Ranking the five biggest commits in September
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September was a busy month on the recruiting trail as dozens of commitments took place and dominoes began to fall. Today Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy reflects on the month that was by ranking the five most important September commitments starting with No. 5 and working his way down to No. 1.
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5. DEREK DIXON TO NORTH CAROLINA
Why it was important: Because it got North Carolina on the board.
It’s not as though Dixon was a must-get for the Tar Heels, but his commitment certainly alleviated a hint of building concern about the program’s slow start to the 2025 recruiting cycle. North Carolina missed out on prospects such as Jasper Johnson and Isiah Harwell among others, so it was imperative to get the momentum turned around by landing Dixon, who committed to Hubert Davis over finalists Virginia, Pitt and Vanderbilt.
North Carolina has plenty of work to do in the 2025 class, as the Dixon commitment won’t be enough to completely ease the minds of some grumbling fans on its own. It does, however, provide some bit of relief on that front while Davis and his staff chase higher-profile targets such as Caleb Wilson, Nate Ament, Braylon Mullins, AJ Dybantsa and Niko Bundalo.
4. JADEN TOOMBS TO SMU
Why it was important: Because it came at the perfect time.
SMU is about to start its first season as an ACC member, and it’s no secret that the Mustangs, who have been to just three NCAA tournaments since 1993, will need to upgrade their talent if they hope to make noise in their new conference. Landing Toombs is an overture toward doing just that. The four-star big man is one of the best rebounders in the country and comes equipped with both high-level fluidity and a soft touch around the hoop.
That fact that SMU was able to hold off a late push from Miami to land Toombs speaks positively about the future.
3. ISIAH HARWELL TO HOUSTON
Why it was important: Because of who Houston beat out.
It wasn’t long ago that Harwell looked almost destined to land at front-running Gonzaga, to which the five-star took an early shine. Baylor’s Lone Star State neighbor Texas and its national brand and NIL war chest was also heavily involved. Instead, it was powerhouse Houston, a team about to begin just its second season as a member of a high-major conference, that emerged from the fray victorious.
Houston has hauled in its share of high-level prospects in the Kelvin Sampson era, but snagging a five-star out from underneath the Longhorns’ nose still feels significant. Sampson’s Big 12 juggernaut appears here to stay for the foreseeable future.
2. JALEN HARALSON TO NOTRE DAME
Why it was important: Because it kick-started a red hot recruiting run.
No program had a better September than Notre Dame, which landed four prospects in the month that was. Three of the four prospects are ranked inside the Rivals150, with the fourth knocking on its door. The first and most important domino, however, was Haralson, The Irish’s top-ranked recruit in at least a decade. Head coach Micah Shrewsberry has something going in South Bend and snagging the No. 17 Haralson away from Michigan State and Indiana is proof positive of that. In the days since Haralson’s commitment, Notre Dame has built the country’s No. 1 recruiting class (as things stand) and looks poised to make noise going forward.
1. JASPER JOHNSON TO KENTUCKY
Why it was important: Because it sent a message about Mark Pope.
Having a five-star prospect in your backyard is a gift not many coaches get, but Mark Pope fell into such a situation upon his arrival at Kentucky, as Johnson hails from Lexington, mere minutes away from the Wildcats’ campus. That said, Pope had his work cut out for him when it came to landing the Bluegrass State native. Not only has the incoming UK head man not coached a single game in the SEC, but he didn’t start building a relationship with Johnson until he took the Kentucky job in April. There was also a drizzle of fan unrest in the immediate aftermath of his hire, so beating out programs such as North Carolina, Alabama and Arkansas to land Johnson looked to be a tall task.
Fast forward five months, however, and Johnson is UK’s prized commitment, zapping any lingering restlessness among the fan base. Landing Johnson, who was also being courted by former Kentucky head coach John Calipari and the Razorbacks, was a statement about the level at which the program intends to recruit in the Pope era.