Bearcat ‘Crootin: Football Commitments and Basketball Offers

More offers went out from the Cincinnati Bearcats to prospective student athletes in both football and basketball this week. Starting things off—

WE INTERRUPT THIS POST TO BRING YOU AN URGENT NEWS BULLETIN!

Cole Smith, a kicker from Middletown, Ohio, announced via the Twittersphere his intention to attend the University of Cincinnati. It wraps up a hot week for Bearcat ‘Crootin, which began with the addition of two 3-star recruits last weekend, continued with Cody Lamb’s commitment and finished off with Smith’s announcement on Thursday. The Bearcats now have nine hard commits for the 2017 class. That’s a nice little stash to have before July even starts.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled offers.

This was a week dominated by basketball (on the offer side that is). A total of five potential UC hoopers received offers this week, enough for a solid pickup team.

First up is 6'8" power forward Brian Thomas, who comes from Marietta, Georgia. Playing for Kell High School, Thomas helped the Longhorns to a 16-13 record last season. Highlights of his work can be found below.

Brown, who would be a 2017 class add, also has offers from a host of other schools (13 total), including Mississippi State, Richmond and La Salle.

Multiple sources reported that Alex O'Connell, another Georgia product, got his offer from UC. The 6'6" shooting guard is a 3-star recruit according to Rivals and also would be an addition for 2017. He already has offers from some heavy hitters (Iowa State for one) and interest from programs like Florida and Notre Dame. In addition, he scooped up an offer from Xavier just two days before UC sent the letter, bringing the Crosstown Shootout into his recruitment. While contemplating those implications, check out some highlights.

Another new member of the 2017 UC offer club is Antwan Walker, a 6-foot-7 forward from Washington D.C. He plays for Hargrave Military Academy High School and has received additional offers from Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and St. Joseph's, among others. Landing Walker over the Hawks might not erase what happened in March, but it will help. (It totally won't).

A prospect from Houston got official recognition from UC as well this week, with Darius McNeill getting an offer from Mick Cronin's staff. A 6'3" guard, he also would be a 2017 add.

Rounding up the plentiful week in basketball offers is John Newman III. Standing at 6'6", Newman III is a shooting guard who ranks as a 3-star recruit according to Rivals. Currently, UC is competing with Wake Forest, James Madison, Old Dominion, Boston College and Charlotte for the services of the Greensboro, North Carolina native.

On the football side, Tommy Tuberville's staff wasn't just piling up commitments this week. Exree Loe and Verenzo Holmes Jr. a pair of potential secondary additions also got offers.

Loe comes out of Johnstown, Pennsylvania and is a 3-star prospect according to 247Sports. He is the No. 13 recruit in the state of Pennsylvania and is sporting 11 other offers, including ones from Rutgers, Boston College, Temple and Penn State. 247Sports is predicting the 6'0", 190-pound 2017 class member will go with Rutgers.

Holmes Jr., a native of Augusta, Georgia,  is a 2-star recruit according to 247Sports, but that hasn't kept his list of offers small, as he has 12. However, most are from smaller schools like Georgia Southern, Middle Tennessee State and Western Kentucky. He stands at 6'0" even and is ranked as the No. 197 prospect out of Georgia.