NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Non-Big Dance teams with bright futures

10. DePaul Blue Demons

National 2019 Class Rank: No. 26

That’s right; the DePaul Blue Demons are on the rise. This might come as a shock to some but the work that head coach Dave Leitao has done on the recruiting trail this year absolutely deserves to be commended. In general, DePaul has been a bottom-feeder in the Big East longer than I can even remember and it is tremendous to see them land a recruiting class that is so highly-touted at this point in time. And given the fact that the Blue Demons actually put together a respectable season in 2018-19…it is time to start giving the program a bit more credit.

At the forefront of their recruiting class right now is dominant forward Romeo Weems. A 6-foot-7 bruiser with a college-ready body, Weems is ranked at No. 50 in the class and as the top player out of Michigan. He is quite athletic and is at his best when either slashing or take advantage of a mismatch off the bounce. Weems finishes quite well around the basket and will likely be a featured part of the DePaul offense from the first second that he steps on campus in the fall.

In addition, Coach Leitao and Co. landed a fringe top-100 recruit as well in shooting guard prospect Markese Jacobs. A local “bucket-getter” from Chicago, Jacobs was a monster recruit due to what it potentially means for the future of beginning a pipeline from the Windy City. Jacobs is a bit undersized at the point guard position at just 5-foot-11 but he makes up for this with remarkable quickness and strength. He is a tough cover at all times and that will especially be true if he improves from beyond the arc.

To finish the class, DePaul also landed Oscar Lopez, a shooting guard ranked at No. 350 in the class as well as Carte’Are Gordon, a transfer from Saint Louis who was originally a top-100 player in the 2018 recruiting class.