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Making the case: Romeo Langford

Monday night, five-star shooting guard Romeo Langford, the top remaining recruit in the class of 2018, will announce his much anticipated college decision.

Either Indiana, Kansas or Vanderbilt is going to get a difference-maker and make a move up the 2018 team rankings. In preparation for Langford's decision, we take a look at him, what each program has to offer and where he could end up.

THE PLAYER

Perhaps the most pure scorer in the class of 2018, Langford is an elite shooting guard prospect for many reasons. Primary among those are his feel for the game, quickness and diverse set of skills.

Langford still needs to add more strength, but he already has tremendous size for a two guard at 6-foot-5 and he's got an explosive first step and is more than capable of finishing above the rim in traffic.

More scorer than pure jump shooter, Langford excels with the pull-up jumper, has a well-developed post game and seems to have a knock for hitting big shots in pressure situations. Defensively, Langford has the lateral quickness and instincts to develop into a well-above-average college defender.

He can create off the dribble and does a great job moving off the ball. Langford appears to be about as complete a shooting guard prospect as a high school player can be.

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THE CASE FOR INDIANA

Langford has just finished one of the most historic high school careers that the state of Indiana has ever seen. He spent much of the last season playing to sold out crowds of Hoosier fans.

Fans wanting a player and letting it known is one thing. Head coach Archie Miller and their staff selling it in their first year is another. Especially when they didn't have as long to recruit Langford as their competition.

With Robert Johnson graduating, there are big minutes available for an impact scorer and Miller allows his guards plenty of freedom. Of the programs left, Indiana can legitimately sell that Langford is most needed in his home state. He would also be the centerpiece of a very good recruiting class in Miller's first year on the job.

That it is home can never be understated. Langford has denied throughout the last year that he feels any pressure to stay home but the chance to be a legend in his home state for the rest of his life has to hold some appeal.

THE CASE FOR KANSAS

Bill Self and Kansas are coming off of a Final Four run in the 2017-18 season and the addition of Langford would be another weapon for a program that looks ready to compete for another Big 12 title. Kansas will also likely be among the preseason favorites for the 2019 Final Four.

Langford would like to be a one-and-done player and no coach recruiting Langford has the experience that Self does when it comes to coaching one-and-done players.

Malik Newman and LaGerald Vick are gone, so there are minutes to be had on the wing and Kansas has run a pretty perimeter friendly offense the past few years. Heading to Lawrence would also afford Langford the opportunity to play with one of his closest friends, incoming five-star guard Quentin Grimes in a loaded recruiting class.

THE CASE FOR VANDERBILT

Many times, Langford has mentioned that a big part of Vanderbilt's appeal is Bryce Drew's experience in the NBA.

Drew and his staff have played that angle up and they have done a good job of building a relationship with Langford. They also have a huge need for Langford. Riley LaChance is gone and there simply isn't anybody else the caliber of Langford on the Commodores roster.

If he chooses Vanderbilt, Langford can be part of a recruiting class that could be remembered for turning things around in Nashville.

THE IMPACT

The highest ranked player in Indiana's 22nd ranked 2018 recruiting class is No. 49 Jerome Hunter and he's one of four four-star prospects headed to Bloomington. By adding Langford, the Hoosiers would climb to No. 7 in the 2018 team rankings.

The highest ranked player committed to Kansas is Quentin Grimes and the top 10 prospect is one of three McDonald's All-Americans in the Jayhawks class. Their class currently ranks No. 6 and would move up to No. 2 overall by adding Langford.

Led by hometown hero Darius Garland, the Vanderbilt class has a pair of five-star prospects and the addition of Langford would move them all the way up to No. 3 overall from their current position of No. 10.

THE PREDICTION

Langford and his family have not leaked any information and the star scorer's peers have been mixed on what he will do.

In the last few weeks leading up to his decision, most talk has been that Langford appears to be leaning in the direction of staying home. If he doesn't announce for Indiana, then it could be an interesting scene at New Albany (Ind.) High on Monday night.

Our prediction is that won't be an issue and that Langford picks the Hoosiers.

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