While this might not be your mom and pop’s Big East, the conference is still loaded with some star studded talent and depth from top to bottom. While Villanova has become the figurehead of the program over the past few years, this season it seems like there will be a lot more programs vying for a top spot in the conference.

Butler, Georgetown, and Xavier all look to have a fine chance to make a deep run in March, while others like Creighton and Marquette look more than ready to bounce back and sit at the big boy’s table. These next few days, we will take a look at each program’s incoming freshmen class and the top newcomer to the program that will be the most important to the its success during the 2015-2016 campaign. 

DEPAUL

The Blue Demons welcome back their old head honcho with Dave Leitao and while winning hasn’t been spoken often with DePaul in past years, the Blue Demons actually return a good amount of its top talent from last year’s squad. Billy Garrett, Thomas Hamilton, and Myke Henry all return to the Chicago-based program and the incoming freshman class is a group of individuals that bring some quality, long-term capabilities and needed size down low where four of the freshmen stand at 6-foot-6 and above. Oumar Barry is a 6-foot-9 center who displays the body and length where he should be a solid interior big man down the road, once he adds further strength and develops his skillset further. Eli Cain is a 6-foot-6 wing-forward type who can be a versatile defender because of his size and spot on the floor. He may be leaned on during his freshman campaign but the guy that may provide an immediate spark for the Blue Demons is in another 6-foot-9 big man with Develle Phillips. The product out of the DMV is more of a face-up big man who does well out on the break and has the length and quick leaping skills to be a solid rim protector in due time. Only two players last year averaged over five rebounds per game, where only one ballplayer averaged over a block per game. While Phillips continues to add to his overall offensive skillset, he can be leaned on early for his energy levels on the glass and shot blocking skills at the basket. If Phillips can do so, it would allow for such other frontcourt stars as Henry and Hamilton to exert more time on the offensive end where the trio of bigs can turn into solid threats in their own way and also enable the returning duo to spend a little more time away from the basket on the offensive end, where both shot above 37-percent from behind the arc.

GEORGETOWN

The Hoyas bring a ton of talent back to the Hilltop this fall and should be a solid threat to Villanova for top dog status within the conference. The Big East program returns such potent weapons as D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera, LJ Peak, Isaac Copeland, and Paul White but it is the freshmen class headed to Georgetown that has many excited down in DC. A three person group enters the storied program and all three bring a wealth of success during their own prep careers and should help parlay it to further success for John Thompson’s crew. Kaleb Johnson was a late add last spring and the 6-foot-7 forward is someone that should be leaned upon for his defensive abilities along with his feel for the game out of either forward spot on the floor. Marcus Derrickson joins Johnson in the frontcourt where the local product out of Bowie, Maryland, is more of an outside-in threat who can extend the defense with the deep ball, yet has the bulk and strength to cause some damage within the interior. The third and most important freshman to speak on with the Hoyas is another interior presence, one that is in the throwback variety and a guy that should allow for further spacing for his guards on the perimeter. Jessie Govan was a quality coup for the Hoyas once they signed him last year and the New Yorker should provide immediate numbers down low. He has the size at 6-foot-10 that stands out off the bat, but also the energy, hands, and touch in securing tough boards and scoring within traffic. Due to his stature and ability to score with his back to the basket, the big fella should create fine spacing for his guards on the perimeter and allow someone like Smith-Rivera to get easier looks from deep. If Govan can be a go-to guy down low come conference play, something that Georgetown has not had for some time now, just maybe JT3 and his crew can begin to ravel up further Ws and cause some damage in the NCAA Tournament.