Bossi's Best: Players outside of Rivals150 classes ready to rise
Last week the Rivals150 for both the classes of 2021 and 2022 were updated. This week in Bossi’s Best, national analyst Eric Bossi takes a look at 10 prospects (five from each class) who just missed the update but could be making some major noise soon.
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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
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1. Mark Armstrong
Recruitment: Offers from Auburn, Creighton, DePaul, Illinois, Kansas, Rutgers, Seton Hall, Stanford, St. John’s.
Why he could rise: Armstrong is already a proven scorer with a great frame to build on. It was just a matter of getting to see him play more. His ability to get downhill and use his bounce and body control to finish at the rim is beyond his age. He supplements his ability to score at the rim with timely shooting. He appears destined for at least four-star status and is emerging as a priority recruit for many high-level programs.
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2. Jeff Brazziel
Recruitment: Offers from Auburn and Maryland.
Why he could rise: A smooth southpaw with bounce, Brazziel has a nose for the rim to go along with good size and long arms. He’s a little streaky from deep and his right hand is still improving, but his instincts and creativity in getting to the rim have really started to catch the eye of college coaches.
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3. Avery Brown
Recruitment: Offers from Indiana, Missouri, Penn State, Saint Louis, St. John’s.
Why he could rise: There is a lot to like when it comes to a floor general like Brown. He’s got great size, is well put together and shows burst with his first step. He’s an alert passer, engaged defender and he can play as either a setup guy or a primary scorer. Guards with intelligence like he has aren’t always easy to find.
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4. Miles Byrd
Recruitment: Offers from Cal Poly, Northern Arizona and Rice.
Why he could rise: In Byrd you have a long and lanky wing who is just starting to grow into his body. He plays with a lot of energy, and on the defensive end he is adept at getting deflections, getting into passing lanes and creating finishes on the offensive end by running the floor. He needs to fine tune his jump shot and ball-handling. His ceiling for improvement is tremendous.
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5. Jalen Deloach
Recruitment: Offers from Georgia, Houston, Kansas State, Mississippi, South Carolina and VCU..
Why he could rise: For one, there simply aren’t many high-major quality big men left out there. Second, as a post-grad guy, Deloach’s added maturity is a benefit. He has the ability to play from inside out and is an elastic athlete who rebounds and has defensive versatility. He’s got a lot of momentum headed into the 2020-21 season.
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6. Will Felton
Recruitment: Committed to Arizona State.
Why he could rise: Felton isn’t concerned with flash. He’s concerned with production. Each time we’ve been able to see him he’s been a little bit more polished offensively, has filled out a little more and looks more and more confident. He’s a sure-handed rebounder who does the dirty work, and he looks like a guy with potential to develop into a really solid player in Tempe.
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7. DeMarshay Johnson
Recruitment: No reported offers.
Why he could rise: Back in the spring, I was shocked that Johnson hadn’t yet become a bit of a priority on at least the West Coast Conference or Mountain West level. Now I’m straight up dumbfounded. He is pushing 6-foot-10, he has tremendous length and he’s an explosive athlete who can really run the floor and protect the rim. I get that his motor is a little hot and cold and that he’s a little raw on offense. But having seen the development of some recent under-the-radar West Coast bigs like Joshua Morgan and Kenny Wooten, I’d want to find out everything I could about him if I was a coach out West.
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8. Ryan Mabrey
Recruitment: No reported offers.
Why he could rise: A native of New Jersey, Mabrey spent much of the summer in Southern California working out, and the reviews were very favorable. Since landing at La Lumiere, the feedback has been just as strong regarding the shooting guard’s work ethic, skill and overall ability. Basketball runs in his family, too. His sister, Dara, recently transferred to Notre Dame, where another sister, Michaela, is an assistant coach. A third sister, Marina, played at Notre Dame as well and is currently in the WNBA. He seems destined for a breakout junior season.
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9. Brandon Murray
Recruitment: Committed to LSU.
Why he could rise: A well-built wing from Baltimore who is doing a post-grad year at IMG, Murray is a pure scorer. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him emerge as one of the top jump shooters in the class of 2021 this season. With his size, toughness and ability to make shots, he could be a steal for LSU.
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10. Breon Pass
Recruitment: Final four of East Carolina, Georgia Tech, NC State and Providence.
Why he could rise: An accomplished football player, Pass has chosen to focus on hoops for college and he has a lot of room for growth. He’s athletic, he’s tough, he makes others better and he plays with some fire. I’m really looking forward to where he could take his game with an emphasis on hoops.