Rivals Roundtable: Breaking down the Early Signing Period
The early signing window opened on Wednesday and most players in the 2023 class have made things official by signing letters of intent. With most of the talent off the board, Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy and Travis Graf take a look at the week that was by answering three questions related to the signing period and the 2023 cycle.
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More: Programs that still have work to do after the Early Signing Period
2023 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team
2025 Rankings: Top 40
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1. WHAT IS YOUR BIG PICTURE TAKE AWAY FROM THE 2023 RECRUITING CYCLE SO FAR?
Cassidy: The Pac-12 is having a tough cycle when it comes to elite prospects. The league doesn’t have a single commitment inside the top 15, and its only chance to sign one seems to be USC’s pursuit of point guard Isaiah Collier, who will make his choice next week. UCLA losing a few high-profile battles has contributed to this, as has Arizona’s class being relatively small. Stanford and Oregon are the league’s only representatives in the top 20 of the Rivals team rankings as things stand, though USC will join them if the Trojans do, in fact, land Collier.
Graf: If the recruiting cycle was to end today, it would be the first time that the ACC hasn’t had multiple top-10 recruiting classes in quite some time. The ACC as a whole has three top-25 classes as well, after having six a year ago and five in 2021. Granted, it’s the early signing period, but things look kind of bleak for that conference to end up with many top classes. Duke currently sits atop the team rankings, having gathered commitments from five five-star prospects, but outside of the Blue Devils, the next-highest ACC recruiting class is North Carolina at No. 12. The Tar Heels could wind up with some possible reclass candidates joining their recruiting class in time, but that remains to be seen. Pittsburgh’s class ranks No. 25 in the country, and is third in the conference.
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2. WHICH UNCOMMITTED PLAYER’S LOOMING DECISION IS MOST INTRIGUING TO YOU?
Cassidy: AJ Johnson could provide a fun finish to the cycle. Texas seems to have the upper-hand in the race to land the five-star guard, but Louisville has been involved for some time and feels to be within striking distance if a visit ever takes place. Johnson canceled a scheduled official visit due to illness last month. It doesn’t seem as though the Cardinals have given up their pursuit, but the longer things go on without the visit being rescheduled the worse things look for Kenny Payne. There are pro options involved as well, so while the Longhorns should be viewed as the leader, Johnson's recruitment feels like it could change sharply at any moment.
Graf: Isaiah Miranda is an interesting recruitment to follow, mainly because he is NBA Draft eligible and could wait until the final moments to make a decision as he gathers feedback from the league. He’s taken official visits to USC, Louisville and Georgetown, and could schedule a couple more in the future. His recruitment has been relatively quiet on his end, and there’s no clear leader in the race at this time. He’s one of the more intriguing prospects in the class as well. At 7-foot-1, he’s got soft touch and elite athleticism, and his upside can’t be denied. Will it be enough for an NBA team to use a pick on him in the upcoming draft? We will have to find out in the coming months.
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3. WHICH PROSPECT OUTSIDE THE TOP 100 DO YOU THINK COULD END UP BEING A STEAL FOR THE SCHOOL WITH WHICH HE SIGNED?
Cassidy: Virginia’s Elijah Gertrude is an obvious answer here, but choosing him feels like a cop out because he’s likely to slide into the top 100. Instead, I’ll go with Rice commit Gabe Warren. The three-star forward has one of the best motors in this class and boasts high-level athleticism. He may not be as polished from a skill standpoint as a lot of guys ranked in the Rivals150, but he seems to find a different way to impact the game each time he takes the court. If he becomes a better shooter and ball handler, Warren could end up being a special player for a Rice squad that is looking to make the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1978.
Graf: Josh Hubbard is one of the more underrated guards in the country and it was a big win for the Ole Miss program to keep him home for college. He has a very good chance to be the state of Mississippi’s all-time leading high school scorer by the end of his senior season, and he will be able to compete for key minutes the second he steps on campus in Oxford. Hubbard is a scoring guard that can put the ball in the basket in numerous ways, and will be called upon to be a shot maker early in his career while he continues to develop his overall impact as a floor general.