While the early signing period might not have packed the drama and action of previous iterations, it was still a bit busier than expected. There were three scheduled commitments for the early period -- Trey Alexander (Auburn), Roosevelt Wheeler (Louisville) and TyTy Washington (Creighton) -- and all three made their decisions. But there were a few unanticipated commitments, too.
Bryce McGowens (No. 33) committed to Nebraska over Georgia, choosing to play with his brother, Trey, for the Cornhuskers. UNLV landed its second top-40 prospect in the 2021 class, as Arthur Kaluma (No. 39) picked the Runnin' Rebels. Mid-majors made big moves, with North Carolina A&T landing Duncan Powell (No. 85) and Louisiana signing Ty Harper (No. 100).
And so we enter the winter with 86 of the ESPN 100 prospects already committed -- a bigger number than we've seen in the past. But there is still plenty of movement to come, so what are storylines to watch during the winter?
1. Five-star commitments: Although there are only 14 uncommitted ESPN 100 prospects, four of them are in the top six and eight are five-star prospects. A commitment from any of those players would significantly alter the class rankings. I'm not sure anyone is on the verge of committing, but Aminu Mohammed (No. 11) and Trevor Keels (No. 15) could be the closest to making a decision.
2. Early enrollments: Given the uncertainty surrounding the high school seasons in certain states and the free year of eligibility that all winter student-athletes are getting this season, there have been more prospects than usual talking about enrolling in college early. Wake Forest signee Carter Whitt (No. 86) is expected to join the program in January, and LSU signee Alex Fudge (No. 57) has talked about doing the same. It also has been a talking point in the recruitment of uncommitted five-star Aminu Mohammed (No. 11).
3. Will anyone decommit? Given that the dead period in recruiting has been extended until at least April 15, it's unlikely we will see too much movement from players already signed. And of the 86 players already committed from the ESPN 100, there are only one or two prospects who didn't sign during the early period. TyTy Washington is one of them, but he didn't commit until Sunday, so there could be a delay in the paperwork. And the other one is Miami pledge Bensley Joseph (No. 68), who chose not to sign. Sources told ESPN there's no concern on the Hurricanes' end about a potential parting of ways.
1. Michigan Wolverines
Previous ranking: 1 
The Wolverines enter the early signing period with as much recruiting momentum as anybody in America, jumping to the No. 1-ranked class with commitments from top-10 seniors Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate in the past two weeks. Houstan, a Canada native, reclassified from the 2022 class and chose Michigan over Alabama, Duke and Virginia. Diabate kept his recruitment close to the vest, but the Wolverines made up a ton of ground when they secured the French big man's commitment. Those two join ESPN 100 guards Frankie Collins and Kobe Bufkin, along with summer commits Isaiah Barnes and Will Tschetter. Juwan Howard showed promise in his ability to get players when he landed four ESPN 100 prospects in 2020, including five-star Isaiah Todd, who eventually decided to opt for the G League. But a No. 1 class at this point in the cycle cements his status as a high-level recruiter.
2. Oregon Ducks
Previous ranking: 2
The Ducks have secured college basketball's best incoming frontcourt to date with three prospects in the top half of the ESPN 100: Nate Bittle, Franck Kepnang, and Johnathan Lawson. Bittle and Kepnang will form a strong tandem at 6-foot-11 and 6-foot-10, respectively, and while that will create a different type of lineup than Altman has used in recent season, Bittle's skill and floor-spacing ability should fit nicely alongside Kepnang's power at the rim. Lawson is a budding big and versatile wing who has drawn notice since he was younger, but he has started to really ascend within the past year. With four seniors and two more players contemplating an early jump to the NBA draft, Oregon is now focused on building its backcourt for what could be a very deep class.
3. Duke Blue Devils
Previous ranking: 3
The only class in the country with two top-10 prospects, the Blue Devils have a small but talented group so far. Paolo Banchero (No. 3) has a case to be the top-ranked prospect in the country. He has been consistently productive for most of his high school career and will make an impact in Durham, North Carolina, from day one. A.J. Griffin (No. 9) committed to Duke back in November 2019, and he hasn't wavered at all in the year since. Griffin has great size and physical tools for the wing and can make plays at both ends of the floor. Not surprisingly, coach Mike Krzyzewski isn't close to done in the 2021 class, and the Blue Devils are in a good position for both Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Trevor Keels.
4. Baylor Bears
Previous ranking: 4
Scott Drew's club was the talk of the recruiting world in July when the Bears reeled off three commitments within the span of a week from a pair of highly touted ESPN 100 products in Langston Love and Kendall Brown, along with an ultra-versatile and productive forward in Jeremy Sochan. All three are multipositional, experienced against top competition and capable of making an immediate impact. Brown is a 6-foot-7, 195-pound combo forward. Love is a powerful scorer on the wing, while Sochan is a skilled piece up front.
5. Florida State Seminoles
Previous ranking: 5
The Seminoles had the top recruiting class in the country until top-35 prospect Bryce McGowens decommitted earlier this month, but Leonard Hamilton still has yet another strong group headed to Tallahassee. The headliner now is Matt Cleveland (No. 35), who was one of the most impressive prospects during the spring and early summer at various livestreamed events. Jalen Warley (No. 36) can play both backcourt positions and is another player who has truly broken out over the past year. John Butler (No. 48) will bring upside to the center position, while 7-foot-3 Naheem McLeod is considered one of the top junior college prospects in the country. All four of the commits pledged during a two-week span in July and August.
6. Kentucky Wildcats
Previous ranking: 6
With three commitments in a 10-day span, John Calipari's class is starting to take shape. Nolan Hickman, a point guard with emerging upside, got things started in August before the momentum built in October. Bryce Hopkins is a big-bodied combo forward and mismatch scorer who can make contributions offensively from the get-go. Daimion Collins is a big man who fits the Kentucky prototype up front as a rim runner, explosive finisher and shot-blocker with tons of room for future growth. ESPN 60 five-star guard Skyy Clark is also on board but still technically a part of the Class of 2022, although a future reclassification up to 2021 remains a legitimate possibility. Still left on Kentucky's board are top-25 talents Jaden Hardy and Hunter Sallis.
7. Michigan State Spartans
Previous ranking: 7
Emoni Bates is only a high school junior and might never play college basketball, but when he made an early verbal commitment to Michigan State, it gave the Spartans an undeniable surge on the recruiting trail and the momentum necessary to build their latest top-10 class. They already held a commitment from Pierre Brooks, a 6-foot-5, four-star wing from nearby Detroit, and less than 10 days after Bates' pledge, they landed Max Christie, a five-star guard who recently sprouted up to 6-foot-7. Later in the summer, they landed another big guard and Michigan native in Jaden Akins, solidifying a three-man class from inside the ESPN 100 and reasserting their dominance in the Midwest region.
Emoni Bates, the No. 1 recruit for the Class of 2022 in the ESPN Top 100, flushes a dunk vs. Team Sizzle.
8. Ohio State Buckeyes
Previous ranking: 8
The Buckeyes started strong in the 2021 class, landing ESPN 100 prospects Meechie Johnson (No. 45) and Kalen Etzler (No. 98) in 2019 -- giving coach Chris Holtmann a talented foundation on which to build the rest of his class. And he indeed built on that duo, adding Malaki Branham (No. 28) in the summer. Branham can get to the rim and finish, and is improving his outside shot. As usual, the Buckeyes locked down the state of Ohio, with all three pledges coming from inside the state's borders. Ohio State still has some top-tier prospects on the board, including Efton Reid and Charles Bediako.
9. Auburn Tigers
Previous ranking: 24 
Auburn has no seniors and only two upperclassmen on this year's roster, so the 2021 recruiting class was always going to be more about quality than quantity. The Tigers couldn't have gotten off to a better start than a commitment from Jabari Smith, the fifth-ranked prospect in the ESPN 100 and highest-rated recruit to commit to the program since at least 2007, when ESPN's recruiting database began. He's arguably the most fundamentally sound frontcourt player in the class, extremely versatile and able to impact the game on both ends. Four-star guard Trey Alexander gives them a big combo guard who is capable of contributing on a deep roster immediately as a freshman, but also has lots of potential to grow into more of an offensive focal point a couple of years down the road.
10. Villanova Wildcats
Previous ranking: 9 
Villanova's 2021 recruiting class has been two years in the making, so it was no surprise to see Jay Wright and his staff land four strategic pledges by the end of July. The prototype remains the same for the Wildcats, as they added skilled and versatile pieces from the top half of the East Coast who all fit their culture. Trey Patterson, a versatile and efficient combo forward, headlines the class. Fellow ESPN 100 product Nnanna Njoku provides a long and powerful big man in the middle with some developing face-up skill. Jordan Longino and Angelo Brizzi are versatile and also possess the perimeter size Villanova has historically valued in the backcourt.
11. UConn Huskies
Previous ranking: 10
Dan Hurley and the Huskies went from an empty class to a three-man group in just over two weeks in July and August. It started with Rahsool Diggins (No. 69), a tough combo guard from the Philadelphia area whom opponents struggle to keep out of the lane. After Diggins came Jordan Hawkins (No. 60), an upside wing who can really shoot it from the perimeter. Capping off the stretch was center Samson Johnson (No. 71), who might not be an advanced offensive prospect just yet but will make an immediate impact on the defensive end and is improving at the other end of the floor. The Big East was bound to help UConn on the recruiting trail, and the 2021 group has already provided some proof.
12. Stanford Cardinal
Previous ranking: 11
Coming off a 2020 class led by five-star forward Ziaire Williams, Stanford continues to raise the bar on the recruiting trail. It began with an early pledge from Isa Silva, a 6-foot-3 point guard and one of the most creative passers in the class. In September, the Cardinal won a recruiting battle for Harrison Ingram, one of the most versatile forwards in the country. Harrison should follow in the footsteps of both Williams, who is likely to pursue a one-and-done path, and KZ Okpala as the latest big, playmaking wing in Jerod Haase's system.
13. LSU Tigers
Previous ranking: 12
Will Wade continues to recruit at a high level since arriving in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There are no five-star prospects in the group just yet, but two top-60 prospects and a pair of players from elite high school programs. The two ESPN 100 players will provide a boost to the frontcourt: Jerrell Colbert (No. 31) and Alex Fudge (No. 57). Colbert brings a high ceiling to the paint, and he'll be able to help at both ends of the floor. Fudge committed to the Tigers in early October, and he'll bring versatility and length to the wing. Rounding out the class are IMG Academy (Florida) guard Brandon Murray and Oak Hill Academy (Virginia) big man Bradley Ezewiro, who originally signed in the 2020 class but decided over the summer to reclassify and wait a year.
14. UNLV Rebels
Previous ranking: N/A
Zaon Collins has turned out to be a more important recruit than T.J. Otzelberger may have even realized. Not only is Collins a local product from nearby powerhouse Bishop Gorman, the first ESPN 100 prospect to commit to Otzelberger at UNLV and the program's point guard of the future, but he has also proven to be an outstanding recruiter. Collins' close friend, Arthur Kaluma, decided to follow suit, giving the Rebels their highest-rated recruit since 2017. Kaluma is a versatile scoring forward with a college-ready body who should be able to step in from day one. UNLV also holds a commitment from another local point guard, Keshon Gilbert.
15. USC Trojans
Previous ranking: 13
The Trojans' first recruiting class without a Mobley since 2018, they nonetheless bring in two ESPN 100 prospects and have another positionally balanced group. Shortly after the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the sport, coach Andy Enfield landed two ESPN 100 prospects in the span of three days. Reese Dixon-Waters (No. 59) got the ball rolling, and he should become a very capable scorer for the Trojans early in his college career. Malik Thomas (No. 99) followed a couple of days later, and he's another player who will bring plenty of offensive ability. Harrison Hornery and Kobe Johnson round out the group, and Enfield also has a large group of transfers who will be able to play in 2021-22.
16. DePaul Blue Demons
Previous ranking: 14
Dave Leitao's DePaul squads have shown they're not going to back down from anyone on the recruiting trail and are committed to finding any avenue to pursue immediate-impact talent. This year has resulted in a four-player class headlined by a pair of ESPN 100 players, including Keon Edwards -- a volume-scoring, four-star big wing who is going to be capable of playing either forward position. Ahamad Bynum is a local Chicago product with an attacking style. The class also includes David Jones, another scoring wing who is originally from the Dominican Republic, and Kok Yat, a 6-foot-8 forward who reclassified from the Class of 2022.
17. Dayton Flyers
Previous ranking: 21
Anthony Grant's club made national waves last year both with its collective success and with the individual stardom of Obi Toppin. Now, the Flyers are riding that wave of momentum to take them to new heights on the recruiting trail with a handful of four-star commitments, including ESPN 100 big man DaRon Holmes, the highest-ranked prospect to ever commit to Dayton. Holmes has emerging physical tools inside, along with developing face-up skills to complement his interior game. Kaleb Washington also has a ton of physical tools and potential up front, while Mustapha Amzil is an ideal complement to Holmes and Washington as a skilled big forward. The point guard of the future is Malachi Smith, a reliable guard who continues the Flyers' pipeline into the New York City area.
18. UCLA Bruins
Previous ranking: 15
Mick Cronin had some unfortunate luck in his first full recruiting class in Westwood, seeing five-star point guard Daishen Nix choose the G League route rather than enroll at UCLA as originally expected. But Cronin has bounced back in the 2021 class, landing the ESPN 100 wing duo of Peyton Watson (No. 25) and Will McClendon (No. 56). Watson has continued to boost his stock over the past year and could rise further up the rankings by the time his senior season is done. Meanwhile, McClendon has a very good frame and is effective getting to the rim. Cronin is also still swinging for the fences with some of the remaining five-star prospects, with elite guard Jaden Hardy atop the Bruins' board.
19. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Previous ranking: N/A
This may be the best recruiting class in Nebraska history. The focal point is Bryce McGowens, a versatile 6-6 guard who had initially committed to Florida State but is now joining the Huskers. Older brother Trey McGowens transferred in from Pittsburgh the year prior. Fred Hoiberg has another ESPN 100 product in the class as well in Wilhelm Breidenbach, a skilled frontcourt player who hopes to follow the same trajectory on which Hoiberg guided Georges Niang at Iowa State. Together, they become the first ESPN 100 tandem to commit to Nebraska since 2015.
20. Arizona Wildcats
Previous ranking: 16
The week after receiving nine alleged NCAA rules violations, Sean Miller and the Wildcats landed a pair of ESPN 100 guards. First came Shane Dezonie, a big and physical guard with a high motor and attacking mentality. Shane Nowell is cut from a similar cloth, but with even more size and positional versatility at 6-foot-6. Together, they'll form a hard-nosed tandem on both ends of the floor, while the presence of four-star point guard K.J. Simpson completes their future backcourt.
21. Miami Hurricanes
Previous ranking: 17
Depth and toughness were Miami's priorities coming into the 2021 recruiting cycle. So far, the Hurricanes have accomplished that in their backcourt while continuing to show their ability to land prospects from the top half of the East Coast. ESPN 100 point guard Bensley Joseph is a long and competitive two-way player. Fellow ESPN 100 wing Jakai Robinson is cut from an almost identical cloth, as he's a fearless competitor and relentless attacker on both ends of the floor. Nisine Poplar is a talented and versatile scorer with the type of perimeter size coach Jim Larranaga historically covets. Now, the focus shifts to the frontcourt, where the Hurricanes might need multiple pieces, including one capable of contending for a starting job from day one.
22. Gonzaga Bulldogs
Previous ranking: 18
With the Zags becoming one of the nation's most consistently successful programs, Mark Few and his staff are starting to get involved in some high-level recruitments. They landed Jalen Suggs in the 2020 class and are now squarely in the mix for top-ranked senior Chet Holmgren. Even without Holmgren, Gonzaga already has an impressive pair of ESPN 100 prospects headed to Spokane, Washington, in 2021. Ben Gregg (No. 29) is the headliner of the two, a skilled forward who can make shots from the perimeter and facilitate some offense with his passing ability. Kaden Perry (No. 75) should make more of an impact at the other end of the floor, and he has shined against top competition in the past.
23. Purdue Boilermakers
Previous ranking: 19
Purdue has landed a pair of ESPN 100 products from its home state of Indiana to solidify its frontline for years to come. Caleb Furst gives the Boilermakers a southpaw who can produce inside and is beginning to extend his game away from the basket. Trey Kaufman is a 6-foot-8 forward who is the ultimate mismatch problem offensively with his ability to score from multiple spots on the floor. In most lineups, that duo would line up at the 5 and 4 spots, but Matt Painter has shown a willingness to play very big in the past, so don't be surprised to see the Boilermakers return to that style.
24. Kansas Jayhawks
Previous ranking: 20
The Jayhawks have a talented frontcourt tandem heading to Lawrence next year that should create a ton of matchup problems. Zach Clemence is a floor-spacing big man who possesses good size along with a beautiful shooting stroke. He'll pull opposing rim protectors away from the basket and open up the lane, which is ideal for fellow ESPN 100 forward K.J. Adams, a 6-foot-6 bulldozer forward who attacks the rim with relentless physicality. This is likely to be just the start for Bill Self and his staff as they continue to cast a wide net for the country's best available prospects.
25. Colorado Buffaloes
Previous ranking: 22
Tad Boyle has six scholarship seniors in the program this season (although all six can technically return due to the new NCAA rule), but he expected to need something of a reload in the 2021 class -- and so he went out and landed four players, with a potential fifth. Top billing goes to ESPN 100 small forward Quincy Allen (No. 49), a talented wing scorer who can make shots. Four-star center Lawson Lovering, a 7-footer from Wyoming, should make an immediate impact. Guards Javon Ruffin and Julian Hammond III should provide depth, and Drew Carter is a dual-sport star who is expected to make a bigger impact on the court.