Maryland/DC:
-Maryland=B+, 5 openings
-Georgetown=Sim controlled
While the DC area has absolutely nothing, the recruits in Maryland really made up for it. With G’town still being sim, Maryland should bring in an extremely strong class with 5 openings. I would expect 5 star prospects Thomas Sobel (#8 PF) and James Irby (#6 PG) to be their main targets. JUCO point guard Ryan Pearson could also be a target for them. Other good targets are Rodney Williams (#15 C, defensive specialist) and high-potential Philip Anderson (#86 SG). What intrigues me is that mets has gone with a very odd recruiting strategy the past couple years, targeting a crazy amount of guys and not really battling for any of his local guys. If this is the case, you could see UNC or Duke come up to get Sobel or Irby, or possibly an adventurous program like Providence to come down and take a crack them.
Results:
Sobel-UVA
Irby-UVA
Pearson-Pitt
Williams-Rutgers
Anderson-Navy
Virginia
-UVA=A-, 6 openings
-Richmond=Sim controlled
-Virginia Tech=Sim Controlled
UVA has Virginia all to themselves and, unlike mets, I am confident demondeac will try to defend his guys. His targets will most definitely include Conrad Black (#8 SG) and probably Lee McDonel (#6 SF). They may also include Phil Ruf (#19 C), although I hope he doesn’t target him because I very much like Ruf, although his LP is a little too low to get into a big battle for him. Jeffery Jackson (#28 C) may also go to UVA, but he’s offensively deficient, so I don’t think he’ll be a big target for anybody. After those guys, Virginia really falls off, not much depth here.
Results:
Black-Duke
McDonel-Pitt
Ruf-Pitt
Jackson-UVA
West Virginia
-West Virginia=B+, 2 openings
-Pitt=A-, 7 openings
-Ohio State=B+, 4 openings
I assume WVU will attempt to go after Richard Hayes (#11 C), but a team with better prestige and more openings will swoop in and try to take him away. Paul Waldon (#45 C) is a decent player, but other than the two Cs there really isn’t anything in West Virginia.
Results:
Hayes-UVA
Waldon-Maryland
Kentucky
-Kentucky=A-, 5 openings
Kentucky has one 5 star recruit, Frank Schilling (#4 SF), who’s going to be a very athletic defender, but he’ll never really develop offensively. He is right by UK and UK is his childhood favorite, there’s little doubt for me that he’ll end up there. After that, there’s not a whole lot in Kentucky. Centers William Colorado (#24) and David Leland (#51) will both probably end up being decent players, but they won’t garner the attention of many top schools. I expect to see B range BCS schools going after them.
Results:
Schilling-Ohio State
Colorado-Louisville
Leland-NC State
Tennessee
-Tennessee=C+, 2 openings
Tennessee is WIDE OPEN and whoever decides to capitalize on that will get the prize of 5-star Alan Pickett (#6 PF). Other top players (with big holes in their games) are James Everett (#15 SG, but he’ll have to end up at SF) and pure point guard Matthew Lor (#13 PG)
Results:
Pickett-Georgia Tech
Everett-Mississippi State
Lor-Kentucky
North Carolina
-UNC=A+, 8 openings
-Duke=B+, 6 openings
-NC State=B+, 4 openings
-Wake=C+, 3 openings
-Charlotte=Sim controlled
With all the open scholarships and four coaches who like to battle, North Carolina should be a battle ground. The interesting thing is, while there are a bunch of very good recruits, we don’t have any immediate impact guys in the area. Coy Prosienski is the #1 C in the country, but with low potential in ATH, he’ll never be an elite big man. You’ll be able to find guys who will end up with similar ratings that will come at a far cheaper price. Donald Rathjen (#10 PG) is very solid, probably the second best guy in the state, and I feel like he has UNC written all over him. Another guy with UNC tattooed on his face is the best NC product this year, Edward Akins (#12 SG). Duke will definitely try for him, but Akins will go to UNC, develop fast, be a very good sophomore, be a fantastic junior, and declare after his junior year. Hopefully when I’m reading this in a couple seasons, I’m right. After those three, it definitely falls off. My favorite recruit here is Noble Haskell (#20 PG), who could be a valuable scorer for me. Another notable recruit for the big schools is Gilbert Crouse (#30 SF), who I’d be shocked to see not attend Duke.
Results:
Prosienski-UNC
Rathjen-UNC
Akins-UNC
Haskell-NC State
Crouse-Tennessee
South Carolina
-USC=A-, 4 openings
-Clemson=B-, 2 openings
South Carolina is home to the #1 overall recruit, Doug Davis. Unfortunately, I think Davis would be lucky to be drafted by the end of his career. He’ll be an athletic defender, but he has no offensive ability and will definitely go under-recruited (which may make him a target for me). Another 5-star player is Francis Reed, a low-WE PF who could end up being pretty good if he can get his rebounding up. Ineligible Steven Aleman (#13 SF) will probably catch the attention of USC and I think he’ll go there cheap. Ronald Fowler (#20 SF) is yet another SC SF with no offensive ability who will probably go under recruited (probably to a mid-major…Duke is a sleeper for him).
Results:
Davis-Indiana (once again, Indiana does their due diligence and find a quality player out of their area)
Reed-USC
Aleman-USC
Fowler-Clemson
Georgia
-Georgia=C+, 4 openings
-GT=B+, 3 openings
Unlike in past years, Georgia actually has a prize recruit. He’s not highly rated, but Jimmy Smith (#39 PG, inel) is going to be one hell of a player. GT and UGA will definitely pursue him. Other than that, this state is very weak.
Results:
Smith-Auburn
Alabama
-Alabama=C, 6 openings
-Auburn=B, 4 openings
-LSU=A+, 5 openings
Alabama is LOADED this year with the likes of Bryan Williams, James Brannum, and David Strickland, watch for LSU. This leaves some scraps for others to come in and pick off the likes of Richard Deforest, David Blom, and John Lisi.
Results:
Williams-LSU
Brannum-Ole Miss
Strickland-Mississippi State
Deforest-Auburn
Blom-Auburn
Lisi-Mississippi
Florida
-Florida=A-, 4 openings
-Miami=A, 6 openings
With these two wanting to own Florida now that FSU is sim, the big recruits like Melvin Bullock and Chester Warren are staying in-state. My guess is that these two will also go after Duane Smith and maybe Adam Uchida (less likely), but I could also see them venturing into Georgia for Jimmy Smith.
Results:
Bullock-Miami
Warren-Miami
Smith-S. Florida
Uchida-S. Florida