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Scout Report
A 6-foot-7 wing who can put the ball on the deck, pull up from twenty-five feet, and still get back in transition to contest a shot — that's the kind of player who gets 22 schools calling before he's even played a varsity game as an upperclassman. Cole Cloer isn't a finished product, but the tools are the kind that keep college coaches up at night drawing up sets.
Background
Cloer grew up in Bradenton, Florida, which made the move to IMG Academy less a relocation and more a natural next step — he's essentially training in his own backyard while playing against some of the best competition in the country. IMG's setup means he's practicing daily alongside a loaded 2028 frontcourt in Bamba Touray and Dylan Betts, and running with five-star point guard Darius Acuff Jr., an Arkansas commit, before Acuff ever suits up in Fayetteville. That kind of daily rep against high-level bigs and a true table-setter has sped up his reads as a wing. He's still just a 2027 prospect, but the environment he's in has him developing faster than most kids his age typically would.
Playing Style
Cloer plays like a wing who knows he's supposed to be a matchup problem, not just a complementary piece. He's comfortable putting the ball on the floor in space, using his height to see over defenders and find the next pass, and he's shown he can operate as a secondary ball-handler in ball-screen actions when Acuff needs a breather. His jumper has range that extends beyond the college line already, and he's shown he can shoot it off movement, not just spot-up. Defensively, he uses his length to bother passing lanes and contests shots he has no business getting to because of quick recovery closeouts. The tempo he plays at is controlled — he doesn't play like a kid trying to prove he belongs, he plays like someone who already knows he does. Where he separates himself from other long wings is his willingness to attack downhill rather than settle, even though the jumper is his easiest bucket.
Strengths
The shooting touch from deep range is the separator — for a wing his size to already have that kind of stroke off movement is rare at this age. His feel for the game shows up in transition, where he reads the floor a beat ahead of most defenders and either fills the lane or trails for a three. He's also shown flashes as a connective passer, someone who can catch on the move and immediately make the right read instead of hesitating. Defensively, the length and closeout speed give him legit versatility to guard multiple positions already.
Areas to Watch
Adding strength will be the biggest swing factor — he needs to be able to absorb contact on drives and hold his ground defensively against bigger wings and forwards at the next level. His shot creation off the bounce is promising but still needs polish, particularly tightening his handle in traffic so he can consistently get to his spots against set defenses. Continued reps running actual point-guard duties, even in limited stretches, would only add to his stock given how much he already reads the floor like a facilitator.
Player Comparison
His combination of size, shooting range, and secondary ball-handling brings to mind a young Michael Porter Jr. in terms of shot profile — a wing who can shoot off movement or in isolation without needing a ton of dribbles to get there. The comparison isn't about explosiveness or defense yet, but the shot-making versatility at that height is the connective tissue.
Recruitment
Twenty-two D1 offers is a heavy list for a 2027 prospect, and the names attached — NC State, Florida, UConn, Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky — tell the story of a kid who's already being recruited like a top-50 senior instead of an underclassman. Florida and other in-state programs will have a natural pull given his Bradenton roots, but with this many blue-blood programs already involved, expect the list to keep growing before he ever gets to make an official visit. No commitment timeline has been set, and given the current pace of his recruitment, it wouldn't be surprising if this stretches into his junior or senior year as more programs enter the picture. IMG's platform alone guarantees his recruitment stays a national story regardless of where he ultimately lands.
Projection
At his size with his shooting touch, Cloer projects as a high-major wing who can play either forward spot depending on personnel, giving a college staff real flexibility in how they build around him. If the strength and shot creation continue to develop the way IMG's program is built to accelerate, he has the physical profile of a player who could hear his name called in the draft down the line — not as a lottery lock, but as the kind of size-shooting combination that NBA teams covet in the modern game. The floor outcome is a multi-year high-major starter who stretches the floor and defends multiple positions; the ceiling has him playing professionally.
Updated Sep 30, 2026 · Analysis by PrepRadar Scouting Team
Career Journey
IMG Academy
PREP SCHOOL
Career Highlights
NC State 4⭐️ SF signee Cole Cloer is set to enroll early with the Wolfpack for the spring semester as he recovers from an injury
SIGNED! Welcome to the Pack, Cole Cloer
Top-25 Cole Cloer commits to NC State
Offers
22
NC State
Florida
UConn
Alabama
ArkansasOffers sourced from 247Sports and social media monitoring.
Social Activity
2026 Top-30 overall recruit Cole Cloer is taking an official visit to Florida this weekend, he tells @Rivals. https://t.co/PSnzJsHhEf https://t.co/BVk24Nn1F8
Cole Cloer of IMG Academy, a Top-30 prospect in the Class of 2026 — is taking an official visit to Florida this weekend per @TiptonEdits! 🐊 https://t.co/CvpUgaMnRC