A Very Early Look at 2012 Wyoming Basketball Recruiting Needs

So Wyoming just wrapped it's first recruiting class at the beginning of this week.  So after a three day break what else to do except talk about the 2012 recruiting class.  Some say it may be to early to discuss recruiting but it is always entertaining.  So here we go folks...

Expect another big recruiting class due to the extra large group of seniors at Wyoming.  I like to think of the roster as a bread sandwich: two slices of bread with no filler.  Not saying the sophomore and juniors aren't good players, they are just outnumbered heavily.  Let's take a look at the projected 2012 roster to give you a visual or the class structure.

Projected 2012 Wyoming Cowboy Basketball Roster

This is based on Brian Gibson not returning which seems more and more likely.  Rob Watsabaugh is a walk on and so Wyoming will have five scholarships available with the other five seniors leaving.   If you look at the remaining eight players and move them over a year  you end up with three seniors, one junior and four sophomores. 

If the entire 2012 recruiting are freshman then that would create another big class that would make the roster very uneven in experience.  Also in four years it would create a big hole in the roster when five players leave.  Schroyer never did a good job at balancing out the classes due to players leaving and relying heavily on junior college transfers last year. 

Shyatt actually has a nice chance to balance the classes here if he were to bring in a couple a junior college players.  That would also bring more experience and older players on the court to avoid an entire youth movement.  While Shyatt has said he hasn't recruited junior college players heavily before he is always looking for the right player who fits the program.  He's mentioned JC players recently so I'm sure they are taking look at several JC players or D1 transfers.

Projected 2013 Wyoming Cowboy Basketball Roster

So what needs will Wyoming have in 2013?  The story is actually pretty similar to what the Cowboys needed in 2011: a little bit of everything.  Ajayi will be the only true center on the team after Waddell leaves.  So finding another true big man is essential to anchoring the class.  Gilmore will be a senior in 2013 and we have yet to find out if Riley Grabau will end up as a point guard or shooting guard.  Either way a solid passer is needed for depth at the one spot.  

The final three spots can be used on a combination of wings or forwards since depth is needed at both spots.  The 2011 class was put together and in less than one month.  Now Shyatt and company can really use their recruiting abilities to their fullest to draw from a larger number of available players.  It will certainly be a fun ride to see who they land.