The WAR ROOM is back and this quick-hitting edition is full of football and hoops recruiting scoop! With the 2019 cycle now complete, the Hoos are looking to host a few junior prospects this weekend and we'll give you some intel on what's out there and how things are stacking up in the class of 2020. And on the hoops side, as the Wahoos prepare for a massive game tomorrow evening on the court, we'll tell you which prospects are expected to be in the stands to take in the game in person and what that means for the big picture.
As always, what's said in the War Room, stays in the War Room. Let's go!
Smaller class setting up early for UVa
During his press conference on Wednesday, I asked Bronco Mendenhall about the 2020 cycle and he said that he's expecting it as of now to be a smaller group in the 12 to 15 range. History would imply, though, the number is more likely to be at least slightly bigger. But for now, we're going to operate on the assumption that 15 is the soft ceiling.
What that means for UVa remains to be seen, though. If you look across the in-state landscape in 2020 there's one five-star prospect, Woodbridge linebacker Antoine Sampah, and a handful of four-stars including Cosby LB Ethan West, who committed to UNC this week. Thomas Dale RB Chris Tyree, who we'll talk about again in a minute, is the best shot Virginia has at landing an in-state four-star. That is, at least until Dominion offensive lineman Jimmy Christ gets bumped to four-star where he belongs. Those two prospects are easily the most important on the board right now for UVa in a class where there are currently two commits, three-star DT Jahmeer Carter and the player who Mendenhall mentioned during his presser. So, while you hate to have the in-state set up this way when UVa is coming off a good season on the field there's also the fact that space will be limited so it takes a bit of the sting away.
The Cavaliers are in a good spot with several of the other Top 20 kids in the state (going by current Rivals Rating) including Tyree, Christ, three-star Alexandria DB Elijah Gaines (12th overall currently) and three-star Roanoke WR Zae Baines, two spots behind him.
In terms of the rest of the class and those from out of state, we know there's one commitment out there and UVa just offered (and hosted) High Point (NC) DL Malik Puryear. We've also heard plenty to make us think that UVa is in a really good spot with four-star Littleton (CO) offensive lineman Andrew Gentry thanks to the way Garett Tujague has connected with both the kid and his family. He, along with fellow four-star Zak Zinter, look like the top two targets on the line aside from Christ. On the defensive front, UVa has had a lot of success at Gulliver Prep in Miami so it will be interesting to see how Vic So'oto and the Hoos do with four-star DT Westley Neal, a player who has definitely given us strong UVa vibes in the past.
Given the number situation being what it is, look for the Hoos to be pretty selective in terms of who they take. You'll likely still see a lot of offers go out but who they take commitments from (and when) will be telling. For now, tomorrow's visitors are a good snapshot of where the Hoos are looking hardest with Carter, Tyree, Christ, and Gaines among those expected to visit. We also think in the next 12 to 24 hours more names will get added so we'll be updating this thread accordingly tomorrow.
And a big weekend for hoops visitors too
On the basketball side of things, we'll start with the future Hoos, as UVa is expecting to have both of its four-star Rivals150 2019 signees Casey Morsell and Kadin Shedrick in the house. Joining them will be Carson McCorkle, the Greensboro Day standout and Raleigh native who committed to the Wahoos last year. And he won't be the only 2021 prospect nor the only player from his school in attendance.
Of course, the biggest name among fans is that four-star in-state forward Henry Coleman is going to be in the house and that's a pretty big deal. We do not get the sense that Coleman is moving his timeframe up but this is a golden opportunity for UVa to really hammer home not just the atmosphere but also the way he fits into the bigger picture.
Elsewhere on the visitor list, Cam Hayes, the 6-foot-2 four-star guard. No. 16 overall in 2021, will also be in the house and that's clearly a big one. Any time you can have a player with that rankings, it's important. Greensboro Day will have quite the contingent on hand with McCorkle and Hayes being joined by classmate Josh Taylor, the 6-foot-8 four-star power forward from Greensboro. No. 44 overall in his class, he's definitely a player Virginia is keeping tabs on.
Staying in that class, Carter Whitt, the 6-foot-2 Raleigh native and four-star guard who is No. 46 overall in 2021, is also planning to be in attendance. Whitt, who will run with Team Loaded NC this AAU season, should be considered a UVa lean as of now given everything we've heard. It might not be a hard lean but we've heard enough of late to at least make that distinction. Where things go from here, though, remain to be seen. On the road with Loaded, we have no doubt that interest will pick up in a big way this spring and summer.
Lastly, class of 2021 standout Trevor Keels, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound four-star shooting guard from Paul VI, is also expected to attend. Currently No. 32 overall, Keels is a player we hear UVa is very eager to see more of and build a deeper relationship with going forward. And it's easy to see why.
There had been some rumblings that Tony Bennett could have another 2020 target in the house but Hunter Dickinson was not among the players quoted to us as being on the visitor list, which we heard is all but closed at this point.
Some had asked about four-star forward Terrance Williams and whether he would be in the house tomorrow. Word we heard yesterday was that while the two sides talked about it, he wasn't able to make the trip happen and at this point, given the lack of space at the game, it doesn't look like that will change. Instead, Williams and UVa are talking about him coming down for a game later this season.
That is it for this week, and as always, what's said here, stays here!
As always, what's said in the War Room, stays in the War Room. Let's go!
Smaller class setting up early for UVa
During his press conference on Wednesday, I asked Bronco Mendenhall about the 2020 cycle and he said that he's expecting it as of now to be a smaller group in the 12 to 15 range. History would imply, though, the number is more likely to be at least slightly bigger. But for now, we're going to operate on the assumption that 15 is the soft ceiling.
What that means for UVa remains to be seen, though. If you look across the in-state landscape in 2020 there's one five-star prospect, Woodbridge linebacker Antoine Sampah, and a handful of four-stars including Cosby LB Ethan West, who committed to UNC this week. Thomas Dale RB Chris Tyree, who we'll talk about again in a minute, is the best shot Virginia has at landing an in-state four-star. That is, at least until Dominion offensive lineman Jimmy Christ gets bumped to four-star where he belongs. Those two prospects are easily the most important on the board right now for UVa in a class where there are currently two commits, three-star DT Jahmeer Carter and the player who Mendenhall mentioned during his presser. So, while you hate to have the in-state set up this way when UVa is coming off a good season on the field there's also the fact that space will be limited so it takes a bit of the sting away.
The Cavaliers are in a good spot with several of the other Top 20 kids in the state (going by current Rivals Rating) including Tyree, Christ, three-star Alexandria DB Elijah Gaines (12th overall currently) and three-star Roanoke WR Zae Baines, two spots behind him.
In terms of the rest of the class and those from out of state, we know there's one commitment out there and UVa just offered (and hosted) High Point (NC) DL Malik Puryear. We've also heard plenty to make us think that UVa is in a really good spot with four-star Littleton (CO) offensive lineman Andrew Gentry thanks to the way Garett Tujague has connected with both the kid and his family. He, along with fellow four-star Zak Zinter, look like the top two targets on the line aside from Christ. On the defensive front, UVa has had a lot of success at Gulliver Prep in Miami so it will be interesting to see how Vic So'oto and the Hoos do with four-star DT Westley Neal, a player who has definitely given us strong UVa vibes in the past.
Given the number situation being what it is, look for the Hoos to be pretty selective in terms of who they take. You'll likely still see a lot of offers go out but who they take commitments from (and when) will be telling. For now, tomorrow's visitors are a good snapshot of where the Hoos are looking hardest with Carter, Tyree, Christ, and Gaines among those expected to visit. We also think in the next 12 to 24 hours more names will get added so we'll be updating this thread accordingly tomorrow.
And a big weekend for hoops visitors too
On the basketball side of things, we'll start with the future Hoos, as UVa is expecting to have both of its four-star Rivals150 2019 signees Casey Morsell and Kadin Shedrick in the house. Joining them will be Carson McCorkle, the Greensboro Day standout and Raleigh native who committed to the Wahoos last year. And he won't be the only 2021 prospect nor the only player from his school in attendance.
Of course, the biggest name among fans is that four-star in-state forward Henry Coleman is going to be in the house and that's a pretty big deal. We do not get the sense that Coleman is moving his timeframe up but this is a golden opportunity for UVa to really hammer home not just the atmosphere but also the way he fits into the bigger picture.
Elsewhere on the visitor list, Cam Hayes, the 6-foot-2 four-star guard. No. 16 overall in 2021, will also be in the house and that's clearly a big one. Any time you can have a player with that rankings, it's important. Greensboro Day will have quite the contingent on hand with McCorkle and Hayes being joined by classmate Josh Taylor, the 6-foot-8 four-star power forward from Greensboro. No. 44 overall in his class, he's definitely a player Virginia is keeping tabs on.
Staying in that class, Carter Whitt, the 6-foot-2 Raleigh native and four-star guard who is No. 46 overall in 2021, is also planning to be in attendance. Whitt, who will run with Team Loaded NC this AAU season, should be considered a UVa lean as of now given everything we've heard. It might not be a hard lean but we've heard enough of late to at least make that distinction. Where things go from here, though, remain to be seen. On the road with Loaded, we have no doubt that interest will pick up in a big way this spring and summer.
Lastly, class of 2021 standout Trevor Keels, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound four-star shooting guard from Paul VI, is also expected to attend. Currently No. 32 overall, Keels is a player we hear UVa is very eager to see more of and build a deeper relationship with going forward. And it's easy to see why.
There had been some rumblings that Tony Bennett could have another 2020 target in the house but Hunter Dickinson was not among the players quoted to us as being on the visitor list, which we heard is all but closed at this point.
Some had asked about four-star forward Terrance Williams and whether he would be in the house tomorrow. Word we heard yesterday was that while the two sides talked about it, he wasn't able to make the trip happen and at this point, given the lack of space at the game, it doesn't look like that will change. Instead, Williams and UVa are talking about him coming down for a game later this season.
That is it for this week, and as always, what's said here, stays here!
