Cincinnati’s basketball recruiting board picked up another major name this week, with Rivals’ Joe Tipton reporting that four-star 2027 Brentwood (Tennessee) power forward Davis Cochran has included the Bearcats in his top eight schools.
Cochran, a Tennessee native, has narrowed things to Cincinnati, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Kansas State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Clemson. He already saw UC earlier this summer on a June visit.
At 6-foot-9 and 220 pounds, Cochran brings the kind of frame that stands out immediately. He’s ranked 154th nationally by 247Sports and checks in 24th among power forwards.
He also owns 24 offers, with schools such as Kansas State, Notre Dame, and Boston College among the programs in the mix. His only other official visit so far came last November to High Point, and he is listed as the third-best player in Tennessee.
On the EYBL circuit, Cochran is running with Bradley Beal Elite this summer. Through U-17 play, he’s averaging 11.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. After a solid weekend in Kansas City, he posted that the team went 2-2 and that he finished at 11 points and 8 boards for the weekend, while noting his total EYBL numbers of 11.4 points and 8.7 rebounds.
Cincinnati already has Kam Mercer committed in the class and is also pressing for another local four-star target in Lakota West’s Joshua Tyson.
The Bearcats also picked up a new football offer in the 2028 class, extending one to St. Charles East (Illinois) offensive tackle Liam Barrett.
Barrett is 6-foot-7 and 250 pounds, and Iowa State is the only other school that has offered him so far. The Cyclones came in on March 27 of this year.
Barrett is starting to draw more attention as his profile rises in the 2028 cycle. If he ends up at Cincinnati, he won’t be protecting JC French IV, but the Bearcats will have plenty of key pieces in front of their new quarterback this fall.
Scott Satterfield spoke about French IV on ESPN 1530 this offseason and praised the quarterback’s experience, poise, accuracy, and leadership. “Well, I love his experience,” UC head coach Scott Satterfield said about French IV on ESPN 1530 this offseason.
“Just a guy who's the all-time leading passer in Georgia Southern history, where he just came from, so he's played a lot of ball, he plays with great poise. He may throw a great ball; he likes the ball to come off his hand like it's supposed to look, a great spiral.
He's very accurate and throws a great deep ball down the sideline, which is awesome when you wanna try and take shots.
“And there's a lot I like about him. I think he can run; he's not a blazer, but he can move the sticks.
But I love more than anything. He just, just his presence that's out there, and the guys have really gravitated toward him.
They like being around him. I think he's a confident guy, but very humble, and I think they like that.
And he's proven to be a great leader for us.”
Barrett marked the Cincinnati offer on social media by writing, “BLESSED to receive my 6th D1 offer the University of Cincinnati!!!”
In Other News...
Bearcats Just Took A Recruiting Hit They Could Really Feel
Cincinnatis 2027 recruiting class took a small but noticeable hit when wide receiver Chad Willis moved on, leaving the Bearcats to regroup around a group that still sits at 17 commitments. Willis had been the only receiver in the class, so his exit leaves a clear hole in a cycle that had been building momentum under Luke Fickell, even as the staff has continued to emphasize offseason progress and player development.
For a program trying to stack classes and keep its long-term roster balanced, losing a position-group headliner can matter as much as the raw numbers. The Bearcats can still point to the broader shape of the class and the work already done behind the scenes, but the receiver spot is now one area that will need attention as Cincinnati keeps moving through the recruiting cycle. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats May Have Found The Guard This Offense Desperately Needed
Cincinnatis backcourt could soon get a much-needed infusion of skill and flexibility with the expected arrival of Trevian Carson, a guard who comes off a productive run at North Dakota State and previously spent time at South Dakota State. He brings the kind of efficient scoring profile the Bearcats have been searching for, shooting 48% from the field last season while also showing he can finish around the rim and contribute in a winning environment.
Jerrod Calhoun made it clear during his introduction that Carson fits the type of player he wants in the program, pointing to his versatility and experience on an NCAA Tournament team. The bigger question now is how quickly that production translates in Cincinnatis system and how much runway Carson gets to prove he can do it against a higher level of competition. [Read more 🡒]
Bearcats Defensive Overhaul Could Put Familiar Roles Under Real Pressure
A defensive makeover is already reshaping the Bearcats depth chart, and the biggest ripple may come at the spots that have long done the dirty work in Cincinnatis secondary. Under the new 3-4 look, the old middle safety role from the 3-3-5 is moving to the second level and taking on the CAT label beginning in 2026, with Adam Braithwaite steering the transition after years of coaching safeties and nickelbacks.
Braithwaite has been laying out how the CAT and DOG jobs will function in the new scheme, and that matters because several familiar names are being asked to fit different pieces than they did a season ago. Antwan Peek Jr., Marquavious Saboor and Jaidon Windom are among the players being positioned with that shift in mind, which means the coming months will be less about simply learning a new playbook and more about finding out who can handle a more demanding set of responsibilities. [Read more 🡒]