NCAA Basketball: Analyzing contenders for 2022 top-50 wing Ty Rodgers

As the class of 2022 NCAA Basketball prospects is now able to go on official visits for the first time, we’re starting to see which teams are starting to make moves on specific players. That includes Ty Rodgers, a 6’7 small forward recruit out of Grand Blanc, Michigan.

A consensus top-100 recruit that 247sportsComposite has inside the top-50, Rodgers plays bigger than his size, comfortable operating down low while still able to hit some jump shots. Although he might not have five-star athleticism, the small forward has few real weaknesses to his game.

Rodgers projects to be a 3-4 year player that can start at the power conference level. And while we don’t have a list of suitors from him, we do know that the wing prospect has official visits set up with Purdue, Michigan, and UConn.

With six programs currently targeting the top-50 talent, here’s a current look at how Rodgers would potentially fit with each of them.

Connecticut Huskies

The Huskies have a starting wing for the upcoming season in Tyrese Martin, a transfer from Rhode Island that averaged 10.3 ppg and a team-leading 7.5 rpg this past season. He’ll be a senior next season and although he could stay for another year thanks to the extra year of eligibility, likely will be gone if the production increases, along with his NBA Draft stock.

If he’s gone, that would leave just former top-50 recruit Andre Jackson left on the roster. He averaged just a couple of points and rebounds in 16 mpg as a freshman but if the playing time doesn’t increase, could end up entering the transfer portal himself. Either way, UConn, who already has four-star guard Corey Floyd as part of the 2022 class, will need to add a wing. Rodgers fits their team and would be the ideal replacement for Martin.

Houston Cougars

The Cougars have been using three-guard lineups for the past couple of years but could use some size in Rodgers at the wing or even in small-ball forward lineups. His versatility would be a nice fit for the program, who will be moving on from Fabian White Jr., Reggie Chaney, and potentially incoming transfer Kyler Edwards from Texas Tech.

Houston does have a pair of incoming three-star small forward freshmen coming in with Ramon Walker Jr. and Robbie Armbrester. Their future roles and development will determine how viable this option would be for Rodgers but either way, head coach Kelvin Sampson would find a way to give him playing time. The biggest question here would be if Rodgers would be willing to play in the American Athletic Conference compared to the Big Ten options.