Ranking the Contenders: Four-star Kayden Mingo

Kayden Mingo has been on a yearlong rise up the rankings that has resulted in increased attention from college coaches and a growing list of scholarship offers. The four-star guard has not officially narrowed his list as of yet, but intel coming out of the situation suggests a loose pecking order is starting to establish itself.

Below, Rivals national analyst Rob Cassidy tries his hand at ranking the early contenders to land Mingo’s pledge while the Long Island Lutheran High School star begins to schedule fall visits.

1. PENN STATE

The early leader in the clubhouse, Penn State extended one of Mingos’ first scholarship offers and seems likely to get his first official visit this September. How that trip goes will likely set the pace for the rest of the four-star’s recruitment.

The Nittany Lions have been recruiting Mingo longer than anyone and will now look to seal the deal when they get the New York-based star on campus. Seeing as Mingo is still a handful of visits away from making a decision, Penn State’s spot on the top of this list is not set in stone, but fans should feel some semblance of optimism heading into the fall.

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2. NOTRE DAME

The Irish are said to be nipping on Penn State’s heels pre-visit by people in the know and could well topple the frontrunning Nittany Lions once they get Mingo on campus.. A date for such a trip has not been finalized just yet, but both sides expect the visit to take place on a football weekend this fall.

Micah Shrewsberry’s Irish are in a solid position here and could well challenge Penn State as Mingo embarks on the final leg of his process. Notre Dame should be seen as a serious threat going forward.

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3. VIRGINIA TECH

The Hokies have felt like a peripheral player since offering Mingo back in December. Mingo often mentions the program in interviews and intends to take a campus visit at an undetermined time.

It seems possible for the Hokies to break into the top two with a solid visit weekend, but such a trip needs to be officially on the schedule before optimism can be allowed to brew. For now, Tech seems to be running in a solid third place.

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4. XAVIER

Another possible visit destination, Xavier has come on strong as of late and has inserted itself into the thick of things. The Musketeers have quickly climbed up Mingo’s list of possible suitors and now seem in the hunt to receive an official visit.

What happens once Xavier gets Mingo on campus is anyone’s guess, as head coach Sean Miller continues to make quick strides with the guard as well as his inner circle. For now, however, plenty of work remains.

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5. WAKE FOREST

It doesn’t feel as though Wake Forest has the juice to win this recruitment, but those close to Mingo say he intends to visit down the road. Should a campus tour actually take place, the Demon Deacons could see some upward mobility on this list.

Still, Steve Forbes’ program seems pretty unlikely to be the last team standing when all is said and done.

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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.