This is the type of player RU really wanted....he's talented enough to play early and contribute and fits the profile of putting in the work on both ends of the court.
I would never say one recruit outweighs another on the scale of what you did or didn't get, but Baker can arguably be as dynamic a two way guard as the guard we landed and ultimately decommitted in Kwe Parker, who eventually signed with Tennessee.....similar style games in HS, explosive scoring potential, Parker just carried an enormous start and athleticism to his HS career prior to his injury and may get back to that level.
If you land an Alvarado, with the deeper number of schools now pursuing him and line up these guards for 2017, if you somehow retained or kept Sanders through his sophomore season and into his junior year, you have at least the backcourt intact, with the upperclassmen of Sanders, Johnson and Mike Williams in place....if you land Alvarado and Sanders has an outstanding season this year and decides to depart for whatever reason, you still have 4 talented guards to work with, two seniors and potentially two freshman (Alvarado and Baker).
Now you can pour all the energy into keeping Baker intact and towards landing Alvarado, RU is then set up to manage a decent move to an above .500 status, which hasn't happened in almost a decade. If Alvarado decides to land elsewhere, you are still in great shape to start with Baker regardless.....Great job by Karl Hobbs and Brandin Knight, already paying dividends on the recruiting trail.
I would never say one recruit outweighs another on the scale of what you did or didn't get, but Baker can arguably be as dynamic a two way guard as the guard we landed and ultimately decommitted in Kwe Parker, who eventually signed with Tennessee.....similar style games in HS, explosive scoring potential, Parker just carried an enormous start and athleticism to his HS career prior to his injury and may get back to that level.
If you land an Alvarado, with the deeper number of schools now pursuing him and line up these guards for 2017, if you somehow retained or kept Sanders through his sophomore season and into his junior year, you have at least the backcourt intact, with the upperclassmen of Sanders, Johnson and Mike Williams in place....if you land Alvarado and Sanders has an outstanding season this year and decides to depart for whatever reason, you still have 4 talented guards to work with, two seniors and potentially two freshman (Alvarado and Baker).
Now you can pour all the energy into keeping Baker intact and towards landing Alvarado, RU is then set up to manage a decent move to an above .500 status, which hasn't happened in almost a decade. If Alvarado decides to land elsewhere, you are still in great shape to start with Baker regardless.....Great job by Karl Hobbs and Brandin Knight, already paying dividends on the recruiting trail.