Things have been quiet on the Wake Forest basketball recruiting front for some time, but some events over the past few days have definitely piqued my interest. Wake Forest has received two Crystal Ball predictions for two of its top remaining targets in the 2017 class. They both happen to be top-40 players in the 2017 class.
Chaundee Brown
Corey Evans, the director of Roundball Rundown Report, predicted on Wednesday evening that Chaundee Brown will ultimately commit to Wake Forest University. Evans is very reliable, and is accurate 73% of the time. He was also the only person to correctly predict that Bryant Crawford would end up at Wake. Brown is down to Wake Forest, Kansas, Maryland, and Florida.
Brown is ranked 30th overall in ESPN’s latest recruiting rankings, which puts him just outside of 5-star status. He was one of the fastest risers over the summer, so it’s entirely possible that he earns a 5th star by the final recruiting rankings. He is an excellent scorer with a college-ready frame. If he commits, then a backcourt of Bryant Crawford, Keyshawn Woods, and Chaundee Brown could be a scary proposition.
That wasn’t the only good news that Wake Forest received on the recruiting front...
Brandon Randolph
Andrew Slater, a writer for Blue Devil Lair on 247 Sports, predicted that Brandon Randolph will commit to Wake Forest. Randolph is ESPN’s 40th best player in the 2017 class, which puts him as a very high 4-star recruit. Slater is very well connected around the ACC, and his Crystal Ball predictions are accurate 73% of the time.
Randolph has great size at 6’6”, 185-pounds and is known for his scoring ability. With his length, he has the potential to create havoc on the defensive end, which could lead to a lot of run out opportunities for the Deacs. Wake Forest made Randolph’s final 12, yes 12, so we will continue to monitor as he sets up his official visits. It also never hurts that Randolph wants to major in accounting, and Wake has arguably the best accounting program in the country. Randolph Childress has done a very good job recruiting Brandon Randolph (I know that’s confusing), and Chill feels very good about the relationship.
If Wake Forest can land just one of these two prospects, then that will give Wake Forest a lot of momentum headed into the 2018 recruiting season. Wake Forest is doing well with players like 4-star Devon Dotson, and these commitments could only help.
If Wake can somehow land both of these prospects, then that’s a complete gamechanger for the Deacs, and will take this program back to where it belongs. A 2017 team that has Bryant Crawford, Keyshawn Woods, Chaundee Brown, Brandon Randolph, John Collins, Doral Moore, and Dinos Mitoglou? With shooters like Mitchell Wilbekin and Brandon Childress coming off the bench? That’s absolutely a team that can do damage in the ACC.
These Crystal Balls aren’t guarantees. Evans and Slater both have very solid track records, but there are others with good track records that aren’t picking the Deacs. That said, those picks were made months ago, and these are the two most recent. I think it would be a very powerful recruiting tool if Manning can get them to have their official visits on the same weekend. Let’s get it done. Go Deacs!