A Quick Rundown of My Ranking Process

Prep Girls Hoops Kansas Scouting Report

Brady Peterson July 5, 2026 @ 10:36 PM

We have a day before the next class rankings go up, which will be the Class of 2028. I usually have an article like this posted once or twice a year, and now is as good a time as any. Hopefully this is informative and helps you get a slightly clearer picture of how this works on the back end.   To start the process, I have every player in the PGH Database in a Google Sheet alongside a column where I grade them.   The way I grade players has everything to do with their abilities and how they translate to the next level. That may not always equate to players excelling at the high school or grassroots level, rising the rankings. Scoring is by far the thing that I have gotten the pushback on from parents in the past. Some players who score 20 points per game in high school struggle to find the floor at the collegiate level, because the higher up the food chain you get in the next level, everyone can score; it doesn't seperate players as much as some may think.   A massive thing I hear about from college coaches is the physical tools kids possess. You look at two of the best D2 teams in the country, in Minnesota State-Mankato and Grand Valley State; they have players who have physical tools that you won't find at mid-major schools. Whether it's athleticism or size, kids with one or both of those physical traits will garner more attention than their peers, and it's something I look for in players.   In terms of skill, there is a place for players with immense amounts of skill. However, players who may not have the size and athleticism tend to garner interest later than others, from what I've seen.   Now that I have that quick rambling out of the way, let's talk about how I grade players personally.   I have tiers I use as grades for players, with "1" being top-tenish players in the country who will garner interest from elite programs, down to "10" being players who could play at D3 programs in the region. Within those tiers, I meticulously order them in the order I'd tell programs to see them play. For instance, players who I see as D2 players are ordered in the sequence I'd tell D2 coaches to see over the grassroots or high school season.   After I order them from 1-100, or 1-50, for the 2029 class, I send the rankings draft to coaches, directors, and other people whose opinions I trust. As many players as I get to watch, I need to hear from others who also have knowledge that can help me account for my blind spots, biases, and where I may be off on players.   After I get that feedback, I can adjust my rankings, drafts, and finalize where players end up in the final rankings.   If you, as a player, disagree with where you may be in the rankings, understand that it is only my opinion, and it is more than possible that opinion is wrong. If you'd like an example of where I'm wrong, the No. 41 player in the final Class of 2025 rankings update was Makenzie Luehring, who at the time was committed to Lewis University. As you read this, she is the reigning Freshman of the Year in the Horizon League, a First Team All-Conference performer as a freshman, and has a bright future ahead of her.   Treat every rankings update on this site as a progress report, not a final exam.

We have a day before the next class rankings go up, which will be the Class of 2028. I usually have an article like this posted once or twice a year, and now is as good a time as any. Hopefully this is informative and helps you get a slightly clearer picture of how this works on the back end.