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Published Aug 27, 2024
Rivals Rankings Week: Meet the first five-stars for the 2027 class
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Rob Cassidy  •  Basketball Recruiting
Basketball Recruiting Director
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The initial top 60 for the class of 2027 has arrived at Rivals.com, and the rankings contain six five-star prospects. Today, national analyst Rob Cassidy introduces the world to the first five-stars in the 2027 class by summing up the games and early recruitment outlooks of each player.

RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK (2027)

Monday: Who should be No. 1?

Tuesday: Inaugural 2027 ranking | Meet the five-stars

Wednesday: Teams to watch in 2027

Thursday: Rankings roundtable

*****

Overview: Six-foot-8 forwards with 7-foot wingspans, perimeter skills and reliable jumpers aren’t exactly in abundance. Such prospects are even more rare in the ranks of the sophomore class, where Rosser’s length and skill set give him remarkable upside and the chance to grow into a true unicorn down the road. He’ll need to add weight and become a more comfortable scorer inside the paint, but he has plenty of time to do all that.

Rosser, who shot 6-for-9 from 3-point range in one of his final Peach Jam outings this summer, is a floor-spacing dream and a matchup nightmare. He possesses both rim-protection ability and serious long-term potential as a more versatile defender. Rosser claimed the top spot in the rankings based on long-term upside, but his production is trending in the right direction quickly.

Recruitment: The North Carolina-based Rosser is already on the radar of multiple national powers. And while in-state Duke and North Carolina have the luxury of biding their time with scholarship offers, programs such as Michigan and Virginia Tech have already come to the table.

*****

Overview: One of the most athletic and explosive guards in the 2027 class, Hampton was a production machine for Southern Assault on the adidas 3SSB circuit this summer. His shot-creation ability is advanced beyond his age. He’s a solid long-range shooter and continues to develop on that front, but the strength of his game shines when he is attacking the rim in transition or in the half court.

Hampton is incredibly assertive with the ball in his hands and is as reliable a finisher as there is in this class, as he is comfortable absorbing contact and taking defenders off the bounce.

Recruitment: The Texas-based Hampton already holds a long list of offers, including ones from Auburn, Arizona State, TCU, Texas, Cincinnati and Tennessee. It’s safe to assume Baylor will be among the other programs to make a play down the road. Blueblood programs are almost certain to be involved eventually.

*****

Overview: There were some highs and some lows for the 6-foot-9 Oladotun on the grassroots circuit this year, but when he was good, he was great. The Maryland-based wing has the type of upside that could put him on the No. 1 line down the road as he becomes more assertive and consistent in nearly every facet, as his physical gifts and budding skill set are impressive to say the least. He moves incredibly well for a young prospect of his size and has shown signs of consistent long-range shooting ability.

OIadotun, who boasts a high basketball IQ for his age and limits silly mistakes, shines mostly as a scorer these days. Still, his frame is promising and should allow him to become an impactful defender and rebounder at the highest levels as he gets stronger.

Recruitment: Syracuse is among the programs that have come to the table early, and Oladotun also holds offers from places such as Indiana, West Virginia, Florida State, Ole Miss and Louisville. In-state Maryland has also offered the five-star wing, who grew up in Colesville, just 25 minutes away from the Terrapins’ College Park campus.

*****

Overview: A 6-foot-8 forward out of Evansville, Ind., Mitchell has already played two seasons of high-level grassroots hoops, as he played up with Brad Beal Elite’s EYBL 15U team as a rising eighth grader a year ago and ran with the 16U squad this summer. Mitchell is one of the most well-rounded and physical wings in the class and is able to overpower defenders on his way to the bucket because of his developed frame and quick first step. He’s already an established shot creator and has shown signs of advanced passing.

Mitchell is another name that could be in the discussion for the top spot before all is said and done this cycle.

Recruitment: A budding star in Big Ten country, Mitchell already holds an offer from Illinois. Logic dictates that programs such as Indiana, Purdue and Michigan State will also get involved. For now however, only the Illini, Evansville and Arizona State have made things official at this early stage.

*****

Overview: The Canadian-born Osaruyi will play his sophomore season at California's Bella Vista High after spending last year at Canyon International Academy. The 6-foot-9 center’s long, wiry frame allows him to play bigger than his listed height, and his above-average athleticism helps him shine as a rim protector. Osaruyi’s strength is in his ability to perform in the paint, where he blocks shots on defense and finishes anything close with a dunk on the offensive end.

Osaruyi has a budding face-up game and plays with a level of physicality that allows him to get position against bigger defenders, which helps yield dunks and rebounds, where he also tends to impact games.

The next steps for the five-star center will involve adding even more muscle and becoming a more reliable shooter from outside 10 feet.

Recruitment: Oklahoma State and Cal State Northridge have already offered Osaruyi, and it’s wise to expect more programs to hop into the fray this year.

*****

Overview: Originally from Nashville, Cosby has lived in Ohio while playing in the Atlanta-based Overtime Elite League and will look to take a step forward after seeing limited minutes as a freshman last season.

The 6-foot-8 lefty turned heads on both the adidas 3SSB circuit and in the Nike EYBL’s 15U division this summer, however, and has created a real buzz with his play at the NBAPA Top100 Camp as well.

Cosby has a thick build and the ability to play with his back to the basket or showcase a face-up game that has really started to click in recent months. He’s looked like a comfortable and effective three-point shooter in a small sample size and has shown some indicators of high-level rim-protection ability. He’s sometimes not quite as assertive as coaches would like a star player to be, but his motor and aggression will hopefully ramp up with age.

Recruitment: Arizona State and Cincinnati have already offered Cosby, who will attract major national interest in the coming years.

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