20 Best Defenders Among the Top 2015 College Basketball Recruits

College basketball coaches spend nearly as much time searching for their next great player as they do working with the ones they already have on the roster. Finding prospects who can lead to future (or sustained) success is a huge part of the job.

And one of the toughest parts of that time spent on the recruiting trail is finding prospects who can play defense.

Most of the highlights in recruits' mix tapes involve dunks, drives and drained jumpers, but being able to defend and deny is just as important for some when it comes to landing a scholarship with a major program. Being able to score at will is nice, but coaches are also looking for guys who can make a stop and contribute on both ends of the court.

We've taken a look at the top prospects listed on 247Sports' composite rankings and found the 20 best defenders in the 2015 class.

KeVaughn Allen

Position: Shooting guard

Height, weight: 6'2", 165 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 52nd

Status: Committed to Florida

Florida finished third in scoring defense last season at 57.8 points allowed per game, something it was able to do because all five players on the court were devoted to stopping the opponent. That is a good way to describe KeVaughn Allen, a 4-star guard from Little Rock who committed to the Gators in April.

Allen, who chose Florida over offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Connecticut, Memphis and Mississippi State, has gotten raves for his long arms that are able to get into passing lanes and successfully reach in while guarding on the perimeter. During this summer's Peach Jam tournament, Allen showed off his quick hands by stealing it from high-profile guard Antonio Blakeney at mid-court and then going in for a dunk.

Carlton Bragg

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'8", 205

Recruiting ranking: 16th

Status: Uncommitted

The top-rated player in Ohio is mulling offers from the likes of Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio State and UCLA, and all of those suitors are after him not just for his offensive low-post skills but also because of how he protects the rim and defends the interior.

Bragg, from Cleveland, will be among a handful of top recruits that Kansas is expected to host at its Late Night in the Phog event on October 10, according to recruiting analyst Chip Miller.

Jaylen Brown

Position: Small forward

Height, weight: 6'7", 217 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 2nd

Status: Uncommitted

The nation's top-rated uncommitted 2015 prospect plans to wait until the spring signing period to determine where he'll play college, according to Michael Carvell of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. That will just mean coaches recruiting Jaylen Brown will have more opportunities to rave about this wing's great defensive skills.

While still developing his raw offensive skills, Scout.com's Rob Harrington said Brown could get by just on his defense. In August he wrote that the Marietta, Georgia, product is "capable of shutting down even the best scorers thanks to his athleticism, strength, wingspan and toughness."

Thomas Bryant

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'9", 217 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 25th

Status: Uncommitted

A standout from upstate New York, Thomas Bryant is heading into his second year playing for well-known basketball factory Huntington Prep in West Virginia. Last season he played alongside Missouri freshman Montaque Gill-Caesar, and the pair were a dominant duo on both ends of the court.

Bryant possesses great hands and great on-ball defense for a player his size, which is why he's so highly coveted. He officially visited Syracuse earlier this month, and has planned visits in October to Indiana and Missouri, which is where former Huntington Prep coach Rob Fulford is now an assistant coach.

Chance Comanche

Position: Center

Height, weight: 6'9", 185 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 53rd

Status: Committed to Arizona

Chance Comanche took himself off the market earlier this month when he pledged to Arizona for 2015, where he'll be expected to buy in to Sean Miller's defensive-minded approach to winning. That's what Comanche has done best so far, showing off a great leaping ability to block shots and make up for his thin frame.

Comanche's travel team coach, Ryan Silver, told Bruce Pascoe of the Arizona Daily Star that Comanche "He needs to get stronger but he will. When he puts it all together, it will be scary."

Deyonta Davis

Position: Center

Height, weight: 6'8", 205 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 24th

Status: Committed to Michigan State

Michigan State usually has some of the best interior defenders in the country, and that looks to be the case again when the 2015-16 season comes around. Deyonta Davis, who committed to the Spartans last December, learned early on that defense would get him far as an undersized center.

Davis' Future150 scouting report lists that he excelled during the NBA Top 100 camp in June, when he rebounded the ball well on both ends of the court and blocked shots at a high rate.

Tyler Davis

Position: Center

Height, weight: 6'9", 269 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 33rd

Status: Committed to Texas A&M

Despite committing to Texas A&M in late August, Tyler Davis continues to visit other schools that are interested in his skills as a big man who can contribute on offense and defense. He visited Baylor on Aug. 30 and is on the attendee list for Kansas' Midnight Madness event in October, according to 247Sports' Matt Scott.

Davis, out of Plano, Texas, is still getting pursued by schools because of his great upper-body strength and shot-blocking skills, which will be a boon to A&M if it can hold on to this talented prospect.

Cheick Diallo

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'9", 218 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 4th

Status: Uncommitted

Cheick Diallo is arguably the top overall defensive prospect in the class of 2015, as the New York City-area product rose in the rankings over the summer while getting a lot of attention from top programs.

Diallo is continuing to learn on the offensive end, but his ability to defend the interior and terrorize players when they drive into the lane has earned him offers from all over the country. He has visited Kansas, Kentucky and Iowa State already and plans to visit St. John's in October.

Daniel Giddens

Position: Center

Height, weight: 6'10", 235 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 45th

Status: Committed to Ohio State

Daniel Giddens figures to look really good in the silver and red of Ohio State, where his great inside presence will give the Buckeyes a dominant scorer and defender in another season.

OSU plucked Giddens out of SEC territory in Georgia, zeroing in on his knack for providing great help defense in addition to all of the normal attributes you'll find from talented big men. Giddens helped develop those skills as part of Team USA's under-16 national team in 2013 and as part of the tryout camp for the under-17 team that played in the World Championships.

Jessie Govan

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'10", 250 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 46th

Status: Committed to Georgetown

The most successful teams in Georgetown's history have been strong on the inside, where major shot-blockers from Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo to Othella Harrington and Roy Hibbert have roamed the paint and made opposing shooters think twice. It's too early to say if Jessie Govan will join that list of greats, but he's already showing a knack for strong defensive play.

Govan, a New York product who chose the Hoyas in May over Connecticut, Ohio State and Syracuse. Already a huge body at 250 pounds, he's got room to grow but still has the leaping ability to get up and block while showing a nose for rebounds.

Brandon Ingram

Position: Small forward

Height, weight: 6'8", 180 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 18th

Status: Uncommitted

With a frame that resembles a young Kevin Durant but the kind of skills that could make him a future Jerry Stackhouse, Brandon Ingram projects to be just as good of a defender as he's already shown on the recruiting trail as an offensive threat.

With long arms and great lateral movement, Ingram has the potential to be a great defender, once he adds some bulk. "I know people question my frame," he told Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog. "It is something I plan to build on as I grow as a player. Adding size is a slow process, and I am being patient with it."

Derrick Jones

Position: Small forward

Height, weight: 6'6", 180 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 41st

Status: Uncommitted

Derrick Jones put up some huge offensive numbers during the summer at the Reebok Classic Breakout, helping him rise in the recruiting rankings and pick up offers to give him more options for his future. Jones has a final list of nine schools, according to 247Sports.

Though the offensive aspect of his skill set is what first drew recruiters, Jones has showed a more well-rounded game of late by using his speed and athleticism to develop as a defensive rebounding and shot blocker.

Skal Labissiere

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'10", 220 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 7th

Status: Uncommitted

In August, Skal Labissiere narrowed his list of schools to six, with Baylor, Georgia, Kentucky, Memphis, North Carolina and Tennessee all making the cut. They're all hoping that Labissiere chooses to stay in the United States, despite telling CBS Sports' Gary Parrish that "overseas is an option" back in July.

If he sticks around, he projects to be an elite college defender because of his long arms and great shot-blocking ability. He'll need to add more muscle and get stronger, but for now, his lean frame allows him to be quick in the defensive transition.

King McClure

Position: Shooting guard

Height, weight: 6'3", 205 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 74th

Status: Committed to Baylor

When Baylor landed an early commitment from King McClure last spring, it got a gifted scorer who should have a major impact on the Bears' offense during the 2015-16 season. But even if he struggles to put up big numbers at the college level, he figures to get plenty of minutes in Big 12 play for his ability to guard some of the best ball-handlers in the nation.

McClure chose Baylor over a bevy of big-name schools like Arkansas, Kansas, SMU and UCLA. They were all hoping to secure that unique guard who puts just as much effort into breaking down defenders as he does avoiding the same happening to him.

Doral Moore

Position: Center

Height, weight: 7'0", 220 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 59th

Status: Uncommitted

One of the few true 7-footers in the 2015 recruiting class, Doral Moore is getting pursued by Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio State and Wake Forest. That final list of five wants to secure a prospect that "uses his length and athleticism to quickly react by guarding the paint," according to Johnny Carthens of Phenom Hoop Report.

Moore, a Georgia native, has shown he's not just in there to block or alter shots. His ability to help on double-teams keep him from being the kind of liability that some big men have when too focused on blocking shots.

Ivan Rabb

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'10", 210

Recruiting ranking: 6th

Status: Uncommitted

One of the most sought after players still out there in the 2015 class also happens to be one of the most well-regarded defensive players, as Ivan Rabb has schools from both coasts (and nearly everywhere in between) hoping he'll bring his skills to their campus.

Rabb has been getting credit for great defensive play since he was a sophomore, earning top defending honors at the 2013 Elite Youth Basketball League. Since then, others have seen how this strong but swift big man has been able to excel as both a shot blocker but also a great interior defender.

Ben Simmons

Position: Small forward

Height, weight: 6'8", 190 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 1st

Status: Committed to LSU

The top overall prospect in the 2015 recruiting class gave his pledge to LSU nearly a year ago, but even with that decision out of the way, Ben Simmons hasn't stopped working to become a better player. One of the most energetic guys out there, Simmons' motor runs just as hard on defense as it does when he's got the ball in his hands.

Simmons, who is from Australia, was described as an "athletic, long freak" by Joey Velasquez of Mid Major Hoops Report while participating in the LeBron James Skills Academy in Las Vegas during the summer. He went toe-to-toe with top offensive prospects like Jalen Brunson and more than held his own.

Horace Spencer

Position: Power forward

Height, weight: 6'8", 215 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 50th

Status: Committed to Auburn

As part of Bruce Pearl's post-show-of-cause-penalty recruiting haul in late August, Horace Spencer pledged himself to be part of the projected Auburn turnaround. With the Tigers, he'll be expected to contribute on both ends, something Spencer has shown a knack for the past two years.

Spencer, a Pennsylvania native who is wrapping up his high school career at Findlay Prep in Nevada, has showed off a myriad of defensive skills, including the ability to guard ball-handlers and crash the boards while also impacting shots.

Ray Smith

Position: Small forward

Height, weight: 6'7", 185 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 14th

Status: Committed to Arizona

Ray Smith tore his ACL during the summer, putting a sour note on what had been a big offseason for the Las Vegas native on the recruiting trail. Not long after the injury, he committed to Arizona, which still has faith in Smith's ability to be a major contributor on defense.

Smith's acumen for rebounding has been strong on both ends, as he crashes the boards like players much bigger and stronger than him. The knee injury could slow down his offensive moves, but he should still be a big piece of Arizona's defensive game plan.

Caleb Swanigan

Position: Center

Height, weight: 6'8", 265 lbs

Recruiting ranking: 12th

Status: Uncommitted

Caleb Swanigan is among the most physically imposing players in the 2015 recruiting class, a big man who already has NBA size but will need to get more sculpted to play at that level. For now, though, he's got what it takes to dominate on the collegiate level.

Swanigan has great footwork and rebounds on the defensive end as well as any power forward in the 2015 class, and interest from schools like Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan State and UCLA prompted him to reclassify from the 2016 group in May.

All recruiting ranking information courtesy of 247Sports.

Follow Brian J. Pedersen on Twitter at @realBJP.