RANKINGS: 2019 Rivals150 | 2020 Rivals150 | 2019 Team Rankings
In this week’s Twitter Tuesday mailbag, we look at the upcoming commitment of Rivals150 forward Anthony Walker, where top-ranked Vernon Carey may end up, and what another cut list might mean for top-ranked guard Cole Anthony.
Vernon Carey is actually not expected to make a decision until December, at the earliest, as he plans to take all of his official visits in the coming weeks.
This past weekend, No. 1 player in 2019 began his visit tour by heading to Kentucky for its Big Blue Madness event. While the Wildcats were not seen as the heavy favorite for him during the summer, they have made up major ground and should be seen a strong contender.
This weekend, Carey will head to Duke, the program that was thought of as the heavy favorite this summer. The Blue Devils lost some ground with him but have begun to pick things up and there is no secret that Carey is their top target this fall.
Visits to Miami and North Carolina will follow in consecutive weeks and while I do not see the Tar Heels as much of a factor, the Hurricanes have the tradition and proximity that could be enticing for Carey.
Ultimately, I believe Michigan State will land Carey. The Spartans have already hosted Carey for an official visit in February and, thanks to the newly implemented NCAA regulations, will bring him back to campus next month.
Rivals150 forward Anthony Walker made news on Saturday by tweeting that he would be making his college decision on Oct. 20. He took things a step further by publishing his final four of schools, a group consisting of Pittsburgh, Miami, Illinois and Boston College.
The former three making his final list was no surprise but it was a bit intriguing to see Boston College, a program that, unlike Rhode Island, made the final cut while the Rams, as recently as August, were thought to be a heavy contender and were able to host Walker for an official visit just three weeks ago.
Walker, a native of Baltimore, will return to his home base on Friday as he is currently finishing his prep career at Brewster Academy, in New Hampshire. He is expected to talk things over with his family before coming to a final decision. While Illinois and BC made the final list, this has been more of a two-horse race for the past several weeks between Pitt and Miami.
The Hurricanes have gained most of the talk of late and no one has squelched rumors that Miami is where he will commit to on Saturday. That being said, Miami is my best guess but much could still change in the coming days as Jeff Capel has proven that he is one of the best recruiters nationally and could still find a way to sway Walker before he puts his recruitment to bed.
I would not too overreact too much to Cole Anthony's upcoming revised list. The five-star guard, whose most recent published finalist list included 12 programs, recently tweeted out that he would be publishing a new list. He has already visited North Carolina and Notre Dame so it would be a giant shock if neither of the two made the refurbished list. The same can be said for Oregon, a program that he will officially visit this weekend.
The Tar Heels, Fighting Irish and Ducks were viewed as the primary contenders for Anthony before he scheduled his fall visits and nothing since has really changed that perception. Now, it is a bit interesting that he is speeding things up some, which could align with a fall signing but for now, all signs point toward a late signing.
Other programs could push those three programs, possibly, but unless another official visit is scheduled, North Carolina, Notre Dame and Oregon are the three you need to monitor.
Rivals150 prospects are all expected to make an impact at the college level. Here are five that I expect to over-perform and become immediate contributors this season:
Anthony Harris: While Buzz Williams is a tough and demanding coach, Harris should have a tremendous opportunity at Virginia Tech. Harris is arguably the best on-ball defender in his class and should be a four-year contributor in Blacksburg with face-of-the-program potential as an upperclassman.
Terry Armstrong: He will take an official visit to New Mexico this weekend and is also heavily considering Arizona. Armstrong's skillset and scoring acumen should be welcomed right away in either Albuquerque or Tucson.
Justin Moore: He should have a great opportunity at Villanova thanks to the pending graduation of Phil Booth and Joe Cremo. Moore is a stone-cold assassin via the jumper and boasts a mature skillset that should thrive under Jay Wright’s watch.
James Bouknight: His enrollment is vital for UConn. Bouknight is a shot-making guard with toughness, a throwback to the Huskies’ way. His impression on the program should be felt early on.
Tyrell Jones: Granted it depends which school he chooses - likely either Georgia, Ole Miss or Auburn - but Jones has high impact potential as a freshman. He is a proven winner and one of the best competitors in the 2019 class. Jones might not have the sexy upside of others above him in the rankings, but for what he can and should do in college, he has ready-made abilities in the making.
