BIG EAST RECRUITING UPDATE: RUTGERS

November 8, 2006


VERBAL COMMITMENT ALERT: Mike Cobourn, (G) Mount Vernon (NY) High School.



Projected 2007-2008 Roster:


SENIORS: Ollie Bailey (PF)
JUNIORS: Anthony Farmer (PG), Jaron Griffin (G/F), JR Inman (F), Courtney Nelson (PG)
SOPHOMRES: Hamady N'Diaye (C)
FRESHMEN: Corey Chandler (G), Justin Sofman (G), Earl Pettis (G), Mike Cobourn (PG)


Affectionately known as 'Mr. New Jersey' for his recruiting prowess in the Garden State, Fred Hill again crossed state lines and dipped into New York as Mount Vernon's Cobourn Chooses Rutgers (Journal News).

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With the addition of Cobourn, the Scarlet Knights have now added four perimeter players in the class of 2007. Cobourn is the most likely to be a point guard out of the group (Corey Chandler, Earl Pettis and Justin Sofman) and he has been a player on the high-major radar since he started playing on the powerful Mount Vernon varsity squad as an 8th grader. Coached by Bob Cimmino, Cobourn has been described as an excellent floor leader and defender, chose Rutgers over finalists South Carolina and USC. Over the years, Cobourn has seen his stock rise to near the top of the class, but he has been passed over in the rankings by others in the last 12 months. Cobourn is a winner and is physically ready for the challenges of the Big East. Rutgers and Fred Hill got a solid player for the Big East and both sides feel very comfortable with each other.

With the commitment of Cobourn, Rutgers still has three scholarships left for the class of 2007 and the frontcourt is in dire need of attention need for coach Fred Hill. Of the 10 players committed for scholarships beginning in 2007, seven of them are perimeter players. Only Hamady N'Diaye, Ollie Bailey (who will be a senior) and JR Inman (who could also be a SF in the future) are on the roster for the frontcourt.

Some names still in the mix for at the frontcourt positions includes Anthony McClain, Brandon Walters, Hamidu Rahman, Mamadou Diarra, Ibraham Thomas, Lavoy Allen, and Austin Johnson. All of these players, to me, would be solid pick-ups for the Big East. McClain is a highly rated true C prospect that is a New Jersey native that has been attending school at National Christian Academy since leaving Jersey. He is a long and lean defensive presence with an evolving offensive game. Diarra and Thomas, at last check, both attend Stoneridge Prep in California, giving them an in with Rutgers, as they were teammates of Hamady N'Diaye last year. Allen, a personal favorite of mine, seems to be a player that just does not get the attention he deserves, but Rutgers has been showing him attention and that could definitely pay off for the Scarlet Knights. Rahman is a big-bodied space-eater that could develop into a serviceable Big East center if his offensive game and conditioning continues to come around. Walters is a prospect with all the tools, just needs to put them all together on a more consistent basis. Again, he is a very intriguing long-term prospect with excellent potential.

The two names at the top of the list and identified today by Keith Sargeant of the Courier News (Hill Lands Recruit on Eve of Signing Period) are Ibrahima Thomas and Lavoy Allen. Both players have made official visits this fall to Rutgers and are mulling oer their final decisions. Allen is to be deciding between LaSalle, St. Joseph's and Rutgers with Providence and others showing interest in the 6'9 forward. The 6'10, rail thin Thomas visited the same weekend as Cobourn and is looking at deciding between Oklahoma St, Fresno St and the Scarlet Knights.

However, Adam Zagoria at ZagsBlog reports that Allen has committed to Temple today. This leaves RU scramling a bit, hoping for Thomas and Jason Francis, a JUCO big man.



Any combination of two players from that list of frontcourt prospects would be a good job, three would be ideal and, in reality, a must for Rutgers to shore up their future.

With football season being a huge success and a lot of local talent making trips to the RU campus, we will watch their search for big bodies very closely.