Rivals Roundtable: Rankings refresh, recruitment near-locks, more
Another roundtable Friday has arrived, and this week’s three-pack of questions is a grab bag of sorts. Today, Rivals analyst Rob Cassidy and Jason Jordan discuss the upcoming rankings refresh, players they see as near-locks to certain programs and important commitments that happened this month.
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MORE: Cassidy on his recent FutureCasts
2024 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2025 Rankings: Top 130
2026 Rankings: Top 65
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1. A refresh for the class of 2024 is coming. Which player do you think is most deserving of a significant bump?
“The strides VJ Edgecombe has made this year have been nothing short of remarkable, as the five-star wing has gone from a hyperathletic scorer to a complete player. He’s become a much more engaged and relentless defender, oftentimes guarding the other team’s best player and making hustle plays to go along with his explosive scoring ability. He’s definitely a top 10 talent in this class. In fact, the top five shouldn’t be seen as out of reach for the Long Island Lutheran High School star, as there isn’t much he doesn't do well.” – Cassidy
“I’d have to say Jalil Bethea. He had a big summer on the Nike EYBL averaging 18.7 points and 3.5 rebounds a game, shooting 60% from the field and 41.2% from the 3-point line. But even bigger than his production was the fact that you could tangibly see the growth in his game and his awareness on the court at all times. Bethea should thrive at Miami with his ability to create off the dribble and knock down shots.” – Jordan
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2, Which uncommitted prospect do you see as a near-lock to a certain school?
“Nothing in recruiting is ever truly a lock, but I feel like we are approaching something like it when it comes to Tyler Betsey and Cincinnati. Not long ago, I would have told you Alabama had every bit as good a chance at landing the 6-foot-8 forward as the Bearcats, but separation seems to have taken hold in recent days. Wes Miller and company are recruiting at an elevated level these days and attaching themselves to a lot of impact names. They’ve narrowly missed on a few national names in the recent past, but I think the Bearcat staff will seal the deal this time around.” – Cassidy
“I’m going to shy away from the term ‘lock,’ but I haven’t seen or heard anything that makes me think that Rutgers’ perceived lead for Dylan Harper has dropped off in any way. As the No. 2 overall prospect in the Rivals150, Harper was once thought in a two-horse race with Duke, but the Scarlet Knights continue to make headway and seem to be sitting comfortably in the driver’s seat.” - Jordan
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3. Which September commitment do you see as most important – and why?
“You could make a case for a lot of recent announcements, but I’m going to ride with Annor Boateng to Missouri. Beating out the Razorbacks for an Arkansas-based prospect is no simple task these days, but Dennis Gates did it without much difficulty in the case of Boateng, whose commitment definitely feels like part of a larger, more important story. The Gates Era in Columbia is gaining serious steam, and it is clear that the Tigers and their second-year head coach have the ability to recruit at the highest levels in the NIL Era. I’m interested to watch Gates build on this class going forward because what’s taking place at MIzzou certainly doesn’t seem like a fluke or coincidence.” – Cassidy
“I’m going to step off the beaten path here and say Micah Robinson’s commitment to TCU was big on a lot of different levels. This one could’ve flown under the mainstream recruiting radar because Robinson is ranked No. 120 overall in the Rivals150, but he was one of the best players on the adidas 3SSB this summer and starred for Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). Jerome Tang prioritized Robinson and I believe he scored a diamond in the rough of a prospect, who has all the makings of the player who emerges as one of top players in the Big 12 after a couple of seasons.” – Jordan