Five-star point guard Ashton Hagans has always been a highly regarded prospect in the 2019 class since he was a freshman at Newton High School (Ga.). But over the course the most recent travel season, he went from being considered just outside five-star range to comfortably in five-star range to now being the No. 6 overall player in the class.

Most recently, the 6-foot-4 floor general made a trip to Georgia for the Bulldogs home opener in football. He’s also been at Auburn recently and been a regular on Georgia Tech’s campus over the past year as well. Virginia Tech offered him on Friday, North Carolina offered last month, and Kentucky keeps lurking and could be next to offer.

Hagans discussed his visit to Georgia, his Virginia Tech offer, and his interest in other schools recruiting him.

Georgia: “It was great. I went to the football game and talked to the coaches. They just told me how they love my game and would love for me to stay home for college and be a Bulldog. When I was little, my cousin Trey Thompkins played there so I have always known Coach [Jonas] Hayes and Coach [Mark] Fox.”

Virginia Tech: “I’ve been getting a lot of mail from them for a while now telling me they are interested, but I haven’t talked to them myself yet about getting an offer. They already have the twins committed in 2019.”

North Carolina: “I’m still open to them and everybody else even though they have the point guard committed. They are still talking to me.”

Kentucky: “They haven’t offered yet, but they have stayed in touch. They love my game and have compared me to some of their former players like John Wall.”

Auburn: “Me and Coach (Bruce) Pearl, and all their coaches really, have a close relationship. I’ve been there a lot, so it’s a possibility.”

Georgia Tech: “That’s another coaching staff I have a close relationship with. I talk to them every day. I’ve been there a lot.”

On going to a traditional power or going to non-traditional power: “I like the powerhouse school like Kentucky and North Carolina, but there is also no problem with me staying in-state and looking at Georgia or Georgia Tech or Auburn that is close to home. Right now, I’m just open.”

Hagans’ recruitment is far from over at this point. He’s still indicating he’d like to wait until his senior year to make a decision, although he’s backed off the idea of waiting until the very end of his senior year to decide. What will be interesting to watch going forward is which schools really prioritize him. Auburn, Georgia and Georgia Tech are clearly all in right now. But which schools in the neighborhood of Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina really prioritize him? And even if those type of schools do make a push, could Hagans stay closer to home and try to jump start the Tigers, Bulldogs or Yellow Jackets? It will be interesting to find out the answer to those questions over the next year.