After signing Justin Jackson, Maryland basketball has the No. 9 recruiting class in the nation

Now that four-star small forward Justin Jackson has committed to the Terps, Maryland basketball has the ninth-best recruiting class in the country, according to 247Sports. In a season where the team will be looking to replace four out of five starters from 2015-16, that's a big deal.

With Jackson signing on, the class goes up 13 spots, from No. 22 to No. 9, on 247Sports' class calculator. A big recruiting class is what Maryland needed after losing the bulk of its minutes from a year ago. Jackson will likely slide into the starting lineup right away, guards Anthony Cowan and Kevin Huerter should see plenty of playing time and fellow small forward Micah Thomas should fill a smaller role.

Jackson's commitment also gives Maryland the second-best class in the Big Ten, behind Michigan State. The Terps leapfrog Indiana, which moves one spot down to No. 21.

Duke, Kentucky, Arizona, Michigan State, UCLA, Virginia, Connecticut and Mississippi State are the only schools ranked higher than Maryland in the 2016 recruiting class.