NCAA Basketball Recruiting: 2021 5-star Paolo Banchero sets up his 5 visits
Matt Murrell down to five schools
Consensus four-star 2020 guard Matthew Murrell disclosed his top five schools on Aug. 23. The 6-4 shooting guard is now down to Vanderbilt, Florida, Ole Miss, Auburn, and Texas. He is ranked between 42 and 47 by all four major recruiting services.
Murrell is a very athletic scorer who possesses a nice physique, which allows him to bully his way to the rim and finish both above and below the cylinder. He has nice handles and is capable of creating space. The Memphis (Tenn.) native shoots the ball well off the bounce and is a sharpshooter from beyond the arc. Murrell is also a solid defender.
Murrell had an excellent AAU campaign, leading Team Chad to UAA Finals Championship as he tallied 31 points (19 in the first half) in the championship game. Murrell has left Whitehaven high school for IMG Academy for his senior year.
Looking at the five finalists
Vanderbilt: Murrell has been one of the Commodores top targets for a while. And his former HS coach Faragi Phillips is now an assistant on Jerry Stackhouse’s staff. Vandy is projected to have at least two scholarships available in 2020, and they need a shooting guard with 6-5 freshman Jordan Wright, the only player currently at the 2. The Dores are still in the mix for other shooting guards such as four-star Jayden Stone (Perth, Australia), three-star Kerwin Walton (Minnetonka, Minn) and two-star Jermontae Hill (Atlanta, Geo.).
Texas: The Longhorns are expected to have two scholarships for 2020. Shooting guard is not a major priority for UT in 2020 as part-time starter Jase Febres will be a senior. Coach Shaka Smart brought in four-star recruit Donovan Williams in this year. Plus, the Longhorns offered 2020 junior college wing prospect Sardaar Calhoun ( CollegeMissouri State University-West Plains) a scholarship on Aug. 26.
Murrell is way down on the Longhorns list as they are also eyeing 2020 shooting guards five-star Brooke Thompson (Tulsa, Okla.), four-star Moses Moody (Little Rock, Ark.), four-star Kyree Walker (Moreau, Calif.) and Watson.
Auburn: The Tigers will have 6-4 redshirt sophomore Jamal Johnson and four-star freshman Allen Flanigan (Little Rock, Ark.) at shooting guard for years to come. While they may still add another shooting guard, Auburn is projected to have four more scholarships available next year. The Tigers do have a commitment from four-star combo guard Justin Powell (Louisville, Kentucky). The Tigers are also interested in 6-8 five-star wing Isaiah Jackson (Waterford, Mich.) along with Moody among others.
Florida: The Gators have three players, Andrew Nemhardt along with Noah Locke and Keyontae Johnson, who will have two years of eligibility left after the upcoming season. But none of the three may be back for the 2020-21 campaign. The Gators are also a top option for several other big-time prospects like Niels Lane (Freehold, NJ), Cade Cunningham (Arlington, Texas), Jaden Springer (Charlotte, NC), and Dudley Blackwell (Miami, Fla.). UF is expected to have at least two scholarships in 2020.
Ole Miss: The Rebels are not currently expected to have any scholarships available in 2020. They are relatively interested in Murrell, but it seems like a long shot.
Prediction: Vandy is the unquestioned leader, and it would be a shock if they don’t seal the deal. I would say that Florida is a distant second followed closely by Texas and Auburn. Ole Miss is fifth.