The most interesting recruits to follow in '27

The Most Interesting Recruits In the World (or at least the Class of 2027)

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I’ve studied and talked and watched and talked and here are some of the most interesting recruits in this class that have me baffled in a good way. Quite a few schools are showing serious interest in them late in the process and they are completely open. Now this technically is the way we would hope about 80-85% of the recruits in EVERY CLASS would be and then covering recruiting would be so much more fun, but it’s an anomaly right now that it truly ever happens this way. So great for these guys and I hope they enjoy the chaos and keep me on a wild goose chase for a good month or so (and the college coaches to).

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Here are my top recruits that I’m completely baffled as to where they may go:

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1. Carson Caraway: OH Infinity Volleyball Academy in Mississippi

We talked about a month and she has been on quite the tour of camps and all seem like legit landing spots. SEC and ACC schools alike. She is a high-ceiling kid so coaches have to project her, she isn’t a plug and play tomorrow prospect. But, I think she is going to be a very solid 3 year starter.

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2. Loren Forrelli: OH AZ Revolution

Everyone knows exactly what they are getting with Forrelli and they all LOVE it. Michigan St., Kentucky are definitely high on her, plus several others. I don’t know her well personally so I have no feel on how the “distance factor” plays a part in her decision on those programs. Because I’m sure there are 20 in between that would offer her.

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3. Carson Comer: MB Municanna 

Comer is a puzzle because she is of high-interest to several schools, but you wonder where she will fit in their plans when it comes to offers?  Will she be the #1 or #2 etc. So it could end up that each of the schools she camped at go with someone else. Then you have to think were there other schools she had very high interest in and she just couldn't make it to camp? Or who would be her next level of schools she has interest in?  Because there would be about 20 schools that would want to offer her very quickly.

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4. Reagan Walraff: OH Nebraska ONE

Wallraff may be in the exact opposite position. She camped at multiple schools that probably will offer her, so how does she narrow her list because several of them are on our or at a similar prestige level on our PPV Pyramid so there isn’t big distinctive features separating them. The difference being Creighton and then you have the “hometown school” factor which we talk about often. That can be great or a deal-breaker. So I have Reagan down to about 9 finalists lol, all would be a great fit:)

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5. Brynn Stephens: OH TAV

I just interviewed her Friday and was so impressed with Brynn. I had been very impressed with her this entire season, her play of course, but also her attitude in the position switch and handling that situation (as I said during the interview not everyone athlete handles that well at all). I feel like she is a “tweener” in the best way. She maybe is just missing attention from the very top programs right now and almost being skipped over by the programs 6-12. Not sure if it is like “oh we wouldn’t get her” or “she is looking bigger” or maybe she has 20 offers waiting and I have zero clue I just haven’t heard her name circling a ton, except with a couple of local schools and that really surprises me because she has the academics and the cannon to make many programs better.

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6. Sofia Simic: OH Fight Club

This is someone I started following hard after Indianapolis and have really been checking in on since. She’s polarizing a bit because of her height, but she’s 6’0” and I think she is a no-brainer for P4 volleyball. She gets thrown in the scrum of 20 OH’s that many coaches just group together as the same girl and I see her as a serious contributor at the next level, but again not sure if she is getting serious considerations or light considerations. Is she on a bunch of first call list or second rounds so she is one I’ll be interested to follow up on for sure.

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7. Gentry Barker: Madfrog OH

We have her as as Silver Level prospect and she has been to some legit select camps. I hear her name all the time, but never to lead a convo. To me she is a #1 for say an Arizona State (but maybe they want the former Phoenix kids Wallraff) who can be that explosive prep athlete you get and bring up through your program for 4-5 years. But, then she was part of a final day Arkansas camp today and that would be a huge class for coach Jason in Fayetteville. She has options, but who is she #1 on the list and who is she #3 on the list for?

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8. Tinsley Welker-Brown: Houston Skyline Setter

Loved Tinsley all season. But, when I project a school for her I think say TCU or SMU, she hasn’t even camped there….She’s West Coast camps and then UCF? We have her as a solid Silver Level athlete who I just see as staying and signing for a Houston or Rice etc., but she is obviously interested in looking outside the region so she will be interesting.

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9. Nailah Randle: San Antonio Jrs OH

Love stories like hers. Smaller club, relatively unknown. Goes to NTDP in Spring, blows up. EARNS her looks and interests hits a few camps in the Southeast like Florida, but no one really knows much about her or what her interests are or what she is even thinking recruiting wise, but there is SERIOUS big school interest in her and you wonder if she even understands that. So I just hope she gets to experience it and take it all in and I can’t wait to watch what she decides.

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10. Audrey Schaeffer: Rockwood Thunder Libero

Kids like Audrey I have no problem writing 20 stories in a row about them because they have earned them and they deserve them. She was not talked about much before the season or early on and then she just started playing solid, consistent volleyball and started getting referred to us by the people that matter. She kept playing solid consistent volleyball, not real flashy just solid and consistent every week.

She’s camped her rear end off out getting noticed and boy has she done that. She has opened some major eyes so I have no idea exactly what tomorrow and beyond will bring, but I’m pumped up for this young lady. I’m not sure what her college options were in October (maybe she was a bigtime P4 prospect then also) but she has week by week gone out and proven she’s worth the attention from coaches. So I’m very excited for Audrey I think you just appreciate it more when you have to work that hard for it. I feel like we have kind of watched each week of this so can’t wait to see where she ends up.

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More coverage to come!