Spring Rankings Update: 2027 Forwards

For the final position breakdown on the 2027 class, we take a look at the guys who place a solid floor underneath their teams and, in some cases, raise the ceilings: the forwards. Here are six who had really good seasons:    By February, no player was as dangerous in the fourth quarter as Savior was. His capacity to create and make shots from distance, as well as from the charity stripe made him difficult to guard late in games. But for all of his offensive flashes, he's also an underrated defender and rebounder. Savior generated some havoc in space and cleaned up things on the backend by altering attempts in the paint and grabbing boards. How well he puts it all together this Summer will be fun to watch.     A defensive stalwart going back to his sophomore season, Reid continued to put a lid on the rim as a junior. The difference was that his defensive impact extended beyond the paint. Using those huge mits, Reid started gloving passes at the top of the press and when defending out on the perimeter. The leap he took on offense can't be understated either. His rim-finishing improved significantly, becoming automatic from the dunker spot and on putbacks.     Reed was a swiss army knife on both ends of the floor, but especially on defense. He was stout and physical when he matchup against true big men in the post and nimble when he needed to slide his feet versus guards. So he racked up a high volume of steals and blocks. Offensively, he shot the ball decently, spotting up, however he was more impactful from two. His agility and strength off-the-catch enabled him to attack the basket and earn free throw attempts, which he knocked down consistently.     Nuerell was a bruiser around the basket for the Raiders; but, more than that, he was a well-rounded hooper. Opposing players struggled to score through his chest because of his strength. Relatedly, any miss off the glass was inevitably his as he protected the rim on defense and created second-chance opportunities on offense. With the ball on the low block, Nuerell made quick work of smaller defenders and, at the high post, he hit mid-range jumpers with ease. The latter spot was also where he occasionally diced up defenses as a playmaker.     With little to no excess in his game, Watson embraced his rough and rugged role for the Ducks. When guards threw him the ball in the post, he threw down tough finishes, never shying away from contact and often drawing the foul call. Watson punished teams who didn't box him out by grabbing boards and extending possessions. When the other team had the ball, Watson was an enforcer in the paint. And while he typically anchored the middle of the Ducks defense, he displayed glimpses of scheme versatility with how he blitzed and hedged ball-screens.     In the midst of the program's most historic season yet, Boardley made his mark as a toolsy and versatile forward. He showed some agility off-the-catch, especially while rolling or when attacking open space inside the arc. His ability to put the ball on the floor a couple times and maneuver past defenders to the hoop was promising. The defensive upside Boardley showed was even more intriguing. With his wingspan, he didn't always have to get a hand on the ball. Being active and showing was usually enough to affect passes and shots.

For the final position breakdown on the 2027 class, we take a look at the guys who place a solid floor underneath their teams and, in some cases, raise the ceilings: the forwards. Here are six who had really good seasons: