unforgiving shadow by developing into a great player, and the Miners will help him do so.

12. Twymond Howard, UTEP

School: UTEP

Conference: C-USA

Twymond Howard is a big, athletic small forward who will be joining Chris Washburn of the previous slide at UTEP next season.

He is an exceptional athlete who loves to drive to the rim, where he can finish through contact. He is a strong, determined player who is hard to keep out of the lane, and that is where he does most of his damage.

Howard's problem is his jumper. He is simply a poor shooter who will pass up open jumpers to drive because he knows he can't make them. He needs to add this element to his game before he becomes great, but he has time.

During his freshman season Howard will be looked to as a scoring threat. While he isn't going to be draining threes like some small forwards, he is going to be attacking the basket and will not be stopped.

11. Jordan Burgess, VCU

School: VCU

Conference: CAA

The brother of VCU star Bradford Burgess, who helped lead the school to the first Final Four in school history during the 2011 NCAA tournament, Jordan Burgess has also committed to the Rams.

Jordan comes to VCU the year after his brother departs, so we won't see the two play together. However, that will leave Jordan with a bigger role to play because he will not be sharing playing time with his brother.

Jordan is a guard-forward like his brother. He is about the same height and weight that Bradford was when he came to college, and the two play a similar style.

Burgess is a strong player who excels on the defensive end and can shoot from behind the arc at over 40 percent. Unfortunately, he also has a flaw when it comes to driving through the lane.

Comparisons between family members are always made in sports, but Jordan and Bradford Burgess are almost identical players.

Jordan will have to play well like his brother did if VCU is going to stay well-known and build upon its success, but I don't see that being a problem at all.

10. Maurice Watson, Boston University

School: Boston University

Conference: America East

Maurice Watson is an incredibly small point guard at 5'9" and 150 pounds. He knows the odds of him playing in the NBA one day are next to zero because of his size, which is why his decision about where to play his college ball hindered more on education than most Top 100 recruits.

Watson's size is a concern at times, but he makes up for it by being one of the fastest players in the Class of 2012. He is a true point guard who is a great passer and takes excellent care of the ball.

On offense, he is dangerous when he drives and can find open teammates on the perimeter or in the paint, while on defense he uses his quickness to disrupt opposing point guards.

What this kid lacks (apart from size) is a good jumper. If he can extend his range and improve his consistency, he has the potential to be a great player in college. However, he will still be one of BU's leaders next season and will have a big impact during all four years he is with the team.

9. Fred Van Vleet, Wichita State

School: Wichita State

Conference: MVC

The Wichita State Shockers emerged onto the college basketball scene this season, going 27-6 on the season and being considered one of the best mid-majors in the country.

The team is looking to bring in some talent to replicate last season's success over the next few years after losing seven-footer and team leader Garrett Stutz. One of the recruits who will help do that is Fred Van Vleet.

Van Vleet is another small point guard at just 5'11", but he has big skills. Like Maurice Watson of the last slide, Van Vleet is extremely quick and takes great care of the ball. He is a true point guard who will be a leader for the Shockers in time.

He is the type of player who knows when to attack and when to slow things down, but unlike most other small point guards, this kid can score. When he drives, he can finish with either hand, but he can also pull up for mid-range jumpers.

The only issue with this kid is that his size would hold him back, but playing in the Missouri Valley Conference, he won't be bullied by most point guards he faces.

8. Kellen Dunham, Butler

School: Butler

Conference: Horizon

Kellen Dunham is a smart shooting guard with good size at 6'5", and Brad Stevens will find a way to utilize his talents at Butler.

Dunham reminds me of a younger J.J. Redick. While he isn't going to be one of the most prolific corers and best three-point-shooters in history, this kid has the same mindset.

He is constantly moving and trying to find a way to score. He loves to take advantage of man-to-man pressure because he weaves around other players to create separation, and once he gets the ball in his hands, he has a quick release and a smooth shot.

Dunham is not a natural slasher, but if defenses don't respect his shot-fake, he can get into the paint for easy buckets.

This kid is going to be a big part of Stevens' offense at Butler. He is going to be getting his shots, which is all you have to give a kid like Dunham for him to be successful.

7. Robert Upshaw, Fresno State

School: Fresno State

Conference: WAC

After de-committing from Kansas State because coach Frank Martin left, Robert Upshaw then turned down elite schools like Louisville and Georgetown in order to play for Fresno State.

The 6'11", 250-pound beast will be dominating the paint. He elected to stay close to his Fresno, CA home and will now be playing against competition that is far below his level.

This kid could have been an impact player at any school in the country because of his size, skill and ability to be coached, but he chose to play for a small school in a mid-major conference.

Upshaw is now going to be able to completely dominate inside, thanks to his arsenal of moves in the paint on offense and his fearsome nature on defense. He will be unstoppable against most centers, and you can expect that he will be one of the best centers in the nation in terms of pure stats next season.

6. Winston Shepard, San Diego State

School: San Diego State

Conference: MWC

Winston Shepard is an incredibly gifted athlete. He has a high-energy motor and loves to run the floor.

He is at his best when he is able to get in transition because he can either get top the rim for easy baskets or pass to an open teammate.

On defense Shepard plays a disruptive style. He is not the best man-to-man defender, but he is smart and has a knack for finding the ball. He loves to step into passing lanes so that he can immediately begin his attack in transition.

Because Shepard puts forth the effort on every play he is greatly rewarded. This kid is rarely caught sleeping, and he can always be seen running with his team.

Shepard will be looked to to push the tempo and force the issue with the Aztecs. San Diego State needs an athlete like him to keep the school near the top of a rapidly improving MWC.

Shepard is the guy that this team will count on, and he is sure to have a major impact on every game he plays in.

5. Danrad Knowles, Houston

School: Houston

Conference: C-USA

Danrad Knowles is a long, lanky combo forward who will be bringing his talents to Houston. He is one of two freshmen on this list and will be vital in turning the program into a powerhouse.

Knowles is a bit like Amile Jefferson in the fact that both are listed as power forwards, but both are lanky and have the athleticism to convert to combo forwards. Jefferson is better at driving, but Knowles has the better shot.

Knowles is a good athlete who can use his talents to score, rebound, get out in transition or play good defense. He has a good jumper, which will certainly help him make the switch to a small forward in the future.

Knowles has a lot of potential. He needs a bit more coaching before he can become elite, but because he has chosen to go to a mid-major, he will be learning how to refine his game during actual games instead of practices.

Look for this kid to help lead Houston up the Conference USA ladder.

4. Katin Reinhardt, UNLV

School: UNLV

Conference: MWC

Katin Reinhardt is a 6'5" shooting guard who has a lot of potential and will be a major contributor for the Rebels right away,

He is a tall, long shooting guard who has made some truly spectacular plays. He has good range from behind the three-point-line and the ability to drive to the basket. He has a great pull-up game and plays with intensity on the defensive end of the floor.

Reinhardt appears to have everything a coach could want in a player. But he is raw. So very, very raw.

Reinhardt is going to need a lot of coaching before he can unlock his true potential. He has a relatively low basketball IQ, which means that he will force things and go for spectacular plays instead of smart ones.

Sometimes he tries to push too hard during games, while in other situations he will settle for long bombs that he rarely makes.

This kid has quite a few flaws that will need major attention as a player. However, he is coming into a system where he will be learning in-game instead of during practice. He will be forced to play from the first day, which will allow us to track his growth over the course of his time with UNLV.

Reinhardt has all the tools he needs to be great; he just needs to put them all together.

3. Shaq Goodwin, Memphis

School: Memphis

Conference: C-USA

Shaq Goodwin was also a highly touted football recruit, but the tight end who was capable of revolutionizing the position decided to play power forward instead.

He still has the incredible strength that made him a good blocker and the athleticism that allowed him to get down the field and jump up for easy receptions.

He will be transferring these skills to the court, where he is well-conditioned and can run up and down the court with apparent ease. He can also use his power to carve out space on the low post, and his athleticism to get up for alley-oops.

Goodwin will be key for Memphis next season, as the Tigers look to continue to dominate C-USA. His superior athleticism will yield fantastic results as a basketball player, and he can be counted upon to help lead the Tigers.

2. Danuel House, Houston

School: Houston

Conference: C-USA

Danuel House will be playing for the Houston Cougars in Conference USA next season, playing against Shaq Goodwin of the previous slide.

The Cougars will be relying on House to play major minutes during his freshman campaign, as he is one of the best small forwards in the country, and the team finished a disappointing 7-9 in conference play last season.

House is an incredibly gifted athlete. He loves to run the floor and finish in transition, using his natural abilities to his advantage. He is in his element when his team is running, as that suits his high-energy motor.

In the half-court set, House looks to attack the basket. He has decent range out to 18 feet and is working to improve it. He needs to add another element to his game before he can be ready for the NBA, but for now he is more than capable of dominating at the college level.

On defense he plays smart basketball, stepping into passing lanes or using his length to disrupt opponents. He can force a lot of turnovers, which will be enough for him to be a solid defender in C-USA.

House is going to have to step in and lead the team from the get-go, helped by Danrad Knowles from a previous slide.

1. Anthony Bennett, UNLV

School: UNLV

Conference: MWC 

Anthony Bennett would have had a huge impact at any program in the country next season, but because he will be playing for UNLV, he might have the biggest impact of any player in college basketball.

UNLV is trying to regain the prestige it had under Jerry Tarkanian and reenter the national stage. Bennett will be key in this revitalization.

He is a big power forward who has the strength and natural girth to play down low. While he isn't incredibly tall at 6'8", he is strong enough to impose his will in the paint. He also has an array of post moves that allow him to bet opponents night after night.

What makes Bennett the No. 7 player in the nation according to both ESPN and Rivals, and No. 6 in my rankings, is his ability to step out and shoot the three. His ability to shoot from range makes him a versatile player who warrants two defenders throughout the game: one to guard him inside and one to guard him on the perimeter.

Bennett is a game-changer who will be the leader of UNLV's reemergence onto the national scene, and his contributions next season will not go unnoticed.

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