Ranking the Contenders: Five-star Tyrell Ward
A one-time Xavier commit, five-star wing Tyrell Ward has been back on the market since the Musketeers decided to part ways with Travis Steele in mid-March. More than a month later, Ward’s recruitment is set to end for the second time, as the skilled forward has settled on an April 30 commitment date.
Officially, LSU, Georgetown and Virginia Tech make up his list of final options but one school stands well above the rest when it comes to the likelihood of landing his pledge. Below, Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy ranks the contenders to land Ward when he makes this official this weekend.
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1. GEORGETOWN
The Hoyas once seemed to be the overwhelmingly obvious pick for the top spot, but the gap has closed a bit in recent days based on an effective in-home visit by LSU. If we’re being totally honest with ourselves, Georgetown remains the favorite to secure Ward’s commitment, but some doubt has crept in in the last 48 hours.
Patrick Ewing recently added former Xavier staffer Jordan Brooks to his bench, and Brooks’ ties to Ward are strong to say the least. The relationship between the two goes back to Brooks’ grassroots coaching days, and the fact that Ward was signed with Xavier while Brooks was the school’s director of recruiting says a lot.
That said, the Hoyas were also involved in Ward’s recruitment the first time around and got him on campus for a visit. So while Brooks being added to the staff certainly helps things, it’s not fair to totally discredit Ewing’s work. The Hoyas don’t feel like the lock they did 48 hours ago, but they still seem more likely than not to land Ward’s pledge.
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2. LSU
LSU might not land Ward, but if the Tigers don’t it won’t be for lack of effort. Tigers head coach Matt McMahon brought his staff with him for an in-home visit earlier this month, and things reportedly went pretty well – well enough that LSU has become a serious threat to snatch Ward out from under Georgetown's nose.
Playing catch-up in a recruitment like Ward’s is exceedingly difficult, but McMahon has closed the gap in a hurry and given the in-demand prospect plenty to consider. The Tigers’ ability to win this battle doesn’t feel like the extreme long shot it once did, but there’s a feeling they’ll still come up short. The effort he put in down the stretch has been commendable and stranger things have happened. LSU fans shouldn't wave the white flag too hard just yet.
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3. VIRGINIA TECH
Ward was on campus at Virginia Tech less than a week ago, so the Hokies have that going for them. They also have his high school coach in the fold, as assistant Mike Jones and Ward were together during Ward’s time at DeMatha High School. The relationship is solid, and under different circumstances, Ward could be headed to Blacksburg.
The Hokies never managed to get the momentum going, however, and have long seemed to be on the outside looking in as it relates to this race. It would be more than a mild shock if Ward decided to join Jones in the ACC.