I've Got Five On It: Prospects to watch at the DT Academy

The annual DT Academy camp is set to kick off Friday evening in the Atlanta suburbs and will feature some of the top players from Georgia and beyond. Rivals.com will be on hand for the entire weekend, so it seems fitting to take a peek ahead. Today in I Got Five On It, our Rob Cassidy has a look at five of the participants he’s most interested in seeing live.

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More: Kentucky lands five-star Chris Livingston

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Rivals150

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Why he’s interesting: Because we’re releasing 2024 rankings next month.

Howard is the owner of a lofty rankings on a handful of other sites and has backed up his reputation as a high-ceiling wing with tools that can’t be coached. This weekend, however, will be about seeing if his skill set has progressed. Howard will run up against solid competition at the weekend event and will have a stage to show off his improving perimeter skills. Howard is a tantalizing prospect because of his massive ceiling, and watching him begin to reach it would be a pleasure. The 2024 prospect already holds offers from Florida, Florida State, Auburn, Georgetown and others.

Why he’s interesting: Because his recruitment has picked up steam.

Johnson added a fifth star in the latest rankings and he’s seen his list of options grow since. The talented point guard landed offers from schools such as Auburn, Tennessee, Cincinnati, Vanderbilt and others this summer. With the new opportunities has come more intrigue, making Johnson one of the event’s more compelling prospects from an interview standpoint. Auburn seems like a serious player in the race to land his pledge, but it will be interesting to hear the five-star guard discuss the other programs that find themselves in the mix.

Why he’s interesting: Because some feel he’s undervalued.

The Georgia-based Carlyle is currently ranked 23rd in the class of 2023, which is a lofty honor. That said, some around the Atlanta area think the four-star guard should be higher. Carlyle posted some eye popping numbers in a small sample size at this year’s Peach Jam and certainly remains in the top-10 discussion. Getting to see him side by side with No. 17 London Johnson, who moved ahead of him in the last rankings update will be helpful because there isn’t much to separate the two guards in the rankings. The DT Academy stage will provide Carlyle, who is considering Kansas, Tennessee, Auburn, Alabama and others, with the platform to make a statement.

Why he’s interesting: Because it’s our first viewing.

Word on Chol is spreading and the videos of him online are certainly impressive. A lot of people that have seen the 7-footer in action are extremely high on him and talk about his blend of elite length and athleticism. He remains unranked on Rivals simply because we haven’t gotten eyes on the Greenforest McCalep Christian Academy star. That will change this weekend. Chol’s reputation is that of a high-motor player that impacts games significantly on both ends of the floor. Schools such as Auburn, Georgia, Georgia Tech, St. John's and Xavier have offered.

Why he’s interesting: Because everyone love a young gun

Nickens is a 2025 prospect with some buzz building around his name. A handful of web publications that rank younger prospects have him inside the top-20 in his class, and his 6-foot-5 frame is certainly intriguing. It’ll be interesting to see how the touted but young prospect stacks up against high-major bound players from the classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024. First impressions aren’t everything, but Nickens is coming all the way from Oklahoma City to make a statement about his future.