Updated 2015 rankings: Arizona targets in the top 10
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The Rivals.com rankings for the 2015 class were expanded and updated Wednesday morning, and there were plenty of Arizona targets who made the cut. Since the group was expanded to 100 prospects, we'll break down the Wildcat targets who made the list into two groups.
The first group we'll focus on is the notable prospects in the top 10. There was some shifting this time around at the top, and all of the top recruits have Arizona offers.
Malik Newman - No. 1: The new No. 1 prospect in the 2015 class really made his talent felt throughout the spring playing with his Jackson Tigers squad. The Jackson (Miss.) Callaway standout picked up quite a bit of interest from the Wildcats throughout the spring and there are of course plenty of programs doing the same.
Rivals.com national analyst Eric Bossi wrote about the bump for Newman.
"Newman is just scratching at the surface," Bossi wrote. "He's learning how to play in the pick-and-roll. He's learning how to take better shots and most importantly he's learning how to lead his team. Each time Newman takes the floor, he shows a new wrinkle to his game, and he's becoming more versatile."
Stephen Zimmerman - No. 2: There was no change at the second spot in the class as the big man prospect from Las Vegas (Nev.) Bishop Gorman really had a nice spring and it kept him right in the mix for that top spot. Zimmerman showcased many different parts of his game this spring with his Dreamvision squad and that helped him hold onto his high ranking.
Arizona is just one of many programs already vying for a commitment from the center recruit.
Ivan Rabb - No. 3: One thing that you can always expect from the Oakland (Calif.) Bishop O'Dowd standout is consistency. That was well on display over the spring as he played with his Oakland Soldiers team. A little bit smaller than Zimmerman, Rabb can do many things well on the floor. He's versatile enough to step out and hit mid-range jump shots, but he can also really attack the glass and play big in the post.
Rounding out his game on offense will be key to helping him move back up the rankings in the future as there is still a long way to go until everything is said and done. The 6-foot-9 recruit was the No. 1 prospect before Wednesday's update.
Tyler Dorsey - No. 8: The Bellflower (Calif.) St. John Bosco standout has long been an Arizona target and that has continued into the summer before his junior season. The five-star recruit has remained a big-time prospect throughout his career so far with his ability to play both guard positions. Dorsey is a big scorer, but he has really developed as a passing guard as well. His ability to do both things has kept him in the top 10. Dorsey has continued to grow as well, and that's hardly ever a bad thing for a guard who was already around 6-foot-4.
Elijah Thomas - No. 9: Another prospect who really had a nice spring was the five-star power forward recruit from Dallas (Texas) Prime Prep. Thomas had a big battle with 2014 five-star recruit Cliff Alexander early in the spring and he showcased his skills once again later in the spring at the Pangos All-American Camp.
Overall you know what you get with Thomas as he doesn't stray too much from what he does well, which is to get in the post and make plays down low. Like Dorsey, Thomas should consistently find himself in the top 10 of the rankings if he can keep up with what he's shown so far.
Other Arizona recruits who made the top 10 in the updated rankings include Diamond Stone at No. 5, Cheick Diallo at No. 6, and Jaylen Brown at No. 10.
Check back for a breakdown of the Arizona targets who landed outside the top 10 in the updated rankings.
Click Here to view this Link.Matt Moreno
GOAZCATS.com Senior Recruiting Editor