So who will be future Cougars?

I had a story in today’s newspaper about BYU’s basketball recruiting efforts. I’m going to add some commentary on this blog on how bad I think BYU wants which players and what chance BYU has of landing each player. So, here we go, one at a time. And, because coaches can’t comment on which players they are recruiting, there might be some players out there that the Cougars are after that we don’t know about.

2011-12
Brett Kingma, 6-foot-1 guard; Henry M. Jackson High; Mill Creek, Wash.: Kingma recently scored 50 points in an AAU game. I think he’s BYU’s top priority, with the Cougars losing three backcourt stars after this coming season. He’s already visited the campus once, will again this fall and I’m hearing he has BYU on the top of his list.
Demarcus Harrison, 6-foot-5 guard; Christ School, Arden, N.C.; Harrison is another 2-guard in the mold of Tyler Haws and Kyle Collinsworth. A guard who can score, rebound, defend and handle the ball. He’s also on top of BYU’s want list, but he has several big-time schools back East after his services. However, I’m hearing he’s giving BYU serious consideration and will likely visit the campus this fall.
Tyrell Corbin, 6-foot-1 guard; West High; Salt Lake City, Utah.; Corbin is the proto-type point guard, and has a game similar to the departed Michael Loyd Jr. Even though the Cougars only have two scholarships to offer next year, if it appears that either Kingma or Harrison are going elsewhere, look for the Cougars to make a serious run at Corbin. Honesty, any good point guard should want to play for BYU considering the opportunity to play the next few seasons. Point guard, after Jimmer Fredette moves on, will be BYU’s biggest need. If Corbin shows any desire to play for the Cougars, I think coach Dave Rose will find a spot for him somehow.
Geoffrey Groselle, 6-foot-11 center; West Plano High; Plano, Texas; Not a big-time scorer, but a big-time all-around player. Has good touch around the hoop, defends well and rebounds well. Utah and Colorado State both want this kid, and so do a few Big-12 schools. He has a lot of upside. I think he’s a longshot for BYU, but he’s also another player that if he wants to come to BYU, the Cougars will find a spot for him.
Jared Smoot, 6-foot-10 center; Crown Point High; Crown Point, Ind.; More of the project than the other recruits, but will probably grow to be a little taller and could be very good down the road. He’s probably a back-up plan for the Cougars and someone they hope to get on the roster someday, but right now they’re just not sure where he fits because of the surplus of big men coming back the next few years.
Dantley Walker, 5-foot-11 guard; Lincoln County High; Panaca, Nev.: This kid can score, as his 35-point per game average last season attests. And even though he plays in a rural Nevada league, I’ve been told by a coach in Nevada who has seen him play that he’s a legitimate player. A little on the thin and small side, but if he can get bigger and stronger, he’s a possible D-1 player. BYU’s coaches have watched him play, but I don’t think they’d offer him a scholarship right now. But if Walker is willing to walk-on or take the JC route first, don’t be surprised to see him in a Cougar uniform someday.

2012-13
Jordan Chatman, 6-foot-4 guard; Skyview High; Ridgefield, Wash.: The son of former BYU star Jeff Chatman is really catching some attention with his AAU play. He’s another athletic player with a good all-around game that would fit well in BYU’s system. I think the Cougars will make a good run at him next year, and his connections to BYU have to be in BYU’s favor.
Rosco Allen, 6-foot-6 forward; Bishop Gorman High; Las Vegas, Nev.: From a basketball perspective, this kid is someone the Cougars would want in a heartbeat. He’s one of the top recruits in the West. Every Pac-10 school wants him, so he has a lot of schools to choose from. Realistically, BYU landing him is a long shot and I’ve heard he might struggle to fit in on BYU’s campus. Because he’s such a longshot, I don’t think the Cougar coaches will devote too much time trying to get him, but they’ll take him if he decides BYU is where he wants to be.
Jordan Loveridge, 6-foot-5, forward; West Jordan High; West Jordan, Utah.: The state’s top basketball recruit after next season will garner a lot of attention from BYU’s coaching staff. He’s another that would fit well into BYU’s system with a solid all-around game. If he wants to play at BYU, I believe he will play at BYU. The Cougars won’t turn him down.

2013-14
Jabari Parker, 6-foot-7 forward; Simeon Vocation High; Chicago, Ill.: The best way to describe this kid’s potential impact on BYU is to say he’d be one of the school’s biggest gets ever. He’s an LDS kid who is being recruited by every big-time program in the country. He’s one of the nation’s top sophomores and is going to get hounded by coaches over the next few years. He is BYU’s highest priority for the next few seasons, and whenever I read anything about the colleges that this young star likes, BYU is always mentioned.
Nick Emery, 6-foot guard; Lone Peak High; Alpine, Utah. The younger brother of current BYU guard Jackson Emery is already a star at the high school level. He’s high on BYU’s recruiting list and he’s a player that the Cougars really need to get. He plays different than his brother, and he plays a lot like Jimmer Fredette, which is a simple way of saying how much he could mean to a college program.

2014-15
TJ Haws, 6-foot-1 guard; Lone Peak High; Alpine, Utah.; Younger brother of current Cougar Tyler Haws. Has high expectations and should be a star for Lone Peak this coming season. The BYU staff will likely go after him hard the next few years.
Jared Stutzman, 6-foot-4 guard; Bonneville High; Idaho Falls, Idaho.: Possibly Idaho’s top freshmen. He’s another wing player with a lot of good skills. The Cougars will go after this kid, but he’s certainly no lock considering his family’s connections to Utah State. Both his grandfather and mother were Aggies, grandpa at USU and mom at New Mexico State where she was a star volleyball player. Dad, however, did attend BYU.