NCAA Basketball: Underrated power programs on the recruiting trail

JACKSONVILLE, FL - MARCH 19: A general view of the Wofford Terriers and Arkansas Razorbacks during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena on March 19, 2015 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images) /

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LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY – MARCH 28: Coach Barnes of Tennessee reacts. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Tennessee Volunteers

Rick Barnes has been ridiculously successful over the course of the 21st century. Following his tenure as the leader at Texas, he has quickly turned Tennessee into a very strong program in the SEC. The Volunteers have been awarded a top-3 seed in each of the last two NCAA Tournaments and he is showcasing his chops as a recruiter as well. Tennessee is in the second-tier of recruiting programs in the SEC but Coach Barnes’ recruiting efforts should not go unnoticed.

Tennessee has landed a top-60 recruiting class in four of the last five years and recently snagged the No. 31 overall class in 2019. This incoming group will be vital for maintaining Tennessee’s run of success following the departures of multiple players this offseason due to graduation and the NBA Draft. While those losses will certainly hurt, it is also important to mention that sending players to the NBA is a great look to prospective recruits.

The SEC is filled with elite-level college basketball coaches and Barnes is in that group. He is only entering his fifth season as the leader of the Volunteers but he has turned the program around and has the future looking bright. I would not discount this program on the recruiting trail, especially not after the successes of their last two seasons.

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