by Alex Schwartz

There are a number of talented players going to programs outside of the six BCS conferences, including several in the NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150. One of the conferences, the C-USA, even boasts a top 10 player headed its way, something that none of the Pac-10 (sixth ranked conference), Big Ten (fourth ranked), or Big East (second) can claim.

Eight different non-BCS conferences have commitments from ranked players, but not one program outside a BCS conference appeared in the Post-Early Signing Period Top 25 Classes, though one was an honorable mention. It is the elite talent (see the top ranked SEC), depth (see the SEC or third ranked ACC), and the classes with multiple pledges (see the fifth ranked Big 12, for example) that the non-BCS schools do not have as a whole.

Regardless of any shortcomings, there is no question that there is a lot of quality talent headed to programs outside of the half dozen BCS conferences. Here is the breakdown of the best of the best of the non-BCS programs in the 2011 recruiting class thus far. I have ranked 16 teams, as that is the size of the largest BCS conference.

NON-BCS RECRUITING BREAKDOWN
Player rankings are based off NBE Post-Summer Class of 2011 Top 150
HM= Honorable Mention; NR= Not Ranked

Number of Top 25 Classes:  0 (1 HM)
Class With the Most Ranked Commits: Central Florida with 2
Conferences With the Most Ranked Commits: A-10, C-USA, and Sun Belt with 3 each

Top Ranked Player: Adonis Thomas, Memphis
Best Unranked Player: Kenyatta Smith, Harvard
Top Ranked Point Guard: Shaq Boga, UW-Milwaukee
Top Ranked Shooting Guard: Gary Bell, Gonzaga
Top Ranked Small Forward: Adonis Thomas, Memphis
Top Ranked Power Forward: Nino Johnson, Southeast Missouri State
Top Ranked Center: Deng Leek, Western Kentucky

Number of Top 10 Players: 1
Number of Top 25 Players: 1
Number of Top 50 Players: 2
Number of Top 100 Players: 3
Number of Top 150 Players: 14

Class Rankings
Rank. School (Conference)

1. Memphis (C-USA)
Adonis Thomas, SF, 6'7, Melrose (TN), #7

2. Xavier (A-10)
Dezmine Wells, SF, 6'4, Hargrave Military Academy (VA), #33
Dee Davis, PG, 5'10, Bloomington South (IN), NR
Jalen Reynolds, PF, 6'8, Stevenson (MI), NR

3. Central Florida (C-USA)
Rod Days, SF, 6'6, Sagmeont School (FL), #118
Wayne Martin, PF, 6'7, Providence School (FL), #133
Kasey Wilson, PF, 6'6, North Port (FL), NR

4. Western Kentucky (Sun Belt)
Deng Leek, C, 6'11, Wesleyan Christian Academy (NC), #105
George Fant, PF, 6'7, Warren Central (KY), NR
Derrick Gordon, SG, 6'3, St. Patrick's (NJ), NR
Nigel Snipes, SG, 6'5, Wheeler (GA), NR
Vinny Zollo, PF, 6'8, George Rogers Clark (KY), NR

5. Gonzaga (WCC)
Gary Bell, SG, 6'1, Kentridge (WA), #79
Kevin Pangos, PG, 6'1, Dr. Denison (CAN), NR
Ryan Spangler, PF, 6'7, Bridge Creek (OK), NR
Kyle Dranginis, PG, 6'4, Skyview (ID), NR
Chris Sarbaugh, PG, 6'0, Gonzaga Prep (WA), NR (Note: Father teaches at Gonzaga and thus won't be on scholarship, per ESPN)

6. Harvard (Ivy)
Steve Moundou-Missi, PF, 6'6, Montverde Academy (FL), #135
Kenyatta Smith, C, 6'8, Flintridge Prep (CA), NR
Wesley Saunders, SF, 6'5, Windward School (CA), NR
Max Hooper, SG, 6'6, Brewster Academy (NH), NR
Corbin Miller, SG, 6'2, Brighton (UT), NR
Jonah Travis, SF, 6'6, De La Salle (MN), NR

7. Northern Iowa (MVC)
Marvin Singleton, PF, 6'5, Hopkins (MN), #138
Seth Tuttle, PF, 6'8, West Fork (IA), NR
Deon Mitchell, PG, 5'11, Pflugerville (TX), NR
JeVon Lyle, PG, 6'1, Archbishop O'Hara (MO), NR
Matt Bohannon, SG, 6'2, Linn-Mar (IA), NR

8. UTEP (C-USA)
Darius Nelson, SF, 6'5, Sheldon (CA), NR
CJ Cooper, PG, 6'0, La Verne Lutheran (CA), NR
Jalen Ragland, SF, 6'5, Chillicothe (OH), NR
D'Von Campbell, PG, 6'0, Bowie (TX), NR
Cedrick Lang, PF, 6'9, O'Gorman (SD), NR
Malcolm Moore, SF, 6'7, Tyler JC (TX)
Mitch Marquis, PG, 6'0, Tyler JC (TX)
Dazmond Starke, SF, 6'6, Eastern Arizona JC (AZ)

9. Southeast Missouri State (OVC)
Nino Johnson, PF, 6'7, White Station (TN), #103
Telvin Wilkerson, SG, 6'3, Melrose (TN), NR

10. South Alabama (Sun Belt)
Mychal Ammons, SF, 6'6, Vicksburg (MS), #125
Jordan Roach, PG, 5'11, Bastrop (TX), NR

11. Charlotte (A-10)
E. Victor Nickerson, SF, 6'7, Norcross (GA), #140
Mike Thorne, C, 6'9, Trinity Christian (NC), NR
Terrence Williams, SG, 6'4, West Mecklenburg (NC), NR

12. Rhode Island (A-10)
Jonathan Holton, PF, 6'8, Coral Gables (FL), #150 (Note: Did not sign NLI, but is verbally committed)
Trahson Burrell, SF, 6'6, Summit Christian Academy (MI), NR
TJ Buchanon, SG, 6'3, Kalamazoo Central (MI), NR

13. Florida International (Sun Belt)
(Note: Unclear if any of the players committed to Florida International signed their NLI)
Chris Coleman, C, 6'9, unknown, #146
Darnell Harris, SF, 6'8, Christian Life Center (TX), NR
Yvan Ngirabakunzi, PF, 6'9, Piney Woods (MS), NR

14. Butler (Horizon)
Roosevelt Jones, SF, 6'4, O'Fallon (IL), NR
Jackson Aldridge, PG, 6'1, Australia Institute of Sport, NR
Andrew Smeathers, SF, 6'7, Center Grove (IN), NR
Kameron Woods, PF, 6'8, Eastern (KY), NR

15. Houston (C-USA)
TaShawn Thomas, PF, 6'8, Killeen (TX), NR
Jherrod Stiggers, SG, 6'4, Terrell (TX), NR
JJ Thompson, PG, 6'0, Irving (TX), NR
Jonathon Simmons, SF, 6'6, Midland CC (TX)

16. St. Joseph's (A-10)
Chris Wilson, PG, 6'2, Terry Sanford (NC), NR
Papa Samba Ndao, PF, currently in Senegal, NR (Note: Graduated from Montverde Academy (FL) in class of 2010)

Note- photo is of Memphis head coach Josh Pastner and is from http://www.commercialappeal.com/