NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing JaKobe Coles’ final six

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota is one of the most recent additions to this recruiting battle. In fact, the Golden Gophers only issued an offer to JaKobe Coles a couple of weeks ago in mid-July. Even though they have not been heavily targeting him for long, though, neither has anyone else really in this recruitment. Coles’ final six consists almost entirely of programs that offered within the last four months and therefore Minnesota’s timing should not hurt them.

It is important to mention, though, that head coach Richard Pitino has already issued 37 total scholarship offers to 2020 prospects so it is hard to gauge exactly who his priority targets are at the moment. Considering their recent scholarship offer, it is reasonable to assume that the Golden Gophers are still heavily contacting Coles and making his final six is a step in the right direction for the program. Minnesota is yet to secure a 2020 commit and he would be a great player to build around.

Minnesota is fresh off landing back-to-back top-50 recruiting classes in the nation so maintaining that level of success could come as a result of landing a player such as Coles. With that said, though, they do not have an incredible need for adding a power forward right now. With Jarvis Omersa (SO) and Isaiah Ihnen (FR) both already on the roster as underclassmen power forwards with bright futures, Coles might have to fight for playing time. He is, though, quite talented and could push for those minutes.