Category Archives: Kentucky Recruits
An Historical Look at Kentucky’s 2013 Recruiting Class
Kentucky’s 2013 recruiting class has already been touted as the best recruiting class in history. Looking at the rankings, there’s no denying this fact—at least on paper.
Yet, what does this really mean? Kentucky has had its fair share of No. 1 recruiting classes in the past—with some degree of mixed results. How much better can we really expect this year’s class to be?
In order to put this year’s class in perspective, I have compiled a list of similarly ranked recruits from each year since 2007. According to Rivals.com, Kentucky has the No.1 point guard, No. 1 shooting guard, No. 3 small forward, No. 1 power forward, No. 2 center and No. 8 PF in the 2013 class. To put this into perspective, I have gone back and listed all of the players with these same rankings since 2007. In order to at least somewhat account for hindsight bias, I have also included each player’s freshman year statistics.
Note: I did not include Derek Willis or Dominique Hawkins in this comparison. We will just consider them the icing on the recruiting cake.
2012:
| Ranking | Player | Freshman Averages |
| #1 PG | Kris Dunn | 5.7 pts, 4.8 rebs, 3.2 asts |
| #1 SG | Shabazz Muhammad | 17.9 pts, 5.2 rebs, 0.8 asts |
| #3 SF | Sam Dekker | 9.6 pts, 3.4 rebs, 1.3 asts |
| #1 PF | Anthony Bennett | 16.1 pts, 8.1 rebs, 1.0 asts |
| #2 C | Isaiah Austin | 13.0 pts, 8.3 rebs, 1.1 asts |
| #8 PF | Ricardo Gathers | 5.7 pts, 5.7 rebs, 0.2 asts |
2011:
| Ranking | Player | Freshman Averages |
| #1 PG | Marquis Teague | 10.0 pts, 2.5 rebs, 4.8 asts |
| #1 SG | Austin Rivers | 15.5 pts, 3.4 rebs, 2.1 asts |
| #3 SF | DeAndre Daniels | 3.0 pts, 2.1 rebs, 0.5 asts |
| #1 PF | Anthony Davis | 14.2 pts, 10.4 rebs, 1.3 asts |
| #2 C | Rakeem Christmas | 2.8 pts, 2.9 rebs, 0.2 asts |
| #8 PF | Otto Porter | 9.7 pts, 6.8 rebs, 1.5 asts |
2010:
| Ranking | Player | Freshman Averages |
| #1 PG | Josh Selby | 7.9 pts, 2.2 rebs, 2.2 asts |
| #1 SG | Reggie Bullock | 6.1 pts, 2.8 rebs, 0.6 asts |
| #3 SF | Jelan Kendrick | 5.1 pts, 2.2 rebs, 1.7 asts |
| #1 PF | Enes Kanter | N/A |
| #2 C | Fab Melo | 2.3 pts, 1.9 rebs, 0.2 asts |
| #8 PF | Dwight Powell | 8.1 pts, 5.2 rebs, 1.0 asts |
2009:
| Ranking | Player | Freshman Averages |
| #1 PG | John Wall | 16.6 pts, 4.3 rebs, 6.5 asts |
| #1 SG | Avery Bradley | 11.6 pts, 2.9 rebs, 2.1 asts |
| #3 SF | Solomon Hill | 6.7 pts, 4.4 rebs, 1.7 asts |
| #1 PF | DeMarcus Cousins | 15.1 pts, 9.8 rebs, 1.0 asts |
| #2 C | Tiny Gallon | 10.3 pts, 7.9 rebs, 0.8 asts |
| #8 PF | Ryan Kelly | 1.2 pts, 1.1 rebs, 0.4 asts |
2008:
| Ranking | Player | Freshman Averages |
| #1 PG | Jrue Holiday | 8.5 pts, 3.8 rebs, 3.7 asts |
| #1 SG | Demar DeRozan | 13.9 pts, 5.7 rebs, 1.5 asts |
| #3 SF | Chris Singleton | 8.1 pts, 4.9 rebs, 1.1 asts |
| #1 PF | Greg Monroe | 12.7 pts, 6.5 rebs, 2.5 asts |
| #2 C | Ty Walker | 1.9 pts, 1.4 rebs, 0.1 asts |
| #8 PF | Delvon Roe | 6.4 pts, 5.0 rebs, 1.2 asts |
2007:
| Ranking | Player | Freshman Averages |
| #1 PG | Derrick Rose | 14.9 pts, 4.5 rebs, 4.7 asts |
| #1 SG | Eric Gordon | 20.9 pts, 3.3 rebs, 2.4 asts |
| #3 SF | Donte Greene | 17.7 pts, 7.2 rebs, 2.0 asts |
| #1 PF | Michael Beasley | 26.2 pts, 12.4 rebs, 1.2 asts |
| #2 C | DeAndre Jordan | 7.9 pts, 6.0 rebs, 0.4 asts |
| #8 PF | Herb Pope | 11.5 pts, 10.7 rebs, 2.0 asts (RS freshman) |
Many people—including myself—consider this year’s recruiting class to be the strongest since 2007. If we pretend for an instant that this class will equal the talent of 2007. we get some pretty unbelievable comparisons. If Kentucky had pulled this year’s class in 2007, they would have landed Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, Donte Greene, Michael Beasley, DeAndre Jordan and Herb Pope. Not only have five of these players made names for themselves in the NBA, they also made immediate impacts as freshmen. Four of these guys averaged over 14 points as freshmen—not to mention Jordan who managed a respectable 7.9 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. And let’s not forget Pope, who averaged a double-double after being forced to redshirt his first year on campus.
Add in the likes of Willie Cauley-Stein, Alex Poythress and Kyle Wiltjer. If Kentucky’s recruiting class turns out to be anywhere near the level of this 2007 group, the Cats will steamroll college basketball on the way to the program’s ninth national title.
Now, is it really reasonable to expect Kentucky’s freshmen to come in and play at the level of Derrick Rose and company? Probably not.
In order to temper expectations a bit, let’s take a look at the 2012 class—which many recruiting experts have deemed to be the weakest of the past five to 10 years.
If Kentucky duplicated the rankings of this year’s class in 2012, it would have landed Kris Dunn, Shabazz Muhammad, Sam Dekker, Anthony Bennett, Isaiah Austin and Ricardo Gathers. While this group of recruits isn’t on quite the same level as 2007, it still makes for a fairly solid roster. The biggest weakness would be at point guard, but Andrew Harrison is, by all accounts, leagues ahead of Dunn.
Again, add in Kentucky’s returners from last year and you have another solid title contender.
Really, the worst case scenario would be the 2010 class, which doesn’t feature any double-digit scorers—though this admittedly would not have been the case if Enes Kanter had been eligible to play. This is really the only class that doesn’t appear to be a hands-down title contender when combined with Kentucky’s returning players. With that said, it would still be difficult to discount a roster that includes Kanter, Josh Selby, Reggie Bullock and Fab Melo under the tutelage of John Calipari.
One thing that should be noted when making these comparisons is the fact that Kentucky’s 2013 recruits will be expected to do a lot more as freshmen than some of the players I have listed. For instance, while guys like Ryan Kelly, Chris Singleton, Solomon Hill, Fab Melo and DeAndre Daniels all developed into fantastic players, they didn’t have to take on as much responsibility in their freshman seasons.
Kentucky’s 2013 class will be asked to grow up in a hurry. This is why fans may want to temper their expectations early. Such a young squad could easily drop a couple of games early in a brutal non-conference schedule. The good news, however, is that the Cats will have a few top-quality “veterans” to fall back on in Cauley-Stein, Poythress and Wiltjer.
Regardless of what happens early on, Kentucky should be considered one of the premier teams in the nation by season’s end. And while it may be unreasonable to expect the incoming freshmen to mirror the likes of Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon and Michael Beasley, history has shown that a class of this caliber will be overflowing with talent no matter what. Add in Kentucky’s returning players and you have all the necessary ingredients for another national title contender.
2015 C Stephen Zimmerman is hearing from Kentucky
2015 Center Stephen Zimmerman out of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Quick Take: Stephen Zimmerman, Center from the 2015 class, has already established himself as one of the top prospects in the country. The skilled big man can shoot, pass, dribble, and block shots. He’s likely to be a top 5 prospect in the 2015 class when everything is said and done.
I was able to catch up with Zimmerman recently, to see if I could get his thoughts on his recruitment and the University of Kentucky. See what he had to say below.
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What schools are currently recruiting you?
“Kentucky, UNLV, UCLA, Kansas, UConn, Oregon, Oregon St., Arizona, Memphis, UTEP, Notre Dame, USC, Florida St., Baylor, Tennessee, and Auburn.”
Do you have any favorites sticking out to you? What about a dream school?
“No favorites yet, I’m blessed to have such great programs recruiting me.”
“And, no I never had one specific dream school growing up.”
What has Kentucky expressed or said to you up to this point?
“They said they noticed me when they were recruiting Shabazz(Muhammad) and are impressed with how I’ve developed over the last year. They said I have gotten better and that they are looking forward to recruiting me.”
What kind of interest do you have in Kentucky at this point?
“Kentucky is an amazing school with a great coach and a history of winning and getting their players into the NBA.”
What do you think about Coach Calipari?
“He’s a great coach with great success. Any player would love to play for him.”
Does Kentucky plan to watch or visit you anytime soon?
“They plan on being at all of my tournaments in July and at my school when they are allowed to.”
Do you plan to take a visit to Kentucky?
“I have thought about visiting there, it’s not that far away.”
What NBA/college player would you compare yourself to and why?
“Multiple players because I try to be the best overall player I can be. I try to have Dirk’s shot, Blake Griffin’s explosiveness, Tim Duncan’s footwork…a little from everyone.”
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Additional Quotes:
Who have you been in contact with at UK?
“Coach Payne is the coach at UK that I have been in contact with.”
What are your strengths and weaknesses in your game?
“My strengths are my ability to shoot, my speed and footwork.”
“My weaknesses are my consistency and my ball handling.”
How is your AAU team doing?
“I play for Dream Vision and we are playing pretty well right now. We won the Gold Championship at adidasVIP and lost in the Championship game at the Atlanta Spring Classic.”
“I’ve played well. I’d like to work on starting tournaments strong and maintaining that rather than struggle early and have great games at the end.”
What do you expect to next high school season, personally and as a team?
“I hope to be named the Nevada player of the year and expect nothing less than winning a 3rd state championship with my teammates.
What was it like playing with Shabazz Muhammad?
“It was hard, he demands a lot at all times and he worked for everything he got on the court.”
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Player Profile w/ Highlights: Stephen Zimmerman – C | 7-0 | 215
Six for Sunday: Weekend Notes Featuring Andrew Wiggins
It was another busy weekend in Kentucky athletics. So, let’s jump right in. Following are some of the top headlines from the weekend that was:
- An Andrew Wiggins decision is coming Tuesday. Huntington Prep coach Rob Fulford told the Herald Leader’s Ben Roberts that Wiggins will announce his decision Tuesday at 12:15 pm at his school. Wiggins postponed the decision until now because he wanted his mother, who just left Toronto this morning, to be there. Wiggins does not want a press conference signing, so the ceremony will just be open to family, friends and classmates. The saga is finally coming to a close.
- Rod Strickland may take his talents back to Memphis. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweeted today that Rod Strickland is under consideration for a spot on Josh Pastner’s staff at Memphis. Strickland was originally a member of the Memphis staff before making the jump to Kentucky with John Calipari. Voluntarily going from Kentucky to Memphis may seem a bit unusual, especially with Kentucky being poised to make another title run, but it would present Strickland the opportunity to get back into the coaching. He would be an assistant coach on Pastner’s staff versus a more administrative role as assistant to the head coach on Calipari’s staff. Best of luck to Strickland either way.
- Kentucky Basketball alumni were the fourth highest-paid group in the NBA this season. A College Spun article says that the 20 former Cats made a total of $61,882,315 this season, ranking them behind just Duke, Connecticut and Florida. This number should only go up in future years as many of UK’s marquee players, including John Wall, DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe, are still playing under their rookie contracts.
- Kentucky’s AAU team is turning heads in the Nike EYBL. The Kentucky Travelers are now 7-6 with five games remaining in the Nike EYBL, which ties them for second in their 10-team division. Perhaps most impressive, they were able to beat Mac Irvin Fire, one of the most talented AAU teams in the country, 72-61 on Saturday. Mac Irvin Fire features two top five players in 2014: Jahlil Okafor and Cliff Alexander. Not too shabby. There is a lot of young and up-and-coming talent in Kentucky. That’s something to be excited about.
- Kentucky football is off to a great start for 2014. It’s early, but Kentucky currently has the No. 19 recruiting class in 2014, according to Rivals. Not counting Nebraska transfer Braylon Heard, the Cats already have six commitments for 2014 and this number is sure to grow within the next few weeks. Drew Barker’s commitment on Friday was huge for Kentucky as it will likely begin a domino effect that could lead to commitments from a bevy of other highly-rated recruits. It’s truly remarkable what Stoops and company have been able to accomplish in such a short amount of time.
- Kentucky did miss on one recruit Sunday. 4-star athlete Lonnie Johnson picked Ohio State today over Kentucky and a host of others. Johnson, a Gary, Indiana native, measures in at 6’3″ and projects to be a wide receiver at the next level, though he is also an outstanding safety. Johnson would have been a nice grab for Kentucky, but the Cats still have a great chance of landing two of the top wide receivers in 2014: Derek Kief and Braxton Berrios.
Andrew Wiggins’ Parents are Headed to Huntington
Andrew Wiggins’ parents are now on their way to Huntington, West Virginia, according to ESPN’s Paul Biancardi.
The parents of Andrew Wiggins are on their way to Huntington Prep. It appears he is now ready and want his parents there when he does it.
— Paul Biancardi (@PaulBiancardi) May 12, 2013
His parents should arrive sometime later tonight. If this is the case, Tuesday sounds like a fairly good guess for an announcement date. With that said, he could also announce on Monday or Wednesday and still sign a National Letter of Intent. Wednesday is the last day to sign a National Letter of Intent, and his coach, Rob Fulford has indicated that he will likely take this option.
Regardless, it sounds as if the Wiggins saga will soon be coming to a close.
Andrew Wiggins May Announce on Tuesday
Huntington Prep Coach Rob Fulford tells Evan Daniels that “it’s possible that Andrew Wiggins announces on Tuesday, but not a definite.”
The date of the decision is largely contingent on the arrival of Wiggins’ parents, who live in Toronto. Both of his parents are expected to arrive in Huntington this Monday.
Although he is not obligated to do so, Wiggins is expected to sign a National Letter of Intent. The deadline to do so is this coming Wednesday. The fact that his parents will be in town early next week seems to indicate that he will stick to this deadline and announce by Wednesday at the latest.
There is no word yet as to how Wiggins will make his announcement, but with his parents being in town, I would expect an announcement ceremony to be held at Huntington Prep.
Wiggins will decide between Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas and Florida State. Many national analysts have guessed Florida State, but fan bases of each school seem fairly confident in their chances.
Wiggins has played his recruitment closer to the vest than any recruit we have seen in a while. Speculation as to where he will ultimately land is just that. Nevertheless, with the unprecedented roll he’s been on, it’s difficult to imagine John Calipari missing out on his top target for 2013.
2016 SG has heard from Kentucky
This kid is a scoring machine.
Maverick Rowan is a 2016 shooting guard playing for Lincoln Park, the same school that potential 2014 target Ryan Skovranko plays for. He stands at 6-foot-5 and weighs 175lbs, making him a pretty big guard.
He is not a guy that you have heard of, but he is one you will start hearing a lot over the next few years. I have heard that he shoots and scores the basketball from deep, a lot like JJ Reddick. That’s some high praise.
Right now Rowan is playing on the AAU circuit with members of the 2015 class, despite not yet being a sophomore. He is playing with the OBC AAU team, alongside talented 2015 PF Carlton Bragg. Rowan said that he is gaining a lot of experience playing with the 16U team, and that he and Bragg are scoring the most just about every game.
I caught up with Rowan to get his thoughts on the early recruitment process he is experiencing. See what he had to say below.
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What schools are currently recruiting you?
“UCLA, Pittsburgh, Robert Morris, WVU, Virginia, VA Tech, DePaul, St. Johns, Penn State, and Kentucky have all been in recent contact with me.”
“I don’t have any offers at this point, though.”
Do you have schools that you consider as your dream school?
“UCLA is my favorite.”
“I like UCLA, because I have just always liked them from day one of when I first started watching college basketball and it’s in Los Angeles, plus I like the Lakers.”
What are your thoughts on their new coach at UCLA?
“I think he will be a good for them. He was a good player himself, even thought he jumped around in the NBA.”
What would mean if you were offered by the Kentucky staff?
“It would mean a lot to get an offer from anywhere, because I have worked so hard to get where I am today.”
What do you think about Coach Calipari?
“I think he’s a great coach; he has had a lot of success in the past few years and he should have another great year this upcoming season.”
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Rowan is an excellent player and shooter. He is playing ball with the 2015 class and holding his own. He’ll be one to watch as time goes on, in an extremely deep 2016 class.
Player Profile w/ Highlights: Maverick Rowan – SG | 6-5 | 175
Raymond Spalding’s a Hometown Star
2015 PF Raymond Spalding out of Trinity High School in Louisville, Kentucky has become a bigger name around the state as of late. He’s a very talented forward who’s been playing for the in-state EYBL Travelers this spring.
Kentucky has watched him play already this year and has been in contact with some of his coaches as of late. He is a great in-state prospect and because of that he will definitely get a look from Kentucky.
Scout.com Evan Daniels’ scouting report – EYBL Hampton: Day One:
Quick Take: Raymond Spalding, PF, Tennessee Travelers 15’s – Just 18 months ago Spalding wasn’t even 6-feet tall. Now the freshman stands 6-foot-7 and has a lengthy set of arms. Physically he’s still immature and needs to add some weight, but Spalding runs the floor with ease, flashed a nice set of mitts and can finish around the rim. Defensively, Spalding showed good timing and used his length and leaping ability to get his hands on multiple shots.
I was able to catch up with Spalding recently, to see if I could get his thoughts on his recruitment and the University of Kentucky. See what he had to say below.
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What schools are currently recruiting you?
“Tennessee, Louisville, Memphis,Virginia, Indiana, Western Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Miami”
Do you have any favorites sticking out to you?
“Louisville and Indiana are very nice schools.”
Do you have schools that you consider as your dream school?
“Syracuse is my favorite, because I love the color orange and I really like the zone they play.”
What has Kentucky expressed or said to you up to this point?
“They plan to keep in touch with me and are looking forward to seeing me over the next couple of years”
What kind of interest do you have in Kentucky at this point?
“My interest in Kentucky is that it’s in my home state and they have a great program. I could see myself playing at the University of Kentucky.”
What do you think about Coach Calipari?
“I think he’s a very competitive guy, he seeks out the best players in the country and gets them to play for his team because he’s a winner.”
Do you plan to take a visit to Kentucky?
“I have thought about visiting there, it’s not that far away.”
What NBA/college player would you compare yourself to and why?
“I compare myself to both Rudy Gay and Kevin Durant, because we play the same general position and I see myself playing like that in the future.”
What are the strengths and weaknesses to your game?
“My strengths to me would be my shooting and passing.”
“My weaknesses right now I would say are handling the ball and finishing threw contact, but I plan to work hard on that part of my game.”
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Spalding is a guy that you will be hearing a lot from over the next two years. If you get a chance, be sure to get out and watch him play, you might be quite impressed.
Player Profile w/ Highlights: Raymond Spalding – PF | 6-7 | 185
2015 Cheick Diallo talks Kentucky
Cheick Diallo is a rising young star in the 2015 class.
2015 PF Cheick Diallo out of Centereach, New York has become a big name in the 2015 class over the last year. He has gotten interest from many big time programs and is impressing scouts currently on the AAU trail. His talent of late has brought Kentucky in to watch his games on the circuit and evaluate him over the summer.
Diallo is a 6-foot-9, 210 stud, whose playing well this spring and has been taking games right at the bigger names in his own class, like Ivan Rabb.
Scout.com Evan Daniels’ scouting report – EYBL Hampton: Top Performers:
Quick Take: Diallo emerged as a high level prospect during his sophomore season, but he still somewhat surprised us with the way he dominated the game against the Oakland Soldiers, who feature top three recruit Ivan Rabb. Diallo played physical and went right at the five-star prospect. He’s active blocking shots and is one of the better rebounders in high school basketball. On top of all that, he scored it better than I realized. He has a right jump hook and decent touch inside. He went for 15.4 points and 13 rebounds through Team Scan’s five games in Hampton.
I was able to catch up with Diallo, to get his reaction on the interest that Kentucky has been showing him of late. See what he has to say below.
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What schools are currently recruiting you?
“Arizona , Iowa State , Kentucky, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Villanova , UConn, Povidence, Texas, Rutgers, Seton Hall, St. John’s, Washington, West Virginia, & Oregon.”
Added Note: Louisville recently offered as well.
What has Kentucky expressed or said to you up to this point?
“Kentucky has been talking to my coach and said that they have liked my game.”
What is your interest in Kentucky?
“I am mainly just currently interested in any school that needs me at their school.”
What do you think about Coach Calipari?
“I think Coach Calipari is a really great coach.”
What coaches at Kentucky have you been in contact with?
“I have not spoken with the coaches directly, my coach has been talking to them.”
What NBA/college player would you compare yourself to and why?
“I like to run and be aggressive, I would say that I could compare myself to Joakim Noah or Kenneth Faried.”
What are the strengths and weaknesses to your game?
“I have several strengths, but I am more worried about my weaknesses.” ”I have a lot of weaknesses and I want to work everyday to improve my game with hard work and dedication.”
Added Notes:
The Kentucky coaching staff has been watching you recently on the AAU circuit, what do you think about that.
“Yes I saw the Kentucky coaching staff watching our game. I am not sure if they were watching me, because of so many college coaches, but I would I will be happy to get an offer from them.”
“I keep working hard to get better on the court and in the classroom.”
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Cheick Diallo is going to be a name to watch over the summer and for the next 2 years. His stock is growing rapidly and he could become a legit UK target in the 2015 class.
Player Profile w/ Highlights: Cheick Diallo – PF | 6-9 | 210
2016 Jayson Tatum Offered by UK
A 2016 player has gotten an offer from the Kentucky staff. 2016 Guard/Small Forward is a special player and that’s being realized, since he has received an offer from the University of Kentucky.
Elite Chaminade (MO) 2016 SF Jayson Tatum @im_that_dude22 tells me he picked up a #Kentucky offer today! #BBN
— Scott Burgess (@scott_chihoops) April 30, 2013
UK fans, when @scott_chihoops reports something it’s true. UK has offered ’16 SF Jayson Tatum out of Saint Louis.
— Corey Albertson (@Corey_Rivals513) April 30, 2013
Tatum is a potential top five talent at 6’6 with major scoring abilities. Plays for Saint Louis Eagles 16u team on Nike circuit.
— Corey Albertson (@Corey_Rivals513) April 30, 2013
Just received text from Jayson Tatum, “Yes sir, Kentucky offered me.” First offer to go out in 2016 class. #BBN
— Corey Albertson (@Corey_Rivals513) April 30, 2013
Coach Calipari and staff watched Tatum this past weekend in Hampton, VA at Nike EYBL Session #2. It looks like Kentucky is making a splash in a new class and I expect more offers to come out this summer from 2015 and 2016 class. Lots of talented guys to get offers.
Tatum is going to find out what #BBN is all about now.
Two UK Football Commitments
Kentucky Football has had another good day in on the recruiting trail. It’s been an extra good day as they have received two commitments. Below is an outline of what UK got today.
First Commitment(4th Overall in 2014 Class):
Darryl Long
Position: Tight End
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 235lb
Star Rating: 3* Prospect
Ranking: No. 22 Overall Tight End by Rivals.com
High School: Westerville South High School
Twitter: @darryl_long
Commitment Details: Long chose the Wildcats over Louisville, Indiana, Pittsburgh and North Carolina.
Highlights:
Second Commitment(5th Overall in 2014 Class):
Tymere Dubose
Position: Defensive End
Height: 6-foot-6
Weight: 265lb
Star Rating: 3* Prospect
Ranking: No. 67 Overall DE by Scout.com
High School: Youngstown Christian School
Commitment Details: Long chose the Wildcats over Michigan State, West Virginia, Arkansas, and Maryland.
Highlights:
Link: Rivals Spotlight
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