by Alex Schwartz

The early signing period is in the books and not much remains in the class of 2011. Of the players in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150, 132 of them have signed a National Letter of Intent and three others are verbally committed.

Continuing on with my early signing period coverage, I will now rank the top recruiting class in the NCAA. The top 25 classes will be ranked in order, and several other classes will receive recognition as honorable mentions.

This is the first set of 2011 class rankings released by Northstar Basketball, but will not be the last. Without further ado, here are the top 25 recruiting classes thus far.

Rank. School
Player, Position, Height, High School (State), Rank
* Asterisk indicates player is a JuCo transfer and not eligible to be ranked

1. Kentucky
Michael Gilchrist, SF, 6'7, St. Patrick's (NJ), #1
Anthony Davis, PF, 6'9, Perspectives Charter (IL), #3
Marquis Teague, PG, 6'1, Pike (IN), #6
Kyle Wiltjer, PF, 6'9, Jesuit (OR), #17

2. St. John's
D'Angelo Harrison, SG, 6'2, Dulles (TX), #21
JaKarr Sampson, SF, 6'7, Brewster Academy (NH), #24
Norvel Pelle, PF, 6'9, Price (CA), #47
Maurice Harkless, SF, 6'7, South Kent (CT), #60
Amir Garrett, SF, 6'6, Findlay Prep (NV), #65
Sir'Dominic Pointer, SF, 6'5, Quality Education Academy (NC), #92
*Nurideen Lindsey, PG, 6'2, Redlands CC (OK)
Dwight Meikle, PF, 6'7, Quality Education Academy (NC), NR

3. Duke
Austin Rivers, SG, 6'4, Winter Park (FL), #4
Michael Gbinije, SF, 6'6, Benedictine (VA), #19
Quinn Cook, PG, 6'0, Oak Hill Academy (VA), #20
Marshall Plumlee, C, 7'0, Christ School (NC), #111

4. Arkansas
BJ Young, PG, 6'2, McCluer North (MO), #13
Rashad Madden, PG, 6'5, East Poinsett County (AR), #40
Hunter Mickelson, PF, 6'10, Westside (AR), #42
Aaron Ross, SF, 6'7, Parkview (AR), #80
Devonte Abron, PF, 6'7, Seagoville (TX), #83

5. Louisville
Wayne Blackshear, SG, 6'5, Morgan Park (IL), #12
Chane Behanan, PF, 6'7, Bowling Green (KY), #35
Zach Price, C, 6'9, Jeffersontown (KY), #51
Ryan Taylor, SF, 6'5, Western (KY), #78 (Note: Did not sign NLI, but remains verbally committed)
Angel Nunez, SF, 6'7, Notre Dame Prep (MA), NR

6. Ohio State
Shannon Scott, PG, 6'1, Milton (GA), #36
Amir Williams, C, 6'9, Detroit Country Day School (MI), #46
Sam Thompson, SF, 6'6, Whitney Young (IL), #57
LaQuinton Ross, SF, 6'7, Life Center Academy (NJ), #67
Trey McDonald, C, 6'9, Battle Creek Central (MI), #87

7. North Carolina
James McAdoo, PF, 6'8, Norfolk Christian (VA), #9
PJ Hairston, SG, 6'4, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), #34
Jackson Simmons, PF, 6'7, Smoky Mountain (NC), NR (Note: Recruited walk-on)

8. Baylor
Quincy Miller, SF, 6'9, Westchester Country Day (NC), #2
Deuce Bello, SG, 6'3, Westchester Country Day (NC), #41

9. Arizona
Nick Johnson, SG, 6'3, Findlay Prep (NV), #22
Josiah Turner, PG, 6'3, Sacramento (CA), #31
Sidiki Johnson, PF, 6'8, Oak Hill Academy (VA), #73

10. Syracuse
Rakeem Christmas, C, 6'9, Academy of the New Church (PA), #27
Michael Carter-Williams, SG, 6'5, St. Andrew's (RI), #30
Trevor Cooney, SG, 6'3, Sanford School (DE), #85

11. Texas
Myck Kabongo, PG, 6'2, Findlay Prep (NV), #8
Sheldon McClellan, SG, 6'4, Bellaire (TX), #48
Julien Lewis, SG, 6'4, LaMarque (TX), #101
Jonathan Holmes, PF, 6'8, Antonian Prep (TX), NR

12. Illinois
Tracy Abrams, PG, 6'1, Mount Carmel (IL), #44
Mychael Henry, SG, 6'5, Orr Academy (IL), #66
Mike Shaw, PF, 6'8, De La Salle (IL), #72
Nnanna Egwu, C, 6'10, St. Ignatius College Prep (IL), NR

13. Rutgers
Jerome Seagears, PG, 6'1, Flora MacDonald Academy (NC), #77
Kadeem Jack, C, 6'8, CJEOTO Academy (NJ), #81
Greg Lewis, PF, 6'8, St. Frances Academy (MD), #82
Myles Mack, PG, 5'9, St. Anthony's (NJ), #88
Derrick Randall, PF, 6'8, South Kent (CT), #107
Mike Taylor, SG, 6'3, Boys & Girls (NY), NR
Malick Kone, SF, 6'6, Blue Ridge (VA), NR

14. Virginia Tech
Dorian Finney-Smith, SF, 6'6, IC Norcom (VA), #29
CJ Barksdale, PF, 6'7, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), #76
Marquis Rankin, PG, 6'0, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), #108
Robert Brown, SG, 6'4, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), #131

15. Pitt
Khem Birch, PF, 6'9, Notre Dame Prep (MA), #7 in 2012 (Note: opted to go back to 2011 and sign)
John Johnson, PG, 6'1, Life Center Academy (NJ), #110
Jaylen Bond, PF, 6'7, Plymouth-Whitemarsh (PA), #129
Durand Johnson, SG, 6'6, Brewster Academy (NH), #147
Malcolm Gilbert, C, 6'11, Academy of the New Church (PA), NR

16. Alabama
Levi Randolph, SG, 6'5, Bob Jones (AL), #39
Nick Jacobs, PF, 6'8, South Atlanta (GA), #63
Rodney Cooper, SG, 6'5, Russell County (AL), #120
*Moussa Gueye, C, 7'0, Lake Land College (IL)

17. Oklahoma State
LeBryan Nash, SF, 6'6, Lincoln (TX), #10
*Karron Johnson, PF, 6'8, Midland College (TX)

18. Mississippi State
Rodney Hood, SF, 6'7, Meridian (MS), #32
Deville Smith, PG, 5'11 Callaway (MS), #54
DJ Gardner, SF, 6'6, Okolona (MS), NR

19. Georgetown
Mikael Hopkins, PF, 6'9, DeMatha (MD), #38
Tyler Adams, C, 6'9, Brandon (MS), #59
Jabril Trawick, SF, 6'5, Abington Friends (PA), NR

20. Maryland
Nick Faust, SG, 6'4, Baltimore City College HS (MD), #26
Sterling Gibbs, PG, 6'2, Seton Hall Prep (NJ), #71

21. Michigan State
Branden Dawson, SF, 6'5, Lew Wallace (IN), #18
Dwaun Anderson, SG, 6'3, Suttons Bay (MI), #112
Brandan Kearney, SG, 6'5, Detroit Southeastern (MI), NR
Travis Trice, PG, 5'11, Wayne (OH), NR

22. South Carolina
Damien Leonard, SG, 6'4, JL Mann (SC), #58
Anthony Gill, PF, 6'8, Charlotte Christian (NC), #75

23. Vanderbilt
Dai-Jon Parker, SG, 6'3, Milton (GA), #50
Kedren Johnson, PG, 6'4, Marshall County (TN), #100
Shelby Moats, PF, 6'8, Waconia (MN), NR

24. Tennessee
Chris Jones, PG, 5'8, Oak Ridge Military Academy (NC), #70
Kevin Ware, SG, 6'4, Rockdale County (GA), #86

25. Florida
Brad Beal, SG, 6'3, Chaminade (MO), #5

Honorable Mentions (alphabetical order)

Auburn- Cedrick McAfee, SG, 6'2, Melrose (TN), #98; Willy Kouassi, C, 6'10, Central Park Christian (AL), #104; Bernard Morena, SF, 6'8, Central Park Christian (AL), NR

Cincinnati- Jeremiah Davis, PG, 6'2, Huntington Prep (WV), #106; Shaq Thomas, SF, 6'7, NIA Prep (NJ), #124; Jermaine Sanders, SG, 6'5, Rice (NY), #148; Ge'lawn Guyn, SG, 6'3, South Kent (CT), NR; Octavious Ellis, PF, 6'8, Whitehaven (TN), NR

Florida State- Aaron Thomas, SG, 6'5, Aiken (OH), #136; Terry Whisnant, SG, 6'3, Cherryville (NC), #141; Antwan Space, PF, 6'7, DeSoto (TX), #144; *Kiel Turpin, C, 6'11, Lincoln CC (IL)

Georgia- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SG, 6'5, Greenville (GA), #14; Henry Brooks, PF, 6'7, Miller Grove (GA), NR; *John Florveus, C, 7'0, Hillsborough CC (FL)

Georgia Tech- Julian Royal, PF, 6'7, Milton (GA), #55; Bobby Parks, Jr., SG, 6'4, attends school in the Philippines, #102

Memphis- Adonis Thomas, SF, 6'7, Melrose (TN), #7

Michigan- Carlton Brundidge, SG, 6'1, Southfield (M), #84; Trey Burke, PG, 6'1, Northland (OH), #96

Oregon- Jabari Brown, SG, 6'4, Oakland (CA), #11; Austin Kuemper, C, 6'9, Westview (OR), NR; Brett Kingma, SG, 6'1, Henry M. Jackson (WA), NR; Bruce Barron, PG, 6'3, Brehm Prep (IL), NR

Villanova- Tyrone Johnson, PG, 6'2, Montrose Christian (MD), #49; Achraf Yacoubou, SG, 6'3, Long Island Lutheran (NY), #123; Markus Kennedy, PF, 6'9, Brewster Academy (NH), NR; Darrun Hilliard, SG, 6'5, Liberty (PA), NR

Washington- Tony Wroten, Jr., PG, 6'4, Garfield (WA), #16; Hikeem Stewart, SG, 6'3, Rainier Beach (WA), NR; Jernard Jarreau, PF, 6'10, McDonogh 35 (LA), NR

Note- photo is of Michael Gilchrist and is from http://blogs.courierpostonline.com/varsityinsider/