SCHEYER STRIKES FIRST! 4-Star Bryson Howard Just Opened the Floodgates—Who’s NEXT for Duke?!
## The Commitment That Started It All
When four-star small forward Bryson Howard announced his commitment to Duke on October 21, 2025, he did more than just add his name to Jon Scheyer’s recruiting ledger—he **pulled the trigger on a floodgate that would soon become a tidal wave** . The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter from Frisco, Texas, wasn’t just Duke’s first 2026 commit; he was the spark that ignited what would become the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class .
At the time, Howard was already turning heads. Ranked as the **No. 12 overall prospect in the country** and the No. 1 player out of Texas, he boasted a 6-foot-11 wingspan and the kind of perimeter shooting that had Scheyer calling him “one of the premier shooters in the country” . But his commitment sent a clear message: Duke was about to go on a run.
## The Floodgates Opened: What Followed Howard
Just nine days after Howard’s pledge, on October 30, 2025, four-star center **Maxime Meyer** joined the fold—a 7-foot-1 rim protector from IMG Academy with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and a 9-foot-5 standing reach that Scheyer called “as high a ceiling as anyone in this class” .
Then came the earthquake. On November 14, 2025, **Cameron Williams**—the 6-foot-11 five-star power forward from Phoenix, ranked **No. 2 overall in the 2026 class**—chose Duke over Arizona and Texas . Scheyer called Williams a player with “a unique set of tools you just don’t find very often,” praising his ability to “guard one through five” with “elite shooting range” .
The class jumped from unranked to **No. 3 nationally** overnight .
But Scheyer wasn’t finished. On December 29, 2025, five-star point guard **Deron Rippey Jr.** —the **No. 1 point guard in America**—committed to Duke over NC State, Tennessee, Texas, and Miami . The explosive floor general from Blair Academy gave Duke a trio of five-star talents: Williams (No. 2), Rippey (No. 16), and Howard (No. 12) .
By February 2026, Duke’s 2026 recruiting class sat firmly at **No. 1 in the nation**, with 247Sports ranking it ahead of Michigan State, Kansas, and Michigan . The Blue Devils became the **only program with at least three five-star commitments** in the cycle .
## Who’s NEXT for Duke?
Even with the nation’s top class already locked in, Scheyer and his staff aren’t done hunting. The question on every Duke fan’s mind: **Who’s next?**
### The Biggest Fish Still on the Board
The name at the top of everyone’s list is **Jordan Smith Jr.** , the five-star combo guard from Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia . Ranked as the **No. 3 overall player in the 2026 class** and the No. 1 combo guard nationally, Smith would be the crown jewel of an already-loaded class .
For months, Duke was considered the heavy favorite to land Smith. He took an official visit to Durham for Countdown to Craziness alongside Cameron Williams and picked up crystal ball predictions to the Blue Devils . But in a plot twist that has recruiting insiders buzzing, John Calipari and Arkansas have emerged as serious threats .
Smith narrowed his finalists to Duke, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Georgetown, and Syracuse, and all signs pointed to a two-horse race between the Blue Devils and Razorbacks . As of February 2026, reports indicated that Smith was trending toward Arkansas, with Calipari’s track record of developing elite guards—and a clearer path to immediate playing time—making the difference .
But in the world of recruiting, nothing is final until the ink dries. If Scheyer can flip the script and land Smith, Duke would add a top-three national talent to a class that already boasts **three five-stars** and a seven-footer .
### What Landing Smith Would Mean
Smith would continue a **Paul VI Catholic-to-Duke pipeline** that has already produced current Blue Devils Pat Ngongba II and Darren Harris, as well as former stars Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels . The 6-foot-2, 200-pound guard averaged 19.2 points per game as a junior and has the kind of scoring punch that could make Duke’s 2026-27 backcourt among the most dangerous in the country .
## The Blueprint: How Scheyer Built This
Scheyer’s approach to the 2026 class has been methodical. Howard was the first domino—a versatile wing with deep Texas roots who committed over North Carolina and Kentucky . Meyer followed as the developmental big with elite rim protection. Williams was the headliner, the five-star forward who chose Duke over Arizona and Texas after a dominant summer on the Adidas 3SSB circuit .
Then came Rippey, the point guard who locked down the backcourt and gave Duke its third five-star .
With four commits already signed—three of them five-stars—Duke’s class is already the envy of college basketball . Adding Smith would make it arguably the most dominant recruiting haul of the modern era.
## The Bottom Line
Bryson Howard opened the floodgates on October 21, 2025. Since then, Scheyer has built a recruiting juggernaut that includes five-star talents at forward, point guard, and wing, plus a seven-foot rim protector with unlimited upside .
Now, all eyes are on Jordan Smith Jr. Will he be the next Blue Devil? Or will Duke’s class, already No. 1 in the nation, have to settle for being merely spectacular instead of historic?
The early signing period has passed, but the recruiting wars never truly end. If Scheyer lands Smith, the floodgates won’t just be open—they’ll be **broken**.
**Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for the latest on Jordan Smith’s decision and all Duke basketball recruiting news.** 🔵😈
