Ranking changes and commit status

This is based on my observation of football recruiting. Two seemingly contradictory things can happen. A verbal commitment to a powerhouse programs or serious recruitment by Tier 1 schools can boost a recruit's ranking. Secondly uncommitted recruits late in the commitment cycle can also get boosted in their rankings (to increase click baits) and early commits can slide lower (again they engender few clicks late in the cycle).

It seems that the rankings react to how the services perceive top schools look at the player. If the 32nd ranked running back is getting a lot of love from Alabama, these services figure it's their ranking that's wrong and Saban hasn't lost his mind.

To be honest UCONN's WBB is in the position that they can turn down relatively highly ranked players. Serious interest by them may cause them to raise that player or, at a minimum, reexamine their ranking. I believe other top schools have the same effect, but to a lesser degree.