Butler landed an all in-state 2021 recruiting class last year with Pierce Thomas, Jayden Taylor, and DJ Hughes are choosing to stay home. Will the staff continue to prioritize staying within the borders following the extended dead period? Possibly, though most of their efforts in the 2022 class have been focused outside of the state. That is until the Dawgs issued an offer to Cathedral point guard Tayshawn Comer on June 9th. A standout at Butler’s elite camp over this past weekend, he received his offer while on an unofficial visit just a few days later.
Comer’s previous offers were from Belmont, Toledo, Ball State, IPFW, IUPUI, and Miami (OH). This makes in-state Butler the first high-major to extend an offer. Considering the Dawgs’ stinginess when it comes to handing out offers in the first place, this is a major testament to how much Comer’s game has developed over the past year. LaVall Jordan might be the first high-major head coach to offer him, but I will be highly surprised if he is the last. Comer is an all-around lead guard fresh off a strong spring and could boom in the next few months.
Comer stands at 6-foot-1 and can be asked to fill a variety of roles. He can score at all three levels, showcases strong vision, and puts pressure on opposing teams with his on-ball defense. Comer was about as consistent as they come in spring AAU ball while playing for Indy Heat’s U17 team. Here are some of his highlights from early May:
Tayshawn Comer Highlights (from In The Gym Hoops)
Going back to his junior high school season, he averaged over a steal per game and posted a 1.88 assist-to-turnover ratio. While perhaps not the most flashy guard, Comer is a hard-nosed competitor with a well-built frame.
He has always been a strong finisher inside and is unafraid of playing through contact. Most importantly, though, he has seriously improved as a 3-point shooter. Comer shot just 13.3% from deep as a freshman at Cathedral but that number jumped to 35.4% as a sophomore and 40.6% as a junior. He is also a career 78.4% free throw shooter (361 recorded attempts), so the shooting improvement is to be trusted. His form is solid and he showed at Butler’s elite camp that he can connect both in catch-and-shoot and off-the-dribble situations.
Comer is currently ranked as the No. 174 overall prospect in the class by 247Sports, and holds down PrepHoops’ No. 12 spot in the state. He is a steady lead guard that consistently performs at a high level. His impact is not dependent on if the shot is falling, either, as he can make a positive impact with his creating and defense.
As far as fit goes, Myles Tate looks poised to be Butler’s starting point guard during what would be Comer’s first two years on campus. There is no true depth behind him, though, and Comer would slide in nicely as a reserve before moving into a starting role down the line. That is a long way down the road, though, and Comer’s recruitment might be just heating up.
With this offer, Comer is Butler’s ninth open offer in the 2022 class, and the first to an in-state prospect. The other open offers are to Brendan Hausen (TX), Cade Hornecker (TX), Cord Stansberry (CA), Tyler Nickel (VA), Javaughn Hannah (MI) Nick Smith Jr. (AR), Rowan Brumbaugh (MA), and Justin Taylor (VA).