Whether it is for the search of immediate playing time, prioritizing academics over sports or whatever reason, each year, dozens of three- and four-star recruits spurn multiple high-major offers to compete in low- and mid-major schools.
This series will discuss the best recruiting classes amongst each region’s mid-majors programs. To help us dig a little deeper into less talked about conferences, AAC, A-10, MWC and WCC teams will not be discussed.
First up: the best mid-major recruiting classes of the Southeast. For this exercise, we will consider Kentucky a southeastern state, while I admit that my ignorance of both the southeastern and midwest regions’ geography.
#1 Mid-Major Recruiting Class of the Northeast: Eastern Kentucky
247 Sports’ composite class rating: 67th best in the nation
Prospects ranked within 247’s composite rating:
#241 Leland Walker, 6’1 185 from Hargrave Military Academy, IN
Nine offers led by Xavier and Providence
#285 Tayshawn Comer, 6’1 190 from Cathedral HS, IN
Twelve offers led by Butler, Loyola-Chicago and Belmont
#325 David Onanina, 6’8 230 from Bishop O’Connell, VA
Three offers
Entering their second season in the Atlantic Sun conference, fifth-year head coach A.W. Hamilton’s frantically paced system makes for a fun landing spot for incoming talent.
Entering the 2022-23 season, the Colonels return just four players and 34% of their scoring, putting this year’s freshman class in prime position to soak up major minutes alongside senior forward Michael Moreno, junior forward Devonte Blanton and sharpshooting guard Cooper Robb.
With guards Russhard Cruickshank and Braxton Beverly graduating and Jomaru Brown transferring to Coastal Carolina, incoming freshmen Leland Walker and Tayshawn Comer are immediate candidates to start at the point.
Known for his explosive athleticism and ability to score at three levels, Leland Walker is more of a score-first combo guard while Tayshawn Comer does a bit of everything on the offensive end, averaging 17 points, 6.2 assists and 48% from deep in his last season at Cathedral High School, where he was named Indianapolis City Player of the Year.
Playing at Bishop O’Connell HS along with incoming Vanderbilt point guard Paul Lewis, David Onanina is a big tailor made for Hamilton’s fast pace. The capable rim-runner is tough under the basket offensively and defensively, finishing last season as one of the best shot blockers in the DMV area.
#2 Mid-Major Recruiting Class of the Northeast: Murray State
247 Sports’ composite class rating: 72nd best in the nation
Prospects ranked within 247’s composite rating:
#234 Sam Murray II, 6’8 190 from Harrison Central HS, MS
Ten offers led by Baylor, Texas, LSU and four other high-majors
#290 Braxton Stacker, 6’5 185 from Cardinal Ritter Prep, MO
Six offers
Matt McMahon’s hire by LSU inspired starters KJ Williams, Trae Hannibal and Juice Hill, as well as ‘22 commit Cornelious Williams, to follow their head coach to Baton Rouge, headlining a nearly full roster turnover at Murray State with D.J. Burns as the Racers’ only returning player.
Returning to Murray State after a six-year stint at Iowa State, head coach Steve Prohm put together an impressive twelve-man recruiting class that includes five incoming freshmen led by three-star prospects Sam Murray II and Braxton Stacker.
Murray II is an athletic small-ball, two-way four with length and quickness to guard multiple positions. While not a strong shooter, Murray likes to attack the basket and has the vision and smarts to find open teammates on the high post.
Similar to Murray II, Stacker is a long explosive athlete with high-end defensive potential and above the rim slashing ability. His shooting and passing needs improvement, but Murray State’s addition of strong shooters Rob Perry (Stetson, 15.9 ppg, 35.4 3p%), Kenny White (Tennessee Tech, 10.2 ppg, 39.8 3p%), Brian Moore (Northeast Oklahoma A&M CC, 18.4 ppg, 36.5 3p%), Jamari Smith (Queens (D2), 17.6 ppg, 40.0 3p%) and Quincy Anderson (Minnesota State (D2), 18.6 ppg, 41 3p%) make for shrewd additions to help open up the floor high Murray State’s high flying freshmen.
#3 Mid-Major Recruiting Class of the Northeast: Alabama State
247 Sports’ composite class rating: 90th best in the nation
Prospects ranked within 247’s composite rating:
#161 Amarr Knox, 6’3 170 from Bartlett HS, TN
Memphis decommit
Over the last six seasons, Alabama State has been arguably one of the worst programs in the nation, but new head coach Tony Madlock led a major recruiting boon, adding Memphis decommit Amarr Knox.
Expected to immediately start, Knox’s game is often compared to Ja Morant: great range paired with a quick burst and an ability to play through contact in spite of his slim frame.
Arriving in Montgomery along with his father is fellow Memphis product T.J. Madlock, making for a potential all-Memphis bred starting backcourt for the Hornets.
#4 Mid-Major Recruiting Class of the Northeast: Appalachian State
247 Sports’ composite class rating: 98th best in the nation
Prospects ranked within 247’s composite rating:
#198 Zocko Littleton, 6’3 175 from Osborne HS, GA
Memphis decommit
Twenty four offers including ten high-majors
Leading the Mountaineers to a Sun Belt championship and an overall record of 54-42 record, Dustin Kerns has led one of the most consistent Sun Belt programs over the last three seasons.
Part of Kerns’ sustained success has been thanks to his staff’s ability improving the program’s recruiting: for example, the top-five rated incoming freshmen in Appalachian State’s history have all been recruited in the last four offseasons.
Memphis decommit Zocko Littleton enters the season as the Mountaineers’ highest ranked recruit of all-time. With last season’s starting guards Adrian Delph, Michael Almonacy and Justin Forrest all graduating, Littleton will be an immediate candidate for an impact role in the backcourt.
Known early for his smooth step-back three, Littleton has added strength to his 6’3 frame to become a more versatile combo guard with almost no holes in his offensive game.
While incoming transfers Carvell Teasett (Northwestern State, 12.9 ppg, 3.2a) and Tyree Boykin (Union (D3), 19.5 ppg, 38.1 3p%) offer competition for immediate playing time, Littleton is poised to be one of Appalachian State’s best guards of all-time.
#5 Mid-Major Recruiting Class of the Northeast: Louisiana
247 Sports’ composite class rating: 102nd best in the nation
Prospects ranked within 247’s composite rating:
#234 Kyran Ratliff, 6’8 190 from Shaun Dumas Academy, NO
Seven offers led by Houston, Arkansas, Georgetown and USC
#56 SG Chancellor White, 6’6 190 from Foster HS, TX
East Carolina decommit
Eight offers led by Houston and Colorado
Leading the Ragin’ Cajuns to a season record .500 or better in eight of his last seasons at the helm, Bob Marlin is one of the winningest active coaches in Division 1 thanks to an overall 446-298 record.
The Cajuns’ winning culture in the always competitive Sun Belt helped attract Louisiana’s pair of three-star recruits. Signing in late July, Kyran Ratliff is a bouncy athlete who averaged a double-double along with three blocks per game in both of his junior season at Booker T. Washington High and his senior season at Shaun Dumas Academy. Expected to bide his time behind a veteran frontcourt, Ratliff is an enticing long-term prospect.
A long two-guard with surprisingly smooth athleticism, Chancellor White currently lacks consistent range, but his bounce, smarts and length makes it likely that White will develop into a dangerous two-way wing.
Other top-300 recruits signing with southeast mid-majors:
#221 Brenen Lorient, FAU, 6’9 200
Ten offers
#248 Preston Murphy, New Orleans, 6’1 175
Ten offers, two high-major offers
#285 Randi Ovalle, Troy, 6’7 210
Eleven offers, three high-major offers
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