Vandy Lands 3-star Forward

Some good news in the world of Vandy basketball.  3-star 2012 forward prospect Sheldon Jeter has committed to play for the Commies next year.  Jeter, a 6'7 forward from Beaver Falls, PA can play the 3 or the 4.  Rivals lists him right at 150 on its top 150 players list.  ESPN grades him out as an 87 (and #71 overall small forward).  Jeter's recruitment exploded pretty late in the process, but he eventually got offers from very solid basketball schools like Kansas State, Florida State, Wisconsin and Seton Hall (he also got an offer from South Carolina which might have followed from Frank Martin leaving Kansas State).

Listen, this kid probably isn't a game changer for next season.  But he is a very good prospect.  Vandy has 3 solid kids coming in next year (shooting guard A.J. Astroth and wing player Kevin Bright).  All three are going to get a real opportunity to play and contribute as freshman.

While the 2012 recruiting class has been a disappointment, and some fear that Vandy is starting to slip back as a program, the sky is not falling yet.  We still have some very talented, all-be-it young, kids coming back next year.  And Stallings has always done very well with some 3-star and lower prospects.  And finally, Vandy is being mentioned as possible landing spots for some excellent 4 and 5 star players for 2013 and 2014.  If one or two of the 2012 kids prove to be better than expected and we see real growth from Parker, Odom, Moats, Henderson and Johnson, then this team could be a surprise NCAA team or a team that could make a long NIT run.  After that though we really need a bounce back recruiting year.

Here are some of the names to keep in mind for 2013/14

1) Stevie Clark - lightening quick 5'10 point guard out of Oklahoma City (4 star, 2013)
2) Markel Crawford - 6'5 shooting guard out of Memphis (4-star, 2013)
3) Robert Hubbs - 6'4 shooting guard from Newbern, TN (4-star, 2013)
4) Juwan Parker - 6'4 shooting guard from Tulsa, OK (4-star, 2013)
5) Austin Nichols - 6'8 power forward out of Eads, TN (4-star, 2013)
6) Jimmy Taylor - 6'9 power foward/center from Greensboro, AL (4-star, 2013)
7) Dominic Woodson - 6'9 center from Texas but playing for a prep school in Vermont (4-star, 2013)
8) Jalen Lindsey - 6'6 small forward from Nashville.  Lindsey is currently a 4-star player for 2014 but most expect him to end up a 5-star (top 15-25) player for the '14 class.  Lindsey is Stallings chance to make up for Poythress.  We got Jenkins, lost Prather, got Johnson, lost Poythress.  Hopefully, we get Lindsey. 

Here is the City Paper article about the commitment.  I wonder what high school junior Stallings thinks we are close to getting?