Xavier recruits and transfers

[muskieman]

Maybe looking for a special point to replace Scruggs

Are we not hoping that Dwon is that guy?

I think he can be but have more doubt this year than I did last. At least he is improving his 15-footer and limiting his threes.

How was Paul in his second full year?

[Anti-Homer]

Good point.

Again, I still believe he still will be the guy, and Scruggs is a good example of the progression, but Scruggs is not a pure pg, but a hybrid at best. Lacks the ball security, dribbling, and passing skills of Tu and Colby. Still a very good all-around player. My minor concern is due to the great regression of Q, who thrived when he was an afterthought scoring option as a frosh but didn't perform very well when the responsibilities grew greater. However, Odom stays in his lane much better (doesn't chuck up a bunch of threes), is more athletic, and a very good defender.

[pdxmuskie]

It is natural for recruiting to suffer when a school/coach struggles to succeed. TS has not been able to make the tournament so players likely have doubts about going to X. This year should change opinions and recruiting should improve.

Odom is the guy. He is a true point. He has the defensive ability and game understanding. X will certainly want a backup for him and someone to take the starting role when he graduates. He is obviously not a shooter but not everyone has to have that ability. He can create opportunities for himself and others. Hopefully his range improves but it doesn't need to for him and X to be successful.

[kyzrex]

Xavier is doing just fine on the recruiting trail. The two freshman players coming in are very highly thought of and are doing quite well in major tournaments they are plying in this year. Xavier is also quite close to signing a point guard recruit, from all accounts. In addition, Steele has shown himself very capable of scouting and signing players in the transfer portal.

I think that everyone needs to realize that transfers are going to be a major part of college recruiting from here on out. While most recruiting websites continue to concentrate on high school players, and thus there is a ton of information out there about them, 50% of recruiting moving forward will deal with transfers. Those are much more difficult to track and discuss long-term because you usually don't know until the end of the season who will be available. However, based on past performance by X over the last few years (and even going back over the last few decades) I think that it is safe to say that X does their homework on potential transfers and is continually building relationships that look to the future. All of the players that X builds a relationship with as high schoolers, and doesn't get to sign out of high school, are potential transfers later in their careers. Under Steele, X has usually made scholarship offers to around 6 players per position. Obviously, they are not going to sign any more than they have scholarships available for. For the 2022 class, X has signed 2 players (Craft and Ward), and still has 12 open offers according to the Verbal Commits website, (15 according to 24/7). I would expect X to sign one more of them in the Spring. That will leave them with possibly only 1 open spot for a transfer. Keep in mind that Tucker is taking a red shirt year and will be eligible next year too. You can really count him as part of the 2022 class. So that gives X Craft, Ward, Tucker, 1 more freshman, and/or 1 possible transfer...all coming in next year.

Add those 4-5 players to a returning roster of Nunge, Freemantle, Jones, Odom, Hunter, Miles, Edwards, Kunkel, and possibly Tandy. You've got a full roster. Other than Tandy, I can't see anyone else being a transfer possibility. At least not right now. That might change as the season wears on, but it seems that all of the other players are getting enough court time to keep them happy. X is playing 9 deep on a regular basis, with only Stanley, Tandy, and Edwards not getting much time. Edwards is getting some time, probably enough for him to be happy. Stanley will be graduating and moving on. Tandy? Who knows what he is thinking? But if he does end up transferring, I'm sure X already has a plan for that spot on the roster.

In the meantime, X is concentrating on the 2023 class and (according to the VC site) has 28 open offers out right now.

Relax. Often, the ranking of a class is really affected by the NUMBER of recruits in that class. A 5-player class of 3-4 Star players will often be ranked higher than a 2-player class that has a 5-star player in it. And those class rankings never include the transfers. Look at Kentucky this year. They are up to #10 in the country, mainly on the back of only 1 freshman recruit, but a bunch of transfers. 1500+ players in the transfer portal every year is going to have a BIG effect on how quickly a program can go from an also-ran to a championship contender. Look at the affect that Johnson and Nunge are having on the X performance this year. But they certainly weren't included in any recruiting rankings, were they? How highly would a class of Freemantle, Nunge, and Hunter have been ranked if they were all signed together as freshman? Two of them are transfers, but they are all part of the same class at X right now. Also keep in mind how last year's COVID season has affected things. Odom, Jones, Miles, and Edwards are all currently listed as FRESHMAN, because last year didn't count. They could all be around potentially for 3 more years, after this year. Freemantle, Nunge, and Hunter could all be here for another 2 years, after this year. X is in great shape provided they can retain players and not lose them to the transfer portal. (which might explain some of the rotation decisions that Steele is making)

[54586264]

Odum is very much our point guard for next year. But for the type of active defense we play along with the running offense, you need two to three special point guards. XU only has two at this time. I suspect one more will be a very high priority. Another big or experienced 3-pt shooting forward may also be in the works.

[Anti-Homer]

Odum is very much our point guard for next year. But for the type of active defense we play along with the running offense, you need two to three special point guards. XU only has two at this time. I suspect one more will be a very high priority. Another big or experienced 3-pt shooting forward may also be in the works.

Of course he will be, unless X gets a nice surprise and Jones doesn't go to the NBA. Otherwise, they'll essentially start two pgs.

[muskieman]

Caden Diggs 2024 recruit 6’6 SG/SF get offer from X.

His tweet shows he knows the right hashtag!

Caden Diggs After a great visit, I am extremely blessed to receive my first high major offer from Xavier University #ZipEmUp

[muskieman]

From zagsblog "Amaree Abram, the No. 28-ranked point guard in the class of 2022

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound point guard from Southern California (CA) Academy, says that Ole Miss, Xavier, St. John’s, Memphis, Missouri, Kansas and Howard have been the main schools in contact since his de-commitment

Xavier: “I’ve heard it’s a good school. I looked more into it. They have a lot of guards leaving next year. They’re in the Big East. I just feel like that would be a good look for me all around. It’s a good educational school and I’m definitely going to take a visit and check it out.”

[muskieman]

From twitter Xavier247

"Seeing Paul Scruggs play there now with kind of a similar build to me is really impressive. They want me to be able to come in and play the one my freshman year and that’s really appealing." from 2022 guard Judah Mintz:

[muskieman]

From Adam Zagoria
2022 Oak Hill (VA) Academy four-star guard Judah Mintz will take an official to @XavierMBB later this month