Pac-12 Early Signing Period: Ducks, Cardinal lead the pack
With the Early Signing Period coming to a close this week, most commitments have put pen to paper and made things official. It’s also a perfect time to evaluate the week that was with a conference-by-conference look at the work being done on the trail. Up next is the Pac-12.
*****
EARLY SIGNING PERIOD REVIEW: Big Ten | ACC | SEC
MORE EARLY SIGNING PERIOD: Early period winners | Which unsigned prospect is the toughest to predict? | Three programs that could finish strong | Early Signing Period blog | How things stand with final eight 2021 five-star players | Which class outside the top 15 could surprise? | Florida Man blog
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
*****
TOP CLASS - Oregon
The Ducks' class is built on a foundation created by five-star Nathan Bittle, a 6-foot-11, five-star center from Northern California. There’s some buzz that Bittle could arrive on campus as an early enrollee next month, but nothing on that front has been confirmed just yet.
Four-star center Franck Kepnang was a nice surprise for Oregon, as his recruitment seemed contested right until the moment he announced. Bittle and Kepnang should combine to make an early impact on the Oregon frontcourt and have skillsets that complement each other relatively well.
The Ducks also signed Rivals150 wing Johnathan Lawson.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH OREGON FANS AT DUCKSPORTSAUTHORITY.COM
*****
SECOND-BEST CLASS: Stanford
As outlined below, Harrison Ingram is the headliner of Stanford’s early period haul. One of the most versatile prospects in this class, the 6-foot-7 Ingram selected the Cardinal over Michigan, North Carolina, Harvard, Purdue and others. Ingram is the second-highest rated recruit in program history behind Ziaire Williams, who is currently on the Stanford roster.
Ingram is joined in the two-member class by Isael Silva, a four-star guard out of Northern California.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH STANFORD FANS AT CARDINALSPORTSREPORT.COM
*****
TOP-RANKED SIGNEE: Harrison Ingram
Ingram, who signed with Stanford during the early period, is a point forward with impressive ball-handling skills. And while he’s not a freak athlete by any stretch, his passing and rebounding ability allow him to impact the game in a number of different ways.
He boasts solid length for a wing and plays tenacious defense. Ingram makes good decisions with the basketball and rarely turns it over. Stanford is getting as steady a player as there is in the class.
*****
SURPRISING CLASS: Arizona
The instability created by the NCAA investigation of head coach Sean Miller’s program may have impeded recruiting a bit, but it certainly hasn’t destroyed it. The Wildcats won an in-state battle by landing the commitment of four-star guard Shane Dezonie over Arizona State and others.
In addition to signing Dezonie, the Wildcats also sealed the deal with Rivals150 prospect Shane Nowell, who had offers from Kansas, Oklahoma and others, as well as K.J. Simpson Jr. Simpson is a point guard ranked No. 93 and should impact the program immediately because of his floor presence and ability to set up teammates.
Arizona’s class ranks sixth in the Pac-12, which certainly isn’t outstanding by the lofty standard the program has set in the past, but it’s much better than most teams could hope for after being accused of multiple Level 1 NCAA violations less than a month before the signing period.