BTN.com staff, April 30, 2015

The deadline to declare for the 2015 NBA Draft came and went late Sunday night.

[ MORE: Stephen Bardo ranks the stars who opted to return ]

Several Big Ten teams received great news, as stars Yogi Ferrell, A.J. Hammons, Caris LeVert and Melo Trimble, among others, decided to return to school.

The Big Ten did lose Sam Dekker, Terran Petteway and D'Angelo Russell to the draft, though.

Now that we know who will be back for the 2015-16 season, BTN.com's Tom Dienhart, Sean Merriman and Brent Yarina combined to release a super-early power rankings.

Here's how this worked: Each person ranked the teams 1-14, with first-place votes equaling one, second-place two, and so on – and the final ranking went in ascending order of total votes.

See our way-too-early ranking below.

1. Maryland – 1, 1, 1 (3). The Terps became an instant favorite when Melo Trimble announced he was returning for his sophomore season. – Tom Dienhart

2. Michigan State – 2, 2, 2 (6). Denzel Valentine and Eron Harris form what should be the top backcourt in the Big Ten next season. – Sean Merriman

3. Indiana – 3, 5, 3, (11). Loaded with talented scorers, the Hoosiers will be scary-good if Troy Williams finds a jump shot. – Brent Yarina

4. Michigan – 4, 3, 5 (12). Caris LeVert?s return is huge. He joins the likes of Derrick Walton, Zak Irvin, Aubrey Dawkins, Spike Albrecht and MAAR to form the deepest backcourt in the Big Ten. – Sean Merriman

5. Wisconsin – 5, 4, 4, (13). We all know the Bo Ryan stat. Plus, Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes are sure-fire stars. – Brent Yarina

6. Ohio State – 6, 6, 7 (19). Lots of attrition headed by D'Angelo Russell bolting. Thad Matta will turn to Marc Loving, Keita Bates-Diop, Kam Williams and Jae?Sean Tate, among others. – Tom Dienhart

7. Purdue – 7, 7, 6 (20). – With Isaac Haas and A.J. Hammons down low, the Boilermakers are a point guard away from something special. – Brent Yarina

T8. Illinois – 8, 8, 10 (26). Tracy Abrams? return gives this team a true senior leader to go along with the talented junior-to-be duo of Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill. – Sean Merriman

T8. Iowa – 9, 9, 8 (26). Aaron White and Gabe Olaseni are big losses; it's time for Jarrod Uthoff to become a star. – Brent Yarina

10. Northwestern – 10, 10, 9 (29). Chris Collins appears to have something brewing in Evanston and will continue to build around rising sophomores Vic Law and Bryant McIntosh. – Tom Dienhart

11. Minnesota – 11, 11, 11 (33). Rising sophomore Nate Mason?s development figures to dictate the Gophers? 2015-16 season. – Brent Yarina

12. Nebraska – 13, 12, 12 (37). This team took a step backward, and the loss of Terran Petteway and Walter Pitchford won?t help things. – Sean Merriman

13. Penn State – 12, 13, 13 (38). Patrick Chambers continues to lay a strong foundation and will have back the likes of Shep Garner, Brandon Taylor, Geno Thorpe and Donovan Jack. – Tom Dienhart

14. Rutgers – 14, 14, 14 (42). The Scarlet Knights finished last a season ago and lost arguably their three top players. – Brent Yarina

***

TOM DIENHART

1. Maryland. The Terps became an instant favorite when Melo Trimble announced he was returning for his sophomore season.

2. Michigan State. Travis Trice and Branden Dawson will be missed, but a great nucleus returns from a Final Four team in addition to a boffo recruiting class.

3. Indiana. With Yogi Ferrell, James Blackmon Jr., Troy Williams and Robert Johnson, the Hoosiers will have firepower on the perimeter. And the arrival of freshman big man Thomas Bryant will solve some interior issues. Keep an eye on this club.

4. Michigan. Gotta love this squad, which suffers no key losses.

5. Wisconsin. How do you replace iconic Frank Kaminsky? Other seniors gone: Josh Gasser, Traevon Jackson and Duje Dukan, in addition to Sam Dekker. Bo Ryan will build around Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes.

6. Ohio State. Lots of attrition headed by D'Angelo Russell bolting. Thad Matta will turn to Marc Loving, Keita Bates-Diop, Kam Williams and Jae?Sean Tate, among others. Virginia Tech big man transfer Trevor Thompson will be eligible. OSU also will welcome one of the nation?s best group of freshmen led by Austin Grandstaff and Daniel Giddens.

7. Purdue. Lots to like with A.J. Hammons back. Other cornerstones will have to be Vince Edwards, Rapheal Davis, Dakota Mathias, Isaac Haas and Kendall Stephens. But who will be the point?

8. Illinois. Rayvonte Rice and Nnanna Egwu are gone, but Tracy Abrams is back from injury. Other key vets returning: Leron Black, Malcolm Hill, Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate. Love the backcourt, but can the interior develop?

9. Iowa. The Hawkeyes will miss Aaron White, an all-time great. Fran McCaffery will turn to Jarrod Uthoff, Peter Jok, Adam Woodbury, Anthony Clemmons and Mike Gesell as it looks for a third trip to the NCAA tourney in a row.

10. Northwestern. Chris Collins appears to have something brewing in Evanston and will continue to build around rising sophomores Vic Law and Bryant McIntosh. Also back will be Tre Demps and Alex Olah.

11. Minnesota. It?s time for guys like Nate Mason, Charles Buggs and Carlos Morris, among others, to play bigger roles.

12. Penn State. Patrick Chambers continues to lay a strong foundation and will have back the likes of Shep Garner, Brandon Taylor, Geno Thorpe and Donovan Jack.

13. Nebraska. Tim Miles will try to rebound from a disappointing season sans Terran Petteway.

14. Rutgers. There is only one way for the Scarlet Knights to go, right?

***

SEAN MERRIMAN

1. Maryland. Melo Trimble should be the preseason Big Ten POY, while Jake Layman will provide a veteran presence who can score and rebound in bunches. Add in one of the top freshmen in the nation in Diamond Stone, and you have the makings of a potential Big Ten champion.

2. Michigan State. Denzel Valentine and Eron Harris form what should be the top backcourt in the Big Ten next season. If the Spartans can get solid play from their two heralded freshmen big men, Deyonta Davis and Caleb Swanigan, the Spartans can make another Final Four run.

3. Michigan. Caris LeVert?s return is huge. He joins the likes of Derrick Walton, Zak Irvin, Aubrey Dawkins, Spike Albrecht and MAAR to form the deepest backcourt in the Big Ten. Who will step up in the front court? That is the million dollar question with this team.

4. Wisconsin. Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes will take the next step and develop into All-Big Ten players. Redshirt Freshman Ethan Haap could be Bo Ryan?s next guy to go from unknown to superstar. And, of course, you have to like the Badgers? chances to finish in the top four.

5. Indiana. This team is stacked with scoring options, but will the defense develop and allow this group to compete for a Big Ten title? The talent is certainly there to do so.

6. Ohio State. Jae?Sean Tate is a star in the making. The Buckeyes will be young, but a talented freshmen class combined with Tate and junior-to-be Marc Loving should be enough for this team to win 20 games.

7. Purdue. The twin towers return in A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas, but who will run this offense? If the Boilermakers can figure out an answer at point guard, this could be a top-25 team.

8. Illinois. Tracy Abrams? return gives this team a true senior leader to go along with the talented junior-to-be duo of Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill. If Jalen Coleman-Lands is as advertised, Illinois should be an NCAA Tournament team in 2016.

9. Iowa. Aaron White?s departure means that this is Jarrod Uthoff?s team. But he needs a sidekick who can help with the scoring load. Will that be Mike Gesell, Adam Woodbury, or one of the Hawkeyes? young wings? We will see.

10. Northwestern. This is the deepest team Northwestern has had in a long time. Bryant McIntosh and Vic Law are rising stars, while Alex Olah is a reliable big man who can score in the post. This could be the year the Wildcats break their NCAA Tournament drought.

11. Minnesota. The Gophers will need to find a way to replace the scoring of Andre Hollins and DeAndre Mathieu. Nate Mason looks like a star-in-the-making, but who else will emerge as a reliable scoring option for Richard Pitino?s team?

12. Nebraska. This team took a step backward, and the loss of Terran Petteway and Walter Pitchford won?t help things. Shavon Shields is a stud, but he can?t do it all by himself.

13. Penn State. With D.J. Newbill gone, this becomes Shep Gardner?s team. One of the incoming freshmen will likely have to play big minutes for Pat Chambers? team next season.

14. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights struggled in their first year in the Big Ten. Losing the Mack-and-Jack Show doesn?t help the cause. Eddie Jordan is a good coach and will figure it out, but it will take time.

***

BRENT YARINA

1. Maryland. The Terps will have the Big Ten?s top point guard (Melo Trimble) and one of the best big men (Diamond Stone).

2. Michigan State. Denzel Valentine and Eron Harris are going to be a lot of fun to watch.

3. Indiana. Loaded with talented scorers, the Hoosiers will be scary-good if Troy Williams finds a jump shot.

4. Wisconsin. You know the Bo Ryan stat, plus Bronson Koenig and Nigel Hayes are sure-fire stars.

5. Michigan. Silver lining to Caris LeVert?s injury: Aubrey Dawkins and MAAR had chance to play, and delighted.

6. Purdue. With Isaac Haas and A.J. Hammons down low, the Boilermakers are a point guard away from something special.

7. Ohio State. Thad Matta always wins 20 games, and he?ll do so again.

8. Iowa. Aaron White and Gabe Olaseni are big losses; it?s time for Jarrod Uthoff to become a star.

9. Northwestern. Bryant McIntosh and Vic Law will get the ?Cats dancing before their careers are complete.

10. Illinois. John Groce has some nice pieces, including Tracy Abrams, who returns after missing last season due to injury.

11. Minnesota. Rising sophomore Nate Mason?s development figures to dictate the Gophers? 2015-16 season.

12. Nebraska. Tim Miles and a revamped roster, led by Shavon Shields, need to figure out how to score.

13. Penn State. What will Penn State?s offense look like sans D.J. Newbill, a star who handled the ball a lot?

14. Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights finished last a season ago and lost arguably their three top players.