Mickey Pearson, a 6’7” forward out of John Hardin High School in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, was at one time a Saint Louis Billikens commit in their 2018 recruiting class. On June 19th, he decommitted to reassess his options.

Pearson is an athletic wing with a variety of moves that make him look dominant on the court. From throwing down vicious two-hand alley-oops to pulling up for 25-footers, Pearson has a plethora of moves to pull out of his bag.

While Pearson continues to play well and averaged 25.5 points per game last year, he is still not getting the same national recognition as others with similar stats in his class. “I would say my high school competition and where I play high school at is affecting that the most,” states Pearson.

Georgia Tech has been linked to Pearson in reports since the re-opening of his recruitment, and Pearson confirmed. “I have been in contact with all the coaches at Georgia Tech,” says Pearson. He has since visited Ole Miss and Louisville but tells me those visits will be the last for this year’s recruiting cycle, “No more visits,” said Pearson. “I plan on going the postgraduate route but I’m just not sure which one as of right now.” Doing so will make Pearson a 2019 recruit.

As we have seen in many cases, doing a postgraduate year is very beneficial, and it is something Georgia Tech is familiar with. Sophomore guard Curtis Haywood did a postgraduate year, and it is one of the reasons he wears number 13. Provided that Pearson continues to showcase his ability against higher competition, he should continue to be on Georgia Tech’s and the Power 5 radar.

Standing 6 feet 9 inches tall and weighing in at 210 pounds out of Richmond, Virginia is versatile combo forward, Robbie Beran. Beran, a sharpshooter from Virginia, plays high school ball at the Collegiate School while running with Team Richmond Garner Road during the AAU season.

Who is Beran to Georgia Tech? A prospect squarely on Yellow Jackets coaching staff's radar following his performance on the adidas circuit this summer. On July 14th he was offered by Georgia Tech and Beran is happy to see the work he is putting in being rewarded. “I’m always excited for each offer. Georgia Tech has a tradition of excellence, not only on the court but also off the court with their academics,” says Beran.

Beran has heard consistently from Georgia Tech and is listening to what they have to offer. “Coach Swartz is leading my recruitment and I’m just learning more and more about their program and Georgia Tech as a school each day,” says Beran.

With the ability to put the ball on the deck and create his own shot, Beran has the capability to be uniquely utilized in mismatches with his guard skillset, all while standing 6’9”. “In talking with the coaches I don’t think they want me at an exact position. I try to play positionless and impact the game in as many ways as I can,” states Beran.

He has not been on the Georgia Tech campus yet, however the idea is on his mind. “I would like to [visit]. I don’t have any dates set but I would like to this fall.”

With reported offers from multiple prestigious academic schools including the likes of Georgia Tech, Boston College, Bucknell, Richmond and Columbia, it is safe to say Beran is getting it done in the classroom. As a matter of fact, he has crisp 4.0 GPA.

For Beran, academics will be a factor in his decision, though a decision is not likely coming soon. “I don’t want to set a timetable for my recruitment. I’m just enjoying this process day in, day out," says Beran. "I just want to take time and find the right fit. The main things I’m looking for in a school are whatever fits me best academically, socially, and obviously hoops.”

Not only is Beran a baller on the court, he is ballin’ in the off the court in the classroom. Sounds like a great match for the ACC's Georgia Institute of Technology.

Coming out of Sumter, South Carolina, which has recently become a hotbed of basketball talent, and standing 6 feet 6 inches, 220 pounds is Calvin “CJ” Felder. From playing alongside Ashton Hagans to Christian Brown, one might think it’s easy to get overlooked. Not Felder, who has continued working hard and is starting to see his efforts come to fruition. Felder was offered by Georgia Tech this week and already holds offers from Virginia Tech, UNLV, Clemson, Memphis, and Auburn among others.
“My initial reaction from receiving an offer from Georgia Tech was excitement because I know how big of a program Georgia Tech is, along with how many big-time players have come through there,” said Felder.

As Georgia Tech fans have seen many times this recruiting cycle, Coach Swartz has been hitting the road hard. “Coach Swartz has been talking to me a lot, and Coach Pastner,” said Felder. “They have been telling me about the past few years and what has been going on within the program. We haven’t really talked about what my role would be yet.”

When it comes down to what he is looking for in a school, Felder is keeping it simple. “I’m really just looking for the best fit.”

Felder has been to Atlanta multiple times for AAU events and is ready to make it to Georgia Tech. “I have not been on campus, but I want to set up a visit really soon.” Felder already has ties to the state of Georgia and Atlanta with his go-to post-game meal being Zaxby’s. He also has Gucci Mane and 21 Savage on the pregame playlist, with Kodak leading the way.

On the floor Felder is very athletic, physical, and has the ability to play above the rim. He alters shots at rim and hits the glass hard. He also goes all out every single play like an Atlanta native that Georgia Tech pursued last year. “I try to sprinkle in a little of Collin Sexton in my game when it comes to passion,” stated Felder. He also tries to emulate Sexton’s off the dribble pull-up and Chris Paul when it comes to basketball IQ, with LeBron James being his ultimate model athlete.

Felder continues to work on all aspects of his game but is zooming in a few areas. “I feel I could do everything in my game a little better, but mainly my speed, ball handling and jump shot.”

Felder wants to major in meteorology. He wants fans to know he has a lot of passion for the game of basketball and will give 110% every time he steps on the floor. In my opinion, despite the Power 5 offers, Felder is a sleeper prospect. He has a great motor and is that hard working player every coach could use on their team.