Since Ejike Obinna committed to Vanderbilt on September 25, things have gotten pretty quiet on the recruiting trail. While Bryce Drew and staff still have one scholarship available for the 2017 recruiting class, it doesn’t appear that they’re planning to add anyone else for the time being. Victor Enoh committed to Memphis a few weeks ago, and the Commodores don’t appear to have any pressing roster needs for next season. The frontcourt may be thin and inexperienced for 2017-18 — Obinna, Djery Baptiste and Clevon Brown are it — but with Drew planning to play a four-out, one-in system, that might be enough depth.
Anyway, Vanderbilt may add someone else in the spring or just bank the scholarship for 2018. Or, hell, give it to Phillip McGloin.
So now it’s on to the 2018 recruiting class. At the moment, Vanderbilt projects to have three scholarships available (if they add someone else in 2017 and no one leaves) or four if they don’t add anyone else. We have a couple of new 2018 offers to report:
Blessed to receive an offer from coach Drew and the rest of the Vanderbilt staff⚱️‼️. Had an amazing time today! pic.twitter.com/i8kfSUT8LO
— TREY JEMISON (@TallT_23) September 30, 2016
2018 Holy Name G Dwayne Cohill (@therealdwayne35) added an offer yesterday during his Vanderbilt visit #SEC https://t.co/BQsLwY7c2A
— NextUpRecruits.com (@NextUpRecruits) September 25, 2016
With Riley LaChance, Matthew Fisher-Davis, and Jeff Roberson moving on in 2018, Vanderbilt is probably going to focus on guards in that class, but the Trey Jemison offer signals that they’re not going to completely neglect the frontcourt. Jemison, a 6’8” forward from Homewood, Alabama, is rated as a four-star recruit. Dwayne Cohill is a 6’4” combo guard out of Cleveland who’s a top 100 recruit.
So far, though, the obvious top priority with a bullet in 2018 is Brentwood Academy product Darius Garland, a five-star point guard. For him not to be a top priority would be professional malpractice. Vanderbilt is also targeting his AAU teammate, Champaign (IL) shooting guard Tim Finke, who’s rated as a four-star recruit. Both were on campus for the South Carolina game, and both reportedly got in-home visits from the coaching staff:
Duke, Notre Dame, Virginia, Vanderbilt & Tennessee will visit with 5 PG Darius Garland, @247Sports #8 player in 2018 pic.twitter.com/B4pqjoZ644
— Andrew Slater (@ASlater247) September 8, 2016
#Vanderbilt Ast Coach Roger Powell visiting 4* 2018 Champaign Central G Tim Finke tonight. @HoopinMaroons
— Jason Thompson (@jthompson247) September 10, 2016
Another 2018 target, Bloomington (IN) small forward Musa Jallow, made an unofficial visit the weekend of the MTSU game (and unlike Garland and Finke, he got to see a Vanderbilt football win!)
@mjallow21 took in a visit, got some shots up and checked out a football game at Vanderbilt yesterday. @VandyMBB pic.twitter.com/5LHaa65kTY
— Team Blaze Select (@teamblazeselect) September 11, 2016
It’s hard to tell this early, but Vanderbilt seems to be in good shape for Garland. Finke is a bit more of an open question: he’s got an Illinois offer and his brother plays for the Illini (in addition to being, you know, his hometown school) and they might be the favorite, but it’s also possible that Vanderbilt could swing a package deal for him and Garland. Jallow is also looking at Indiana, Louisville, and Virginia.
Vanderbilt’s 2017 class turned out pretty well considering that Drew got a late start on building the class, and with more time to build relationships with prospects Drew could have an even better class in 2018. It looks like that could happen early on in the process.