Jason Rivera-Torres announces Vanderbilt commitment

Vanderbilt landed its fourth player in the 2023 class on Friday morning.

Coach Jerry Stackhouse and his staff secured a commitment from John Marshall wing Jason Rivera-Torres on Friday morning.

Rivera-Torres chose Vanderbilt over a list of four other schools including Texas A&M, Florida Atlantic, San Diego and Fordham. Rivera-Torres only visited Vanderbilt, Florida Atlantic and Fordham, though.

That Vanderbilt visit came on March 4th, the day of Vanderbilt's 77-72 win over Mississippi State.

Rivera-Torres was offered by the Commodores' staff on January 4th and committed just a few months later.

The 6-foot-6 guard averaged 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.6 steals and 3.4 assists per game in 2022-23 while playing for one of the premier high school programs in the country.

The talented guard is also well known for an off-court pursuit, Rivera-Torres stars in the Apple TV show "swagger."

Breaking down Rivera-Torres' game

Rivera-Torres has about as much upside as anyone in Vanderbilt's 2023 class.

The 6-foot-7 swingman projects as someone who could get on the floor early by playing a 3-and-D role with the potential to be more than that as his game and body evolve.

Rivera-Torres may thrive the most is the mid-range, though. The future Vanderbilt swingman may not thrive in isolation yet but has a knack for attacking closeouts and getting to his spots in the midrange off of one or two bounces.

The John Marshall wing has the athleticism and agility to be a capable finisher around the rim at the college level, as well.

Rivera-Torres isn't ball dominant but has the ability to fit into Vanderbilt's offensive plans early on because of his ability to fill a role. There have been flashes of the Virginia native being an alpha scorer and a capable playmaker, though.

For a wing that possesses the size that Rivera-Torres does, his passing ability stands out.

What stands out on the defensive end is Rivera-Torres' versatility.

The high school senior already has the ability to guard multiple positions on the perimeter and is highly thought of as a defender who can be disruptive with his length and athleticism.

Depending on how physically ready he is, if he can knock down shots well enough to stay on the floor and how Vanderbilt's transfer portal class shakes out, the incoming freshman could be in line for some of the minutes on the wing that Myles Stute, Emmanuel Ansong and Jordan Wright left.

Class impact

The 6-foot-7 wing joins Isaiah West, JaQualon Roberts and Carter Lang to form Stackhouse's second-straight large, high-upside class.

Vanderbilt also added Coleson Messer, who will join the Commodores next season as a walk-on.

Rivera-Torres is a natural fit in the class and a player that is unlike the others in Vanderbilt's five-man group.

West is the ballhandler of the group and Lang is the big man. Rivera-Torres is most like Roberts but would see the floor for different reasons. Reasons that are similar to the ones that propelled Myles Stute into being a fixture of Vanderbilt's rotation.

Rivera-Torres will provide value as a floor spacer that can play the four in small-ball lineups as well as the three in bigger groupings. Rivera-Torres isn't as prolific of a shooter as Stute is and isn't as physical but may be a more disruptive defender as well as more of an off the dribble threat.

Vanderbilt's newest addition will enter West End as a nice complementary piece to other members of his class but could end as one of its better scorers and defenders.