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

Even though the 2011-12 college basketball season is just around the corner, these 15 programs have done serious work to land great 2012 recruits, building the best 2012 recruiting classes (so far).

These teams may miss some of the biggest names in college basketball recruiting, but they have done a lot of work and earned their spots on this list.

Teams like Duke, North Carolina and Kentucky still have time to work their way onto this list, but the list of top recruiting teams currently has a lot of new faces.

15. Oklahoma State Cowboys

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 1

Best Recruit: SG Marcus Smart

The Oklahoma State Cowboys have already brought in four recruits, led by Marcus Smart, who is listed as No. 11 by ESPN.

The class also consists of PF Kamari Murphy, SG Phil Forte and SG Adam Wing, all of whom are good players who just missed out on the top 100.

The Cowboys are going to have a great 2012 recruiting class when all's said and done.

14. North Carolina State Wolfpack

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Best Recruit: SG Rodney Purvis

Due to the very recent commitment of SG Rodney Purvis, the North Carolina State Wolfpack scrape this list at No. 14. Purvis is No. 16 in the ESPNU Top 100, and is fifth among shooting guards.

The Wolfpack has also brought in PG Tyler Lewis, who is No. 69 according to ESPN.

Purvis and Lewis make a great backcourt for the Wolfpack, and another top-notch recruit or two could make NC State a serious contender in the ACC in 2012.

13. Houston Cougars

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SF Danuel House

The Houston Cougars bring in three top recruits: SF Danuel House (No. 15), PF Danrad Knowles (No. 56) and C Valentine Izundu. House is their best recruit, but Knowles is also in the Top 100, while Izundu missed the cut.

Houston has not had a lot of success in recent memory, but they were once an elite team, and they could be heading down that path again if they continue to work on the 2012 class and bring in a few more recruiting classes like this one.

12. Iowa Hawkeyes

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Adam Woodbury

The Iowa Hawkeyes have been busy, already landing five recruits for their 2012 class. Among them are ESPNU Top 100 recruits C Adam Woodbury (No. 41) and PG Mike Gesell (No. 73).

Iowa's class focuses on centers and point guards, with two of each, and a solid shooting guard in the form of Patrick Ingram.

The Hawkeyes will have an exceptional 2012 class if they keep this up, and we could see another class like St. John's 2011 signings before three of their 11 recruits were ruled ineligible.

11. Villanova Wildcats

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: PG Ryan Arcidiacono

The Villanova Wildcats have only brought in two recruits, but they are both elite recruits. PG Ryan Arcidiacono and C Daniel Ochefu are both in the ESPNU Top 100 at No. 34 and No. 40, respectively.

The Wildcats have the potential to build a great team around these two players. They also have two more elite recruits considering the school, including one ranked even higher than Arcidiacono.

Look for the Wildcats to have a seriously good 2012 class.

10. Virginia Cavaliers

Recruits: 4

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: SF Justin Anderson

The Virginia Cavaliers bring in four good recruits, including three in the ESPNU Top 100. SF Justin Anderson (No. 61), SF Evan Nolte (No. 71) and C Mike Tobey (No. 77) are the headliners.

The Cavaliers are going big, with Nolte at 6'7" and Tobey at 6'11". Anderson will probably convert to shooting guard because he is only 6'5", but he has played small forward in high school.

Virginia needs to try to stock up on talent before Pittsburgh and Syracuse make the ACC the best conference in college basketball.

9. Maryland Terrapins

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Shaquille Cleare

The Maryland Terrapins have already received three commits, as they join other ACC teams trying to regain some former glory in a conference that is about to become the best in college basketball.

Led by C Shaquille Cleare, this class also features SF Jake Layman. Cleare and Layman are No. 39 and No. 53 in the ESPNU Top 100, respectively. The Terps will also be joined by SG Seth Allen, who could be in the Top 100 by the end of the season.

Maryland is in the top half of the ACC, and they should surprise people if these three develop into good players.

8. Texas Longhorns

Recruits: 2

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Cameron Ridley

The Texas Longhorns relied on big man Tristan Thompson last season, and they are going to have another big man to lead their team in 2012.

Cameron Ridley is a 6'10" center who is ranked the third-best center and No. 8 in the 2012 recruiting class. He is an incredible player, and he is the fourth-best player to commit so far.

The Longhorns also bring in PG Javan Felix, who is ranked No. 70 in the class. Felix is a quick player who can create for others, and we can't wait to see him lobbing up passes to Ridley.

The 2012 Texas team (and hopefully a few more after that) will feature Ridley and a good surrounding cast including Felix, and they could once again be on their way up in the college basketball world.

7. Michigan State Spartans

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: PF Kenny Kaminski

The Michigan State Spartans have gotten a head-start on recruiting for the 2012 class, and they have already landed three Top 100 recruits.

Led by PF Kenny Kaminski (No. 66), the class also includes C Matt Costello (No. 85) and SF Denzel Valentine (No. 87).

The Spartans have put together a good frontcourt for the future, as none of these guys will leave after one year.

6. Baylor Bears

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: C Isaiah Austin

The Baylor Bears have landed the best recruit to commit so far: C Isaiah Austin. Austin is No. 3 in the class, and he will be a dominant player.

The Bears also have PG L.J. Rose (No. 74) and C Chad Rykhoek joining them.

The Bears were pleasantly surprised by F/C Perry Jones returning for his sophomore season, and if he were to stay for another year and play alongside Austin, Rose and Rykhoek, the Bears could be a Final Four team.

5. Pittsburgh Panthers

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 1

Top Recruit: C Steven Adams

The Pittsburgh Panthers import talent from New Zealand in the form of Steven Adams. You may not have heard of Adams yet because he is not on Pittsburgh's ESPN recruiting page or in the ESPNU Top 100, but he would be around No. 4 in the nation.

Adams showcased his talent at the 2011 Adidas Nations, and he will be an elite player. The Panthers also bring in PG James Robinson (No. 48), who is their only ESPNU Top 100 player so far.

Adams will lead the Panthers, and you'll know his name soon enough.

4. Providence Friars

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 2

Top Recruit: SG Ricardo Ledo

The Providence Friars have not been a very good basketball school in recent memory, but they could be looking up. The Friars have recruited heavily in the 2012 class, and the fruits of their labor are SG Ricardo Ledo (No. 22), PG Kris Dunn (No. 29) and SG Josh Fortune.

Fortune could make the Top 100 by the end of the season.

Providence could be trying to improve their basketball program for the future because Ledo and Dunn will definitely be there for multiple years. Look for Providence to be a top-25 team over the next few years.

3. Indiana Hoosiers

Recruits: 5

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: PG Yogi Ferrell

The Indiana Hoosiers have been busy, already bringing in five recruits for the 2012 season. They have literally brought in an entire starting lineup, as they have two guards, two forwards and a center.

The class is headlined by their three Top 100 players: PG Yogi Ferrell (No. 33), PF Hanner Perea (No. 47) and SF Jeremy Holloway (No. 58). They also have SG Ron Patterson and C Peter Jurkin.

The Hoosiers aren't falling out of the top 15 with the talent they have guaranteed themselves, and they could move into the top spot with another recruit or two.

2. UCLA Bruins

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: SF Kyle Anderson

The UCLA Bruins have developed a good recruiting class, led by star small forward Kyle Anderson, who is ranked No. 5 in the class by ESPN.

Anderson is joined by SF Jordan Adams (No. 50) and PG Dominic Artis (No. 72).

Shabazz Muhammad, the No. 1 over all recruit, may also sign. UCLA is one of about eight schools still on his list, but the fact that Anderson joined does not hurt their chances.

UCLA already has a great class, and it could become exceptional.

1. Arizona Wildcats

Recruits: 3

ESPNU Top 100 Recruits: 3

Top Recruit: PF Brandon Ashley

Forget Derrick Williams, the Arizona Wildcats bring in two superstars to join their team in the 2012-13 season.

PF Brandon Ashley (No. 4) and PF Grant Jerrett (No. 9) are both top 10 recruits. The team will play them side by side, and they will become a dynamic duo.

SG Gabe York (No. 36), one of the top shooting guards, also joins the team.

The Wildcats only have three recruits, but they are all elite, and one more recruit like these guys could give this class a John Calipari-like feel.

Josh Schoch is an aspiring sportswriter bringing you everything related to college basketball, the NFL, NBA, MLB and much more. Follow him on Twitter or Like him on Facebook.