Rivals ranks the Illinois Class of 2011

[tornado]

the rankings from just this morning, but with a few aded comments...

1. Anthony Davis Chicago Perspectives 6-foot-9 Forward - still technically uncommitted but already bought and owened by Calipari..
2. Wayne Blackshear Chicago Morgan Park 6-foot-5 Wing - Louisville commit, but probably wondering why he didn't hold out and talk to Calipari's "people"
3. Mychael Henry Chicago Orr 6-foot-6 Wing - Verballed to Illinois
4. Chasson Randle Rock Island 6-foot-2 Guard - will reportedly decide in the next few weeks
5. Tracy Abrams Chicago Mount Carmel 6-foot Guard- already verballed to illinois - the only sure way to get inside the Top 5 on an Illinois Rivals ranking
6. Sam Thompson Chicago Whitney Young 6-foot-6 Wing down to three and still holding out, but sure isn't going to get $200,000
7. Mike Shaw Chicago DeLasalle 6-foot-8 Forward - still waiting for an Anthony Davis-like offer..
8. Nnanna Egwu Chicago St. Ignatius 6-foot-9 Center - verballed to Illinois
9. Ryan Boatright Aurora East 5-foot-10 Guard -stirring up lots of talk and reports of offers...but still nothing solid yet..
10. Bruce Barron Carbondale Brehm Prep 6-foot-3 Guard - grades are reportedly a concern -- has only four offers but some may be conditional upon grades and one of them is from Citadel
11. Phillip Greene 6'2 Guard - going to IMG Academy
12. Macari Brooks 6'2 Guard - getting big offers, DePaul coming on strong
13. Dre Henley 6'6 Wing - questions about sharing the ball
14. Jamie Crockett 6'4 Wing - poss. the most athletic kid in the state - going to DePaul
15. George Marshall 6'0 Guard - Wisconsin - more proof that Bo Ryan just can't win without Illinois kids
16. Derrick Marks 6'3 Guard
17. Johnny Hill 6'2 Guard - ISU - was unknown a few months ago -- had a fine spring and summer
18. David Sobolewski 6'0 Guard - really 5-11 going to Northwestern
19. Frank Kaminsky 6'10 Center - Wisconsin commit - puzzling why he's ranked so low
20. Abdel Nader 6'7 Forward - New Mexico commit - doubt he lasts a year there, he'll get recruited over
21. Jamari Traylor 6'7 Forward - reports he may head to IMG also
22. Julius Brown 5'8 Guard -
23. Roosevelt Jones 6'3 Wing - Butler commit from O'Fallon
24. Donivine Stewart 5'11 Guard - BU commit - cares more about his future team than the rankings - if he said he was interested in U of I he'd be top 10
25. Darien Walker 6'2 Guard

[BradleyBrave]

A few comments -

1. Wasn't Ryan Boatright offered by Tim Floyd and USC when he was in 8th grade?

2. Agree 100% on Abel Nader. He's lazy and not real talented.

3. I haven't seen all of these guys play, but I love it when guys go from national blue chip-caliber talents to barely making the list when they decide that the BCS might not be in their best interests.

[BUBrave28]

BB, who are you referring to in #3? Anyone besides DS?

Also, where is Jacob Williams on this list? He is a 2011 recruit isn't he?

[BradleyBrave]

BB, who are you referring to in #3? Anyone besides DS?

Also, where is Jacob Williams on this list? He is a 2011 recruit isn't he?

For #3, just Donivine Stewart. But the same thing happened with Jordan Prosser, and happens pretty much anytime a hot BCS prospect chooses to go another route.

And never expect any generous ratings from Rivals; since the MVC doesn't pay them to host fan sites, they'll never give MVC schools the time of day (except for Creighton, who decided to start paying them for a fan site). I've emailed Jerry Meyer several times and asked why independent schools who routinely finish with an RPI in the 300's are featured yet MVC schools are not, and have yet to get a straight answer.

[tornado]

Yes -- the talented duo of Jacob Williams and Kourtney Darby will BOTH land at D-I and yet, since they really
aren't getting a lot of BCS looks right now, they have dropped out of the Top 25...

Crockett - btw - might be very good, but REGARDLESS -- just TWO months ago he wasn't even inside anyone's TOP 100 inside the state as virtually nobody knew of him.
Then he verbals to a Big East school (over offers from A-10 and Indiana State) and without even playing a game, he suddenly shows up inside the Top 20!

In fact, I tried like crazy to find even one article anywhere in the universe that discussed Crockett prior to May when DePaul offered and the kid accepted.
Guess what -- nothing - it's as if the kid rolled off the assemby line in May according to scout.com, Rivals, and the others.
They knew NOTHING of him.....although recruiters did and obviously someone must have thought he was a BCS caliber player!
But based purely on Crockets surprising jump from being a mid-major lean to a BCS commit - he jumps from obscurity to Top 20.

So I think the obvious quesiton is that if these recruiting service guys are experts,a nd if they see and know all the players, how come they knew NOTHING whatsoever of Crockett until he starts to get BCS attention and lands an offer from DePaul and verbals? then they don't want to be embarrassed and hurriedly come out with updated top 25 lists and sneak Crockett in at #14.


scout.com, which has not updated their list since may still has Crockett as a virtual unknown, 2-Star, ranked at about #300 nationally in Class of 2011, almost than 150 spots behind Donivine.
When I sorted their search feature for just Illinois Class of 2011 he is also well behind Hayden Hoerdemann & Jacob Williams

[BUBrave28]

Yep, I remember JP dropping in the rankings. I know that DS was in the top 10 in IL at one point and has since fell. Where would you guys put him in this list?

[scout4126]

Yes -- the talented duo of Jacob Williams and Kourtney Darby will BOTH land at D-I and yet, since they really
aren't getting a lot of BCS looks right now, they have dropped out of the Top 25...

Crockett - btw - might be very good, but REGARDLESS -- just TWO months ago he wasn't even inside anyone's TOP 100 inside the state as virtually nobody knew of him.
Then he verbals to a Big East school (over offers from A-10 and Indiana State) and without even playing a game, he suddenly shows up inside the Top 20!

In fact, I tried like crazy to find even one article anywhere in the universe that discussed Crockett prior to May when DePaul offered and the kid accepted.
Guess what -- nothing - it's as if the kid rolled off the assemby line in May according to scout.com, Rivals, and the others.
They knew NOTHING of him.....although recruiters did and obviously someone must have thought he was a BCS caliber player!
But based purely on Crockets surprising jump from being a mid-major lean to a BCS commit - he jumps from obscurity to Top 20.

So I think the obvious quesiton is that if these recruiting service guys are experts,a nd if they see and know all the players, how come they knew NOTHING whatsoever of Crockett until he starts to get BCS attention and lands an offer from DePaul and verbals? then they don't want to be embarrassed and hurriedly come out with updated top 25 lists and sneak Crockett in at #14.


scout.com, which has not updated their list since may still has Crockett as a virtual unknown, 2-Star, ranked at about #300 nationally in Class of 2011, almost than 150 spots behind Donivine.
When I sorted their search feature for just Illinois Class of 2011 he is also well behind Hayden Hoerdemann & Jacob Williams

Crockett was always well regarded as a prospect since entering high school. He may not have been considered 'elite' but he's always been considered a top 25-35 prospect in Illinois since his freshman year. Brian Stinnette and others have always noted his athletic ability ever since he came in with Kentrell King, another class of 2011 member at Crete-Monee. While I'm not doubting that his commitment may have opened eyes and made people take more notice and pay attention to him, he's always been a well regarded prospect.

[Future Walk-On]

the rankings from just this morning, but with a few aded comments...


5. Tracy Abrams Chicago Mount Carmel 6-foot Guard- already verballed to illinois - the only sure way to get inside the Top 5 on an Illinois Rivals ranking

JW what you are trying to say by your extra comment. Are you saying Tracy isn't deserving of this high of a ranking?

Do you know anything about Tracy?

He is VERY GOOD. He also has leadership and toughness that are on par with SM.....

[tornado]

that was my comment- and it was NOT in any way intended as a slight on Tracy -- but instead was because each of the Illini recruits moved directly into the top 5-10 upon verballing...

[tornado]

16. Derrick Marks 6'3 Guard ..

...due to make a visit to see the new arena and facilities

[Future Walk-On]

that was my comment- and it was NOT in any way intended as a slight on Tracy -- but instead was because each of the Illini recruits moved directly into the top 5-10 upon verballing...

jw. although Henry blew up nationally as well....I don't think Illinois carries enough weight to bump a kid into the top 20 nationally.

[tornado]

Crockett was always well regarded as a prospect since entering high school. He may not have been considered 'elite' but he's always been considered a top 25-35 prospect in Illinois since his freshman year. Brian Stinnette and others have always noted his athletic ability ever since he came in with Kentrell King, another class of 2011 member at Crete-Monee. While I'm not doubting that his commitment may have opened eyes and made people take more notice and pay attention to him, he's always been a well regarded prospect.

I agree with you 100% -- numerous experts knew about him and of course the guys that matter -- the recruiters and coaches who are offering scholarships, they knew about him..
but some of the highest profile guys who do "Rankings" were the ones left wondering who he was...and who maybe had not ever seen him.

But my point stands, that his position in their rankings jumped immediately after verballing without anything else visible to explain a jump from 30+ in the state rankings to mid-teens..
and it's not likely the guys who moved him up from 35 to 14 even went to see the kid, so they were making the change purely on the basis of hearing news about where he verballed.

jw. although Henry blew up nationally as well....I don't think Illinois carries enough weight to bump a kid into the top 20 nationally.

Henry appeared at a couple national events where his performances wowed people - so there is clearly a reason he jumped..

[tornado]

11. Phillip Greene 6'2 Guard - going to IMG Academy..

a little off topic, but a player who was working out at IMG Academy in Florida collapsed today and was rushed to the hospital..

http://www.sportingnews.com/ncaa-basketball/story/2010-08-20/ex-bama-hoops-guard-torrance-rushed-to-hospital

[Fetz86]

1. Wasn't Ryan Boatright offered by Tim Floyd and USC when he was in 8th grade?

Yes, and since Floyd is gone he reopened his recruitment