Who says Frank Haith lands only transfers?
The Mizzou hoops
coach has shown a tendency to create Tigers out of players who started
careers at other colleges, but he broke from that groove this weekend
when he received a commitment from Jakeenan Gant, a stretch forward from
Georgia who will graduate in 2014.
Gant (6 feet 8, 210 pounds)
is ranked nationally in every scouting service. He's the 37th-best
player in his entire class according to ESPN, the 44th according to
Rivals. Scout says he is the 12th-best power forward in the 2014 crop of
talent.
Here's how two recruiting experts weighed in on the commitment:
#Mizzou fans, JaKeenan Gant to me is pretty similar to departed Laurence Bowers. Should be a good fit.
— Eric Bossi (@ebosshoops) August 18, 2013
Mizzou's
roster for 2014 is now full, if commitments stand and no one leaves the
team via transfer or the NBA Draft. But transfers happen, and Jabari
Brown and Jordan Clarkson might be NBA-bound if this season goes as well
as they hope. For that reason, Mizzou won't shut the door on interested
talent just yet.
Keep an eye on Devin Booker. The son of Melvin
Booker, a former Tiger hoops star, is a highly rated 2014 shooting guard
from Mississippi who recently cut his list of potential schools to
Florida, Kentucky, Michigan State and Mizzou.
If Booker wants to come to Mizzou, there will be a spot for him.
HOMETOWN HELP
I
know it's early in his recruitment, but I can't figure out why Mizzou
hasn't offered a football scholarship to Columbia, Mo., native and Rock
Bridge High School receiver Alex Ofodile.
According to Scout, the 2015 graduate currently holds offers from Wisconsin, Vanderbilt, Kentucky, Memphis and Northwestern.
Plus,
the 6-3 and probably still growing pass catcher is the son of A.J.
Ofodile, who was a 6-6 tight end for the Tigers before he played three
seasons in the NFL in the late '90s. A.J. Ofodile is now the head coach
at Rock Bridge, where his son plays.
Rock Bridge has produced
some impressive talent over the years, guys such as former Georgia tight
end Aron White and current Oklahoma fullback Trey Millard. Those two had
offers from Mizzou but decided to leave the state. Without an early
offer out to Ofodile, it seems like the Tigers could be putting
themselves in position to lose another hometown kid who could have
helped.
PINKEL CLAIMS FRANKLIN
I like the way
Mizzou coach Gary Pinkel dissolved the growing distraction surrounding
who would be his starting quarterback this season. Senior James Franklin
had some things he needed to prove. He apparently did that, and no one
behind him on the depth chart surged ahead enough to make this something
that needed to linger all the way to Week 1. By naming Franklin the
starter, Pinkel gives the quarterback an important boost of confidence
that can only help after a junior year that was torpedoed by injury.
I
also like the idea of redshirt freshman Maty Mauk getting some designed
plays in games. No better way to prepare the next play caller than by
throwing him in the fire.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Have a great first day of class #Mizzou students! GP
— Coach Gary Pinkel (@mizzoufootball) August 19, 2013
Follow Ben Frederickson on Twitter (@Ben_Fred), or contact him at frederickson.ben@gmail.com.
