What Did We Learn: 2018 Class
The end of July is usually a good way to end a season. With nothing really going on until Fall Leagues in September and October, we like to take stock of where we are at in the process in the development of the class. This is our look at what we know about the class of 2020 following the end of the season.
The class of 2018 is coming to a close with only one more high school season remaining before they head off to college. However, that means most of the recruiting will happen in this time period so expect to learn more and more as we get going but the main theme of this class is that it is just not as good as previous years. The talent that is there is solid but there isn’t much depth and it resembles in a lot of ways the 2013 class.
That class had more talent but was always going to be compared to the stellar 2012 class that produced a ton of NBA talent. 2013 didn’t have that depth and so it was always viewed as a down class. This 2018 group is in the same light as they just lack the depth in the low to mid-major talent. Some of the guys that were there have now moved up or down and not many of the fringy DI guys proved enough this summer to step up. Some did like Myja White and potentially Dylan Penn but that just isn’t enough.
Then you have a weird change at the top as Musa Jallow reclasses and moves to 2017 to head to Ohio State. While a solid move for him personally, it really hurts the 2018 class even more. Only a few have solidified themselves as high-major talent like Romeo Langford, Robert Phinisee, Eric Hunter, Aaron Henry, and a few others. Musa is one that is no longer there.
Another dynamic that is coming to focus right now is early commitments. A few have come off the board and it wouldn’t shock if more pulled the trigger soon. Myja White, Eric Hunter, Robert Phinisee, and maybe Aaron Henry could conceivably be committed in the next month or two. So, what talent is here might be gone quickly and then you only will have a few names heading into the winter still on the board.
As for the depth down at the non-DI level, there is plenty of talent. Not much size, though. The class really lacks size and what size there is, is more concentrated down in the NAIA level right now with a few guys trying to break out. Then guys like Wes Obermeier and Alec Burton both ended up playing football at the DI level which takes away a couple very coveted options for those small school programs.
When looking for the depth in this class, it has always been at the lower levels and with the point guards. There are a ton of really good options in this class and guys like Hayden Langkabel, Jalan Mull, and Tyler Watson are among the most coveted and toughest competitors they have.
Again, this class isn’t deep and the talent pool at the Division I level is weak as well as the size at all levels. Point guards should be the main draw for a lot of schools and if you are a Division I program looking at Indiana talent, it would be best to get into the game now because many might be committed early. Doesn’t seem like there is going to be a lot of drama late but you could see some names come off the board at a time when not much else is going on in terms of games being played.