Coen Carr boasts one of the most impressive verticals in the 2023 class and is known for his highlight-worthy dunks. Carr is more than just a social media sensation, however, as he’s become a more complete player since bouncing back from a hand injury that sidelined him for a chunk of the spring.
These days, Carr is also a prospect on the verge of a commitment. He’ll share his decision with the world on the evening of Aug. 9. Before he does so, however, Rivals ranks the contenders in the Carr sweepstakes and examines just how likely each is to land his pledge.
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1. MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans certainly feel like the clear front-runner here, and the speed at which they closed is impressive. Carr received an official scholarship offer just weeks ago during his official visit to East Lansing, but the bond between the top-75 prospect and Tom Izzo’s staff had been built beforehand.
The haste with which he set a commitment date following his trip seems to point to the Spartans, and people close to Carr aren’t exactly disputing the program’s standing as the front-runner.
Michigan State is on a recruiting roll as of late and now could add a fourth top-75 prospect to a class headlined by de facto No. 1 overall prospect Xavier Booker, who committed on July 30. Should Carr make the call for the Spartans, the class could shape up to be one of the most highly regarded hauls of the Izzo era.
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2. TENNESSEE
Tennessee's late push is worth noting, as there’s usually something to be said for a late visit. Are the Vols likely to land Carr? No, but ruling out Rick Barnes completely is never smart.
Doing so feels doubly stupid when you consider how fresh the official visit is in the talented forward’s mind. Admiral Schofield’s success as a Vol appeals to Carr, as Carr sees his game as similar to that of the former first-team All-SEC selection.
Michigan State should be seen as the front-runner, but if any school is going to pull a shocker, it’ll be the Vols.
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3. VANDERBILT
Originally from Georgia, the South Carolina-based Carr seems destined to leave the Southeast for college, but the Commodores are one of the schools that has most tempted him to stay in the region. He visited Nashville earlier this summer, and the fact that his size and game loosely resembles that of head coach Jerry Stackhouse seems to have grabbed Carr’s attention.
Vanderbilt was thought to be a real player for a time, even if it never seemed like the front-runner.
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4. INDIANA
The reports coming out of Carr’s junior year visit to Indiana were positive, and the Hoosiers even looked to be part of a group in the thick of the mix to land his pledge back in March. That said, IU may have burned too bright too early, as things related to Carr’s recruitment changed in a hurry this summer.
Carr left his official visit blown away by the passion of the IU fan base and said he was intrigued by head coach Mike Woodson’s NBA pedigree, but it seems unlikely that the wind will blow toward Bloomington in this case.
