2019 Rankings Breakdown
Movement At The Top
The top 3 of Ashton Hagans, Isaac Okoro, and Marcus Watson remains the same, but there were lots of shifts within the top 25 in this update. All 3 are top 100 national prospects who have solidified themselves at the top of this class in Georgia. Recent UGA commit Elias King has moved up to #4, giving UGA 2 of the top 4 in the state with Ashton Hagans also committing to be a Bulldog this winter. King recently decided to transfer to Lincoln Prep; this move was a bit surprising but it will be interesting to see how it all plays out. Checking in at #5 is the ever-steady Kyle Sturdivant of Norcross. Sturdivant has been coming through in big moments at PG for the Blue Devils all year long and is in store for a big summer.
Recent move-in Charles Smith (McEachern) is #7 in this update, but don’t be surprised if he moves up a few spots in the coming months. Smith is one of the most lethal shooters you can find and is going to make noise on the travel circuit. Brenden Tucker has risen to #8 after what has been a great season so far. Tucker is a freakish athlete who plays with tons of intensity and has improved as a shooter. Two big men to keep an eye on are Malachi Rhodes and Rodney Howard. At #14 and #17 respectively, they have both improved significantly and are now hot targets on the recruiting trail. At #23-25, Kalen Williams, Eric Coleman, and Ahmir Langlais are all in the top 25 now. People may not talk about those 3 much, but they are very solid prospects to track this spring and summer.
Risers Galore
The middle of the pack is marked with loads of guys who have had break out seasons and shot up in the rankings. A prospect’s junior season is a great time for prospects to burst onto the scene and many in Georgia have done just that. Having one of the best junior campaigns of anyone, Kamar Robertson of Cambridge comes in at #31. This spot is probably too low for him actually, Robertson won Region POY and is going to be one of the more heavily recruited PG’s in the Southeast this spring. Two Campbell teammates, Donovan Grant and Terrell Burden, are both in the top 40 now at 33rd and 38th. Campbell has surprised many people this season behind the play of these two. The Spartans have a good chance of advancing to the Elite 8 in their matchup against Woodstock this week. Also making moves into the top 50 are James Glisson and Jaxon Etter. Glisson is one of the most improved post players in the state and is starting to get a lot of attention. Etter capped off the regular season by winning Region POY and helping Etowah win another region championship. The Eagles have a huge matchup against Wheeler on Thursday.
This class in Georgia is filled with solid PG’s and there are many who have been making statements in 2017-18. Messiah Thompson (#46), Joseph Jones (#53), Matt Gonzalo (#58), and Mitch Ganote (#59) are all guys who have boosted their status this winter. With so many to choose from, it will be interesting to see who gets recruited by who and which ones will separate themselves from the pack in the spring.
Just because 2019 is guard-heavy in GA does not mean there aren’t some nice post players as well. Stanley Eze (#42), Brady Spence (#47), Austin Sloan (#61), and Nate Allison (#64) have proven to be valuable forwards who have excellent motors and provide versatility to their respective teams. The wealth of talent throughout the state is extremely impressive as even the guys in the 50’s and 60’s will be recruited by Division 1 schools.
Don’t Forget About These Guys
Georgia is so deep with prospects that many players are not in the spotlight and go unnoticed. There are numerous guys towards the bottom of the rankings who could be key targets for lower-level programs during the spring and summer.
Preston Crisp (#86) is one of the first that comes to mind. He has been stellar for Woodville-Tompkins the whole year but can be forgotten out in Savannah. Crisp is a tough, athletic wing who contributes in various areas. Niko Broadway (#90) is another sleeper who deserves some attention. He won’t put up big numbers on his deep, unselfish St. Pius team but he makes plays all over the court and plays bigger than his size. He is one I really want to watch during the travel circuit.
Bryce Boutelle (#102) and DJ Patrick (#119) are two shooters that will attract some coaches over the next few months. Boutelle did not always get many touches on a very good Cambridge team so hopefully he plays on a travel team where he has a big role. There should be an asterisk next to Patrick’s ranking. He had to play JV the whole season because of a lost appeal after transferring from Hillgrove. He had some good moments this summer and there has been talk that he is ready to dominate in the spring.
Josh Johnson (#97) and Andrew Robinson (#96) are two forwards for North Atlanta that are quite interesting. They are both undersized but play extremely hard, have solid athleticism, and can defend multiples positions. I don’t’ know exactly what level they could be recruited at, but I feel like they could find a fit somewhere.