Rivals Roundtable: Programs that are rolling, Liam McNeeley, big visits
Roundtable Friday has arrived and this week’s discussion takes place amid a flurry of activity on the official visit front. Rivals analysts Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan explore which schools could be on the verge of recruiting hot streaks, an impending decision for five-star Liam McNeeley and a couple important visits.
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Miami has been on a nice recruiting run lately. Which school do you think might be on the verge of a hot streak of its own?
“Things seem to be lining up for Arkansas a bit, as I consider both Isaiah Elohim and Rakease Passmore to be Razorback leans that could commit in October if everything continues to trend in the current direction. Arkansas is also a player for other big names such as Jase Richardson and Annor Boateng, but Elohim and Passmore are the two I feel most comfortable calling strong leans. Either way, it certainly feels like the Razorbacks' class will have a much different feel by the time we hit Halloween.” – Cassidy
“I just get a vibe on Indiana and feel like its run is inevitable. Recruits rave about Mike Woodson and his staff, and from Liam McNeeley to Derik Queen to Darius Adams to Curtis Givens they’ve had an impressive list of VIPs on campus here lately. I think the creative commitment tweets are being created as we speak.” - Jordan
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Liam McNeeley canceled his trip to Texas, leaving Kansas and Indiana as the schools still standing. Are you ready to call this one?
“I’m ready to call this one in favor of the Hoosiers. Sure, it goes against my better judgment and everything I’ve learned in my years covering this sport to count out Bill Self, but it’s extremely difficult for me to imagine a world where McNeeley chooses the Jayhawks. The relationships between the McNeeleys and Indiana are simply too longstanding and deep, and the ties are too strong. I think the five-star forward made up his mind on his most recent visit to Bloomington, and that’s how we ended up with a canceled visit to Texas. My FutureCast is locked in, even if Kansas' involvement gives me a little pause.” – Cassidy
“I’m not. I know, I know, I’m being spineless! I just get the sense that he’s unsure at this point. Indiana is a strong player, there’s no doubt, but, to your point, every coach knows to have a healthy fear of Self. McNeeley is such a valuable commodity as a player; I feel like he’ll flourish so much at the next level. That said, I could see him having that amazing run in either system.” - Jordan
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Which weekend visit do you see as the most important or intriguing?
“Jayden Quaintance’s official visit to Missouri has already begun and is one to watch. Mizzou is optimistic about where it stands with the five-star forward and is looking to establish itself as the leader in a crowded recruitment that includes some seriously heavy hitters. Will the Tigers actually land Quaintance? Who knows, but they are armed with a thriving NIL program and are recruiting at a level the program hasn’t seen in some time. Everyone close to the situation sees Missouri as a player for Quaintance’s commitment. Kentucky’s involvement is obviously not to be ignored but this isn’t the Missouri of years past. Dennis Gates has the recruiting machine in Columbia humming.” – Cassidy
“Definitely going to want to see what materializes after Jaxon Johnson gets back from Utah. He recently cut it down to four (Utah, USC, Stanford and BYU), and I get the sense that he’s at that sweet spot in the recruitment process where a memorable visit could potentially tip the scales. All four staffs are turning up the pressure for the reigning MVP of the adidas 3SSB national title game, so it will be interesting to see what Utes coach Craig Smith will be able to get done.” - Jordan