Duke Basketball Now Trailing Two Programs for Coveted Recruit?

Duke basketball might need to build more momentum in the Dylan Harper race.

The lone 247Sports Crystal Ball prediction for Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) combo guard Dylan Harper still paints the Duke basketball staff as the frontrunner. And the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine gives the Blue Devils a slim lead over Rutgers and Indiana.

But Rivals' Rob Cassidy recently ranked the five finalists, which Harper named in late January, and sees things differently. He now has Duke running behind No. 1 Rutgers and No. 2 Indiana, albeit slightly, yet comfortably ahead of the two perceived longshots in No. 4 Kansas and No. 5 Auburn.

As Cassidy explained in his ranking, there are signs of Rutgers having the advantage with a decision from Harper, No. 2 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, potentially only a month or so away:

"Rutgers head coach Steve Pikiell] developed Harper's older brother, Ron Harper Jr., into a certified star at the school, and the fact that fellow 2024 guard Dellquan Warren recently backed off his pledge to Rutgers to seek a new home may, in fact, suggest that he thinks Harper will land in Piscataway for college...Scarlet Knight fans should feel cautiously optimistic."

Meanwhile, Cassidy noted that Indiana's push for Dylan Harper, a crafty lefty playmaker who is the son of former five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, has strengthened his relationships with former long-time NBA coach Mike Woodson and his Hoosiers staff.

All that said, Cassidy reiterated that nobody should count out the sensation's Duke basketball suitors. He pointed out that the 6-foot-5, 180-pound five-star and potential one-and-done lottery pick will keep a close eye on how high Jon Scheyer's first one-and-done talents, Dariq Whitehead and Dereck Lively, go in the NBA Draft on June 22.

5-Star Dylan Harper had triple-double with zero turnovers! 13Pts/10Reb/10Ast 😤 pic.twitter.com/FPvLOxmg6Q

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 28, 2023

Duke's 2024 recruiting class currently consists of two top-60 commits: North Meck (N.C.) five-star small forward Isaiah Evans and Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star small forward Darren Harris.

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Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country for more Duke basketball recruiting updates.