This is a conference of transfers. The league had a mass exodus of players leaving. But that also means the rosters across the board have had a major shift with new faces through the portal. 

All of the newcomers should play. A lot. So, to be a freshman and play, well, that’s going to be harder than it may appear. There are still a number of rookies who can play right away. Btu they have to be dudes. Real dudes. Let’s take a look at the best of the best. 

HEAD OF THE CLASS 

Who are the top players at every position coming into the Atlantic 10 Conference straight from high school? These are our staff picks. 

PG Devin Dinkins, George Mason
SG RJ Luis, UMass
SF Fats Billups, Virginia Commonwealth
PF Reed Bailey, Davidson
C Tafara Gapara, UMass 

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS 

We know new UMass head coach Frank Martin likes to have long and rangy guys on the defensive end of the floor. Tafara Gapara has a chance to be elite that category. Don’t be surprised if the highly-touted 6-foot-9 prospect from New Zealand becomes a Frank Martin favorite because of how he can impact the game on the defensive end of the floor. To that end, smart NBA scouts have already put his name on the “I gotta go see that guy play” lists for the upcoming season. 

Gapara moved up a class to join the Minutemen. In a league that wanted to wait for the young guys to play, Gapara will swim against the tide and should see plenty of time right away. 

TWO CLASSES THAT WE REALLY LOVE 

George Mason

Kim English is one of the rising stars in the coaching ranks and coming off the heels of a 14-win season last year, this recruiting class is an important one for a number of reasons. One, they need the young guys to contribute in the rotation this season. There is talent to work with in the three-man class. Two, they need the young guys to show that English can get it done in the recruiting trenches. By our count, he does. This is a great group to grow with. 

Keep a close watch on Devin Dinkins. He’s tiny (5-10) but experienced from Gonzaga in the D.C. area. He’s super fast and confident to become a day-one producer as a guard. 

Justyn Fernandez, who prepped at IMG Academy as a senior, had a number of high-major offers during his recruitment. The 6-foto-5 cerebral wing has the juice to be an all-league level player. He has tremendous ability and could be a cornerstone player in Fairfax. 

Elvis Nnaji, the cousin of Denver Nuggets big man Zeke Nnaji, should be in contention for early minutes in the frontcourt rotation. 

VCU

Surprise, surprise, I love this incoming class. 

Jayden Nunn proved me right as a major recruiting steal. This year’s freshmen class has some heralded guys in the mix. So, don't be surprised if a stud rises up from this year's freshmen class. 

When you look at the type of players who have played well at VCU over the years, Fats Billups is that kind of dude. He has the size (6-7), the versatility and the understanding of who he is as a player to develop into a major player for the Rams. If you look at all of the freshmen in the conference, Billups is on the short list of guys who can get me really excited about what’s in store. 

Looking inside, the 1-2 punch of Christian Fermin and Toibu Lawal is a formidable duo that you can build with. Neither guy may make a big splash right away because of the depth already inside for the Rams. But you can build a very good base with these guys moving forward. Fermin could play more right away. 

RANDOM THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

- Davidson is in a new era and the future is strong with a pair of bigs that you can grow with. Reed Bailey is one of the best incoming players in the conference and was a real score on the recruiting front. We had him ranked 87 overall in the 2022 class coming out of the famed Brewster Academy. He could be one of the most versatile prospects in the league. 

- Rhode Island has a good one in big man Jeremy Foumena. The native of Paris, France via Canada was one of my favorite available players that I saw come through the prep schools ranks last season. He’ll go up and grab a rebound off the rim and start a break quickly. His length allows him - at the prep level - to corral a lot of balls that most of his peers just can’t reel in. I love his length and how he uses it. The more I watched him, the more I wanted to see more from him. At the high school level, he’s pretty productive. However, Foumena may be a couple of years away with more offensive skill development but you get excited about his considerable upside at the mid-major level. 

- If you’re looking for a nice sleeper to watch, keep your eyes on Christian Winborne of St. Joe’s. He’s a big guard from Baltimore and has the trust of coach Billy Lange. Don’t be surprised if the ball gets into Winborne’s hands early on and he’s asked to go and be an aggressive leader on the floor. 

- Fordham’s Angel Montas could see the floor early because he’s strong enough to contend against the league’s defensive schemes. He was a big recruiting win for the Rams. The 6-foot-5 wing from Florida had a big senior season and entered college on the upward trend. 

- La Salle has a trio of international freshmen on the roster that new head coach Fran Dunphy is hoping will hit. Because of the roster depth, Lithuanian Rokas Jocius, a 6-foot-10 forward, has a chance to play right away. Versatile wing Lucas Mercandino of Argentina could be a perimeter threat while Spainish point guard Jorge Sanchez-Ramos gives the backcourt depth. 

- Dayton’s Mike Sharavjamts is from Mongolia. That’s cool. 

- I like what Jayden Dawson could become for this Loyola Chicago team. Watch the development of the 6-foot-4 wing. He could be an important player as the post-season gets closer into focus. Fans of the program raved about what they saw from the bouncy Jalen Quinn over the summer when the team went to France. He’s freaky when he leaves the hardwood. 

- College basketball is such an interesting space right now because of how old teams are. To be a freshman and play, you have to be a dude. I mean, a dude. 

Perhaps the most underrated thing about college hoops is having a roster that can be patient, develop and be smart enough to see value as a sustainable player and/or group in college hoops. 

Take for example St. Loius. The class of Mouhamadou Cisse, Larry Hughes II, Nick Kramer and Kellen Thames is a good one. But with so many talented players already on the roster and waiting in the wings, this group may not even come close to showing what it can become in year one. But you better believe this is a group that could be really good with a runway ahead of them.