Maryland has the No. 7 recruiting class in the nation and best in the Big Ten.

247Sports, the leader in college recruiting coverage, gave Maryland’s incoming men’s basketball freshmen class the recognition it deserves. The Terps’ 2018 class is the seventh-best class in the country, which is even better than the 2016 class that boosted the trio of Anthony Cowan, Kevin Huerter and Justin Jackson.

The star of the upcoming class is Jalen Smith. In its final rankings of the season, he improved from the 24th-best player in the class of 2018 to No. 13 player in the class.

The Mount Saint Joseph power forward is the highest-ranked high school prospect the program has brought in since Diamond Stone and Smith shined in the McDonald’s All-American Game back in late March.

At a quick glance, his 12 points and four rebounds may seem pedestrian, but add two blocks and flashes of his leaping ability, and Smith showed he belonged among the country’s best incoming class.

The back-to-back Maryland Gatorade State Player of the Year is joined by Eric Ayala, a four-star combo guard who rose 21 spots on the final big board and finished at No. 61 and Aaron Wiggins, who’s ranked at No. 43 (down from No. 38). Add Serrel Smith to the mix, and Maryland will be a force to be reckoned with.

The key date for Maryland fans is May 30. That is the last day NBA prospects without an agent can withdraw their names from the upcoming draft. With Justin Jackson out of the mix, Bruno Fernando and Kevin Huerter are the two difference makers whose future is still up in the air.

Even if Fernando and Huerter return, there are valid questions about what Mark Turgeon can do with a huge concentration of talent. Maryland’s 2015-16 squad was widely regarded as a team could make the Final Four, but they bowed out of the tournament in largely unceremonious fashion in the Sweet 16 against Kansas.

There’s a decent chance that Maryland is really good next year. However, there’s also a chance we have a repeat of the 2015-16 season. Regardless, if Fernando and Huerter are back next season, the expectations for the Terps will be awfully high.