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Bossi's Best: Class of 2020 value adds

Not all ranked freshmen can be expected to come in and put up huge numbers, regardless of high school rankings or accolades. But production is certainly expected. Looking at the 2020 Rivals150, who are some value adds?

Today in Bossi's Best, national analyst Eric Bossi takes a look at 10 players ranked outside of the top 75 who will arrive with a little less hype but have the ability to pay big dividends.

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2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position

2022 Rankings: Top 75

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TARI EASON, CINCINNATI

Tari Eason
Tari Eason (Nick Lucero/Rivals.com)

Bossi's take: What a run Eason had through Washington's state tournament while helping to lead Garfield to a Class 3A championship. By the same token, what a steal by John Brannen and his Cincinnati staff. We are talking about a potential all-conference player by the time he's done. He's a mobile, playmaking four-man who has tremendous versatility. Once he packs on a little more muscle, look out.

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TRAMON MARK, HOUSTON

Bossi's take: Kelvin Sampson and his staff at Houston know what they are doing and they've scored another potential stud in Mark. The Cougars' backcourt is already loaded for the 2020-21 season, so there won't be much pressure on Mark to make a huge splash. However, he's a monster athlete with a nose for scoring who isn't going to be content to wait for his moment. Whether it is as a freshman or a few years down the road, he can be a difference-maker.

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KADARY RICHMOND, SYRACUSE

Bossi's take: I don't think that any of us really has a good command for how good Richmond could ultimately be at Syracuse. He's long, he's got quickness with the ball, he can play all over the perimeter offensively and his length makes him perfect for covering a lot of ground in the Orange zone. Fit is important, and he looks to have picked a great fit for his game, which will only enhance his chances for success.

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L.J. CRYER, BAYLOR

Bossi's take: Is Cryer more of a point guard or a smallish two guard? You know what? I don't think it will matter at Baylor, where Scott Drew has been highly successful at finding guys like Cryer. He makes the right play, has skill and fits nicely in a multiple-guard lineup where traditional roles and expectations are thrown out the window. Again, fit makes a big difference when predicting future success, and Cryer has found a great fit in Waco.

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SELTON MIGUEL, KANSAS STATE

Bossi's take: It's not easy for freshmen to come in and be leaders, but Miguel has the ability to do so at Kansas State. He plays all-out on both ends of the floor, which I love. But even more, I feel that he has a confidence and maturity about him on the floor that will lend itself to an easier transition to the college game. The Wildcats were lacking in leadership from upperclassmen this last season. Perhaps a young buck like Miguel provides it next year.

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JOHN HUGLEY, PITTSBURGH

Bossi's take: Watching senior film on Hugley, I've been taken by his overall skill level and potential to make an early impact at Pittsburgh. It's quite likely that I've underrated him a bit in the past, and there's no question that he's been putting in work on his all-around game. Most importantly, he looks to be in really good shape, which makes a big difference. He's got big strong mitts, understands position and how to move defenders around the post and now he's got legit range on his jumper. He looks like a potential steal for the Panthers.

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TY BERRY, NORTHWESTERN

Bossi's take: At Northwestern, well, the Wildcats need more production across the board. How much more ready Berry is to help out early is something else compared to where he was this time a year ago. Capable of playing at the one or the two, Berry has gotten much more serious about his game, strength and effort. He can shoot from deep, understands how to play in structure and is a very important piece moving forward in Evanston.

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SHAKEEL MOORE, N.C. STATE

Bossi's take: Moore is another one of those guys, to me at least, that you can't put in a box or tag with a traditional label. He's wildly athletic and he's a pit bull on the floor, but at times he can be a little overzealous in trying to make the highlight play happen. It's why Kevin Keatts should be so good for him at NC State. He'll allow Moore to play through some mistakes and encourage him to keep attacking, and the result could be a pretty darn good ACC floor general when it's all said and done.

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ZED KEY, OHIO STATE

Bossi's take: I've had my questions with Key. I'm not sure he's really as big as his listed 6-foot-9. I'm not so sure about his athleticism at the Big Ten level and I'm not so sure he's not more of a natural center than a power forward. I am pretty sure, though, that I've seen him be productive enough that I have to start putting a lot more focus on what he does do. He rebounds, he has good hands, he's clever in the post and he has a mature way that should help him make the transition into a successful player at Ohio State.

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AHRON ULIS, IOWA

Bossi's take: I wrote about him some during the winter, but Ulis really blew me away when I saw him in late January. He was bigger than I thought, much better offensively than I had realized and he embraces competition in a way most high schoolers don't. Iowa has been pretty good at finding guys that others have passed on, and I feel there's a strong possibility Ulis could ultimately get his revenge on many Big Ten programs that didn't prioritize him a little more.

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