Huge, huge pickup for Chris Beard in the 2022 class today as Rivals top 30, four-star F Dillon Mitchell commits to the Texas Longhorns.

A primary reason for his commitment to Texas is his relationship with Coach Ulric Maligi, who he has known since ninth grade due to Maligi's connection to AAU squad Each 1 Teach 1. Ultimately, he (and his mom, according to his coach Derrick Sharp) loved the rest of the coaching staff enough to land him in Austin for his 2022 freshman campaign.

The 6'7, 180-lb Mitchell is a highly athletic slashing F who can handle the ball well and is elite defensively, as he can be switched onto 1-4, though his prowess is perimeter defense. He's a human highlight reel, and will be on SC Top 10 at some point during his career. He's that kind of high-flyer. He can drive, score at the rim with ease, and finish alley-oops.

Additionally, he's a great rebounder who gets it going in the fast-break. He runs the floor exceptionally well and will be an excellent transition player.

His one real weakness in his game is his deep shot, but he's decent from mid-range, from what I've gathered watching him play (although most of his stuff on the web is just dunk highlights; basketball YouTube is dumb). He also needs to add weight so that he can be more of a banger down low, as he excels in shot-blocking due to his length and instincts on the defensive side. He still needs a tad bit of polish, but the coaching staff at UT will be able to get the best out of him, especially because of the physical gifts he has.

The second commitment of the 2022 class with top-ranked PG Arterio Morris (no. six overall player), Mitchell joins a program that is on the verge of becoming a national powerhouse under their new coaching staff. Grabbing players like Mitchell and Morris are the fastest way to establish yourself as a top-flight program in the country.

Jamie Shaw and I made our predictions last Thursday, both for Texas, and other writers on other boards put in their Future Casts or FC equivalents around the same time.

You couldn't have thought Chris Beard was going to finish the recruiting period with only one top-30 player, could you?

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KeenanWomack_OB