Ranking the Contenders: Five-star Jasper Johnson

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Rivals.com, the leader in college football and basketball recruiting coverage. Be the first to know and follow your teams by signing up here.

Five-star guard Jasper Johnson will slap a bow on his recruitment this week, when he’s scheduled to publicly announce his college commitment. Officially, the Kentucky native has narrowed his long list of options to six finalists. Not all six stand on equal footing, however.

Today, Rivals national recruiting director Rob Cassidy examines Johnson’s upcoming decision and ranks the contenders to land his letter of intent.

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1. KENTUCKY

The Wildcats have been the presumed leader for some time, and the fact that Johnson is set to announce his commitment during a live ceremony at Woodford County (Ky.) High School – a school for which he no longer plays – has definitely thrown fuel on that fire. Woodford County High is located just 14 miles east of Kentucky‘s campus, so it’s natural to read something into the choice of venue.

Johnson has been the highest priority for new Kentucky coach Mark Pope and his staff and things seem to have escalated quickly in recent weeks after Johnson took a surprise unofficial visit to campus at the beginning of August. Nothing is set in stone just yet, obviously, but the tea leaves around the five-star’s recruitment have definitely turned a shade blue in recent weeks.

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2. ALABAMA

There was some loud optimism coming out of Tuscaloosa early this summer, but that seems to have faded as Johnson’s relationship with Pope and Kentucky has strengthened. Still, it’s impossible to count out the Tide totally, as their relationships in place are definitely strong.

If Alabama is the choice, it would definitely be a surprise, but much stranger things have happened in the recruiting world.

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3. NORTH CAROLINA

The last team in Johnson’s final six with any semblance of realistic chance to land the five-star guard, North Carolina was once seen as a serious threat to extract Johnson from the Bluegrass State. Head coach Hubert Davis and staff got Johnson on campus for multiple visits and hosted him for an official on Feb. 4 for a rivalry game with Duke.

The Tar Heels are not likely to be the pick, but it’s impossible to rule them out completely.

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T-4. ARKANSAS / LOUISVILLE

Officially, both Arkansas and Louisville are alive on Johnson’s list of finalists. Unofficially, however, both are resigned to missing out on his commitment. Arkansas already has a lead guard in the fold in the form of five-star Darius Acuff. Meanwhile, the Lexington-based Johnson will almost certainly choose nearby Kentucky over Louisville should he decide to stay in the state.

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