Early 2026 boys' class rankings: The surprise SEC team on top

In past boys' high school basketball recruiting cycles, there have been more than enough commitments at this point in the calendar to do initial class rankings. But, as we wrote in the summer, the 2026 class is coming off the board at a snail's pace.

Well, at least that was the case until the past couple weeks.

A string of recent commitments has finally given us enough data to provide a snapshot of the national recruiting picture for the boys' SC Next 100 class of 2026 as things stand.

It's worth noting the class as a whole still has a long, long way to go before the dust settles. Only one top-10 player is committed. Only four five-star prospects are off the board. Only 14 top-50 prospects and 40 top-100 players have made decisions.

Blueblood programs Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina have a combined zero commitments.

With that said, the early signing period is just one month away (Nov. 12-19), so let's look at the top five recruiting classes -- beginning with a surprise SEC program at the top.

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5-star commit fits |
2026 player rankings

1. Missouri Tigers

No. 5 PG Jason Crowe
No. 14 PF Toni Bryant
No. 83 SF Aiden Chronister

After leading Missouri to one of the most impressive turnarounds in the country in 2024-25, coach Dennis Gates carried that momentum over to the recruiting trail. Prior to this 2026 class, the Tigers hadn't landed a five-star prospect since the 2017 class -- and now they have two.

At this point in the cycle, they have the highest-ranked committed player in the class -- in fact, the only top-10 committed prospect. Crowe led the Nike EYBL in scoring this past summer and is perhaps the most explosive offensive player in the class. He's a left-handed guard who gets by his defender at will. He'll be joined in Columbia by fellow five-star Bryant, who was a priority early in the cycle for Gates. Bryant is tremendously athletic and excels in transition. Chronister is a prolific 3-point shooter who should get open looks courtesy of Crowe's drive-and-kick ability.

Biancardi's most important recruit: Crowe is not only the most important recruit, he's the second-highest ranked recruit ever to commit to Missouri since No. 2 Michael Porter Jr. in 2017. Crowe brings immediate scoring prowess that is needed in big and tight SEC games. The bigger the stage, the bigger he plays.

2. Kansas Jayhawks

No. 17 PG Taylen Kinney
No. 46 PF Davion Adkins
No. 77 SF Trent Perry

One year after landing potential No. 1 NBA draft pick Darryn Peterson, Bill Self is building his 2026 class around an immediate-impact, elite point guard. Kinney has the size and playmaking ability to cause matchup problems against smaller backcourts, he's a terrific scorer with a variety of finishing moves, and is developing as a playmaker.

Self then followed up Kinney's commitment with a string of pledges: Perry committed three days after Kinney. Top-50 junior in the class of 2027 Javon Bardwell picked the Jayhawks a couple of days later, and then Kansas went back to work on the 2026 class, beating out Houston for Adkins a week after Kinney. Adkins' physical tools portend an incredibly high ceiling. Perry, meanwhile, is long and should give help at both ends of the floor.

Davion Adkins' special moment announcing for Kansas on ESPN2. pic.twitter.com/dFJPhb8QTt

Biancardi's most mportant recruit: Kinney will provide stability and high-end scoring to Bill Self as the lead guard following Darryn Peterson's departure for the NBA. Kinney plays the most important position on the floor with confidence and skill. He is the catalyst of this recruiting class and will keep Kansas winning.

3. Vanderbilt Commodores

No. 49 PG Anthony Brown Jr.
No. 90 SF Ethan Mgbako
No. 94 C Jackson Sheffield

Here's some context on Vanderbilt's 2026 class: The Commodores hadn't landed a single recruit ranked in the SCNext 100 since the 2018 class, when they got three top-100 prospects. So, that's zero top-100 recruits in the last seven classes. Yet, coach Mark Byington and Vandy currently sit as one of just three programs with three top-100 recruits already in the fold.

Brown Jr. is the highest-ranked of the group. The point guard had a terrific summer on the Nike EYBL circuit and is a high-usage scorer and distributor with plenty of playmaking chops. Mgbako is the younger brother of former five-star prospect and current Texas A&M forward Mackenzie Mgbako, and he's beginning to expand his offensive game on a similar trajectory. Sheffield does most of his work around the rim, and is physically ready for the college game.

Biancardi's most important recruit: When Vanderbilt enters conference play, Byington will need Brown Jr. to score against high level defenses. He already demonstrates the toughness required to succeed in the SEC, and is a cornerstone recruit for the Commodores.

4. Arkansas Razorbacks

No. 12 SF JaShawn Andrews
No. 31 SF Abdou Toure

A John Calipari recruiting class ranked in the top five shouldn't surprise anyone. He finished with the No. 3 class for the 2025 cycle in his first full cycle at Arkansas after consistently competing near the top of the rankings at Kentucky and Memphis. Calipari was able to keep the best prospect in the state of Arkansas home for college, closing strong to beat out Missouri and LSU for Andrews' commitment. The 12th-ranked recruit has tremendous physical tools and showed improvement on his perimeter shot over the spring and summer.

The Razorbacks moved into the top five in early October after edging out Providence for Toure, a Connecticut native who is a terrific athlete and finisher, and difficult to stop when he gets going to the rim. Arkansas is also heavily in the mix for a slew of five-star prospects, including Jordan Smith (No. 2), Caleb Holt (No. 6), Brandon McCoy (No. 7) and Arafan Diane (No. 21).

Biancardi's most important recruit: Andrews' commitment sends a message that Calipari is committed to keeping the best homegrown talent in a cardinal-and-white uniform. Andrews is not only highly productive as a super athletic talent, he's also a strong driver of team culture.

5. Alabama Crimson Tide

No. 33 SF Tarris Bouie
No. 41 PF Chris Washington Jr.

Coach Nate Oats made his move in the 2026 class in the span of just a couple of days in early September, when both Bouie and Washington Jr. committed. Both visited Tuscaloosa on the same weekend and didn't wait long to pick the Crimson Tide. Bouie is at his best in the open court, but can score at all three levels and showed more consistency on his 3-point shot at the Nike Peach Jam in July. He's also likely to make an immediate impact as a defender.

Washington is the top-ranked player in the state of Tennessee, and considered one of the elite athletes in the class. He's a two-way contributor who crashes the offensive glass. The Crimson Tide remain involved with a long list of uncommitted prospects -- among them Ikenna Alozie (No. 27), Dylan Mingo (No. 9), Caleb Holt (No. 6), Jaxon Richardson (No. 11) and twin big men Adonis Ratliff (No. 86) and Darius Ratliff (No. 52).

Biancardi's most important recruit: Bouie gives Oats a legitimate scoring threat on every possession, reminiscent of 2023 No. 2 draft pick Brandon Miller. Bouie aligns with the Tide's recruiting philosophy and is an ideal fit for a system that exclusively relies on defense to generate transition opportunities, along with points behind arc and at the rim.