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In this week’s Twitter Tuesday, we discuss the recruitment of Tre Mann, the potential of Francis Okoro reclassifying and the recruiting implications of Travis Steele’s hiring at Xavier.
Tre Mann's recruitment has really taken off this spring as he has pulled in offers from Louisville, Indiana, Kansas and USC, and visited Florida and Tennessee.
Friday, after his official visit to Florida, there were whispers that a commitment could be in the cards for the playmaking guard. The weekend went by without a pledge, which means only good things for the many others in the mix.
The Gators were the first high-major program to offer Mann, and his proximity to Gainesville also helps Mike White’s cause. Tennessee cannot be discounted, though, as Rick Barnes’ history with cultivating lead guard talent and the Vols' culture has caught Mann’s eye, too.
Could a commitment be around the corner? There is a 50-50 chance of that happening in the next week or two. If it doesn't, look for Mann to take his recruitment into the summer.
Let’s not mistake Xavier's dip into the transfer market as an indictment on new head coach Travis Steele's ability to successfully recruit high school talent. Remember, Steele was Chris Mack's associate head coach at Xavier for the past five years and was the catalyst for Trevon Bluiett, Sean O’Mara, J.P. Macura and others enrolling.
There was little Steele could have done in the high school ranks this late into the 2018 cycle. Instead, he realized that he needed to infuse his young roster with a hit of experience and maturity this spring. He did just that by nabbing three of the top grad-transfers available in a two-week span.
The commitments of Zach Hankins, Ryan Welage and Kyle Castlin may not have the cache of Romeo Langford committing to Indiana or Brandon Williams at Arizona, they will still leave an immediate mark on the Xavier program next season.
Look for Steele and Xavier to add their fair share of high school talent to the program, especially with Steele's nascent staff boasting strong ties to the DMV region and Midwest.
Francis Okoro will most likely reclassify into the 2018 class.
His recruitment is a little murkier, but we do know a few things. The top-50 prospect has already taken official visits to Oregon and Purdue, and Illinois remains in the mix, too.
The Boilermakers had gained some major ground over the past few weeks and with Okoro’s close proximity to the West Lafayette campus and Matt Painter's success with big men, the Boilermakers may be the team to beat.
The Ducks should not be counted out, though. Oregon has become known for landing highly-regarded talent late in the recruiting cycle, just as it has over in recent years with the addition of transfers Elijah Brown and MiKyle McIntosh.
Okoro could make a commitment at any time, with Purdue and Oregon looking like the two favorites.
Florida's Mike White looked to have scored a major home run by hiring away assistant coach Armon Gates from Northwestern, but after less than a month in Gainesville, the two sides parted ways and Gates joined Tim Miles' staff at Nebraska.
The hire of Gates means the Cornhuskers could be primed to make the Midwest an area of increased recruiting focus moving forward. Gates is respected for his network base throughout the Midwest in hotbeds like Indianapolis and Chicago.
In Gainesville, White still has to fill the final opening on his staff. Following Gates' hire in early April, the Gators immediately offered three of the top underclassmen in Illinois: freshman guard Max Christie and top-50 sophomores D.J. Steward and Adam Miller. The offers were the work of Gates, and UF's recent dabble in the Midwest could all be for naught unless White hires someone with Midwest ties.
