It is early in the 2027 high school recruiting cycle — only 23 of the top 100 prospects, per the 247Sports Composite, have committed — but several colleges have begun to make a splash.
Despite the impending five-for-five rule, programs remain invested in finding talent at the HS level. As Houston assistant coach Kelvin Sampson told Hoops HQ shortly before the Cougars landed four-star guard Oneal Delancy, “You can build a great team with the portal, but if you’re tasked with building a great program, it starts and ends with your ability to evaluate and recruit high school.”
In addition to Houston, numerous teams have gained momentum on the recruiting trail over the past month, either by earning commitments or positioning themselves to do so down the line. Below is a rundown of four such programs, including two powerhouses in the Big Ten.
Minnesota
With Year Two of the Niko Medved era on the horizon, Minnesota appears to be trending upward. Last Tuesday, the program landed four-star recruit Isaiah Santos, a 6-foot-5 forward ranked No. 77 in the Class of 2027. Santos picked Minnesota over Butler, Colorado and Texas Tech, becoming the highest-rated prospect to commit to the Golden Gophers since Daniel Oturu in 2018.
The Texas native is known for his two-way versatility. Playing for AB Elite on the Nike EYBL circuit, he averaged 14.4 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.2 steals while shooting 50 percent from the field and 39 percent from three. His coach, James Stafford, describes him as a player who “impacts winning” and doesn’t need to score to be effective. Santos dominates the glass, plays tough defense and moves the ball well. He is a force in transition and continues to improve as a perimeter shooter, which has been the primary focus of his training with Stafford.
“His ability to work at his weaknesses and strive to become a better player while also impacting the game in other ways outside of scoring has been huge for us,” Stafford told Hoops HQ in July. “I think a lot of coaches look at him and say, ‘This kid is probably going to be ready to play as a freshman, because he can do more. Everything’s not dependent upon him scoring the ball.’”
Santos’ commitment gives Medved an edge as he chases other recruits. Top-35 prospect Jaxson Davis, a 6-foot point guard from Illinois, recently included Minnesota in his six finalists along with Michigan State, Ohio State, Creighton, Iowa and Marquette. The Golden Gophers are also in the mix for 6-foot-9 forward Ahmed Nur (No. 25 in the 247Sports Composite) and 6-foot-4 guard Malik Olajuwon (No. 146), the son of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon. Nur, a Minnesota native, took an unofficial visit to Minnesota in mid-June.
Indiana
The Hoosiers got on the board early, receiving a commitment from 6-foot-4 guard Chase Branham (No. 31 in the 247Sports Composite) in September. The sharpshooting wing burst onto the scene at last summer’s Steph Curry Camp and just led Logan-Rogersville High School to a Missouri state championship, averaging 21.5 points while connecting on 41 percent of his threes. Before committing to the Hoosiers, Branham told Hoops HQ, “I really like them, definitely a good fit for sure. The place itself is amazing, but the main thing is the way they get up and down and let it fly.”
Branham will be transferring to national powerhouse La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) for his senior campaign, moving him closer to his soon-to-be home in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers have gained ground with several other prospects, including a pair of highly coveted big men: 6-foot-11 center Darius Wabbington (No. 15) and 6-foot-9 forward Jeremy Jenkins Jr. (No. 51).
A five-star from Phoenix, Wabbington shined on the Adidas 3SSB circuit, averaging 16.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists for the Compton Magic. With his size, shooting touch and impressive passing ability, he has earned comparisons to former NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. The 17-year-old has zeroed in on six schools — Indiana, Louisville, Arizona, North Carolina, Kentucky and Texas — and intends to visit all of them. His trip to Bloomington is set for Sept. 5.
“They’ve been showing me a lot of practice film of (current forward) Aiden Sherrell and how they’re using him, and I really like that,” Wabbington said of IU. “I really like what they got planned for him and they think he’s going to be a first-round pick. They just want me to slide right in to fill that role. And I just really like what they see, and I really like that they have a real vision planned out for me from day one when I get on campus.”
After narrowing his list to 10 in mid-June, Jenkins recently reopened his recruitment following impressive performances at the last two EYBL sessions. Indiana, which was included in Jenkins’ initial cut, remains heavily in the picture. The bruising forward averaged 12 points and 5.6 rebounds for Nightrydas, which reached the semifinals of Peach Jam.
Xavier
The Musketeers are expected to make a significant leap in year two under Richard Pitino. With a much-improved NIL budget this spring (nearly three times greater), Pitino reeled in several prominent transfers. He has been active on the high school recruiting scene as well, laying the groundwork for the 2027-28 campaign.
Xavier already hosted four-star prospect Joshua Tyson for an official visit in mid-July. The 6-foot-2 combo guard, ranked No. 55 in the 247Sports Composite, made a strong impression on this year’s 3SSB circuit, averaging 11.6 points, 3.4 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals for Phenom United. “Richard Pitino is a through-and-through guy who is thorough with his recruiting,” Tyson told 247Sports last week. “I feel like his recruiting plan and tactics for me are pretty good. Assistant coach Kareem Richardson’s son played at Lakota West, the school I previously went to. I was up at Xavier all the time, but despite me being there all the time, when I took my official visit, which was my first one ever, they showed me a lot of love.”
Tyson has additional visits scheduled to Ohio State (Aug. 28), Virginia Tech (Sept. 5), Cincinnati (Sept. 19) and Michigan State (Oct. 9) and is targeting sometime in October to make his decision.
On Aug. 19, Pitino will welcome another four-star prospect for an official: 6-foot-6 guard Brandon Mason Jr. (No. 76). Xavier first offered Mason almost a year ago and has emerged as one of the leaders in the race. The talented wing is a native of Albuquerque, home of the University of New Mexico, Pitino’s former team and a serious contender in Mason’s recruitment. A month ago, Mason announced that he will be transferring from ABC Prep in Albuquerque to Link Academy in Missouri for his senior season.
Xavier is also among the top candidates to land 6-foot-10 center Jaydn Jenkins, the No. 45-ranked player in the class. An athletic big with great two-way upside, Jenkins has trimmed his list to five programs: Xavier, Michigan State, NC State, Georgetown and Ohio State. The Pennsylvania native will take official visits to all five schools between Aug. 12-Oct. 2. On this year’s EYBL circuit, he averaged 7.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.6 blocks for Team Final.
Purdue
Purdue has had tremendous success scouting point guards and centers under Matt Painter, and the program’s already landed one of each in the Class of 2027: 5-foot-11 point guard Kevin Savage (No. 34) and 7-foot center Isaiah Hill (No. 17).
A native of Indianapolis, Hill was the first to announce his decision, becoming one of Purdue’s highest-rated commits ever. Painter and his staff had been recruiting the big man since he was in eighth grade. An elite rim protector with exceptional length and mobility, Hill averaged 9.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for Indy Heat on the EYBL circuit. He is young for his grade (turning 17 later this month) and going to arguably the best place for his development given Painter’s track record with frontcourt players.
Savage joined Hill in July, choosing the Boilermakers over Auburn, Florida State, Georgia, Georgia Tech and UCLA. “Coach Painter and I have a good relationship,” Savage told Hoops HQ prior to committing. “They’re pitching how well he does with his point guards like Braden Smith, and how I fit in perfectly in their system.”
The four-star prospect out of Marietta, Ga., is the consummate floor general, excelling as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, downhill driver and facilitator. As the centerpiece of Game Elite on this year’s 3SSB circuit, he averaged 19.6 points, 3 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals. He and Hill have the potential to form a dangerous one-two punch at the next level.
The Boilermakers are also in hot pursuit of one of the biggest risers in the 2027 class: 6-foot-9 wing Ahmed Nur (No. 23), who won MVP of the prestigious Top 100 Camp earlier this summer. Given his positional size, fluidity and perimeter shooting ability, Nur has proven to be a matchup nightmare. He is juggling a mountain of new offers but Purdue is clearly near the top of his list, as he took an official to West Lafayette on June 23. Over the ensuing month, he will visit Ole Miss, Syracuse and Washington as well.
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