Mississippi State Bulldogs Basketball: Ben Howland is Doing Major work on the Recruiting Trail
The 2016 recruiting wars are heating up and one school is assembling its best recruiting class in years. That school being Mississippi State.
New Mississippi State Bulldogs head coach Ben Howland has not coached a game yet, but his impact has been immense on the recruiting trail in the 2015 and 2016 recruiting classes.
As discussed, Howland landed five-star guard Malik Newman from Jackson, MS. Newman projects to be one of the top freshman in the country and a potential lottery pick for 2016.
With his Top-20 recruiting class for 2015 solidified, Howland has turned to 2016 and knocked it out of the park.
Yesterday’s commitment from big man Schnider Herald propels the Bulldogs into one of the top classes in the country, and they might not be done. Check out Mississippi State’s commitments so far and other targets on their radar.
Tyson Carter (6’4″, 170 lbs.)
Point Guard/Shooting Guard
**** (#62 player in country, according to Rivals)
The Starkville native decided to stay home to play for the Bulldogs and offers immediate from the point guard position. The lanky 6’4″ guard can also play off the ball as he possesses an ability to drive the basketball and shoot it from deep. His length also has the potential to be disruptive on the defensive end. Carter projects to be a tough SEC player for the Bulldogs for many years to come.
Lamar Peters (6’0″, 165 lbs.)
Point Guard
**** (#78 in country, according to Rivals)
The point guard from New Orleans committed to the Bulldogs over the summer and will bring quickness, ball handling, shooting, passing and swagger to the Bulldogs during his time on campus. It will be interesting to see how Howland molds and handles minutes for the plethora of talented guards at his disposal. My guess is that Howland wants depth and as much athleticism on the floor as possible, so minutes will be spread around between Peters, Carter, and projected returners for the 2016 season Quinndary Weatherspoon, Carter Holmes and Xavian Stapleton.
Eli Wright (6’4″, 185 lbs.)
Shooting Guard
**** (#94 in country, according to Rivals)
As a mid-range specialist, Wright projects as a great fit for Howland’s style of play. He has made improvements (as evidenced in the highlight video) in outside shooting. Continued growth in that area and a commitment to the weight room make Wright a valuable multi-year player for the Bulldogs. It is difficult to say how Wright will factor in with Mississippi State in his freshman season, but his versatility, potential, and defensive prowess could make him hard to keep off the floor.
Schnider Herard (6’10”, 255 lbs.)
Center
**** (#34 in country, according to Rivals)
Herard projects to receive a lot of early playing time next season. He is a true center with a 7’1″ wing span and a body that continues to put on strength and mass. His strengths are his athleticism and finishing abilities around the basket. He is a load, and it will be difficult for opponents to stop him when he’s at or near the basket.
Improvement wise, Herard needs to work on his mid-range game and knowledge of the “flow” of the game. Herard has only spent two years in the United States, so he will take some time to develop, but will offer Mississippi State a presence around the basket that many teams will struggle to plan and handle.
Other Targets
Abdul Ado (6’10”, 200 lbs.)
Center
**** (#73 in country, according to Rivals)
This ship might have sailed with Herard’s commitment, but Ado is still supposed to visit Starkville this weekend. Still, Mississippi State needs a lot of size and Ado can provide more of that. He projects to be a shot-blocking and rim-protecting machine on the collegiate level. We’ll see how the official visit goes this weekend, but Bruce Pearl at Auburn might be tough to beat here.
De’Ron Davis (6’9″, 210 lbs.)
Power Forward
**** (#33 in country, according to Rivals)
This kid oozes athleticism. The Aurora, CO forward is down to Indiana and Mississippi State and could be in a position of deciding soon.
His visit this weekend in Starkville will be the opportunity for Howland and the Mississippi State Bulldogs’ program to sell Davis on the fact that he can play alongside Herard for years to come and never have to worry about playing center. Davis’ natural NBA position will be power forward, so he’ll want to develop those skills alongside a solid center in his collegiate years.
Indiana has struggled from a frontline perspective the last couple years, but does have incoming five-star freshman Thomas Bryant this season. Still, the favorite here is probably Indiana, but Mississippi State will get its shot this weekend.
Mario Kegler (6’7″, 210 lbs.)
Small Forward/Power Forward
**** (#29 in country, according to Rivals)
The Oak Hill forward is one of the most athletic and intriguing prospects in the 2016 class. His combination of size, handling, strength and ability to finish around the basket make him a dream for many schools.
Mississippi State Bulldogs
Schools such as Maryland, Indiana and Oklahoma State are all pursuing the Mississippi-native, but the Bulldogs might have the slight edge. As with Davis, Mississippi State can sell Kegler that he can come to Starkville and play alongside a traditional, powerful center in Herard.
Final Thoughts
Howland is assembling a huge class for the Mississippi State Bulldogs in 2016.
With the recruits he already has grabbed, he has put a premium on athletic guards that can break people down off the dribble and create.
It is considered mostly a guard’s game in the NCAA and this projects well in the SEC and beyond. With the final push in 2016 recruiting, Howland inked one of the best centers in the country in Schnider Herard and now can sell his skill and stability at that position to other talented forwards.
If he is able to land any of the three players left on their board, this could be a top 3 class in the country. Stay tuned.