Underrated Prospects: 2025 Forwards

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Which 2025 Wisconsin forwards are ranked outside of the top 50 that you should know?</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Caleb Poling -- SF -- Mukwonago</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A prospect with great size and physicality, Poling has boosted his stock significantly this spring. As he improves, I see the small forward developing into a great stretch shooter and rebounder. Poling can pull bigger defenders away from the paint and make threes. Poling also is great around the cup. He has nice touch off the glass and can pass out of the post well. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2039671' first='Carter' last='Koch'] -- PF -- Oconto</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Koch always had immense potential. But now I think that the power forward is really coming into his own. A scorer with elite size, Koch presents a unique mismatch problem for opposing defenders. He scores well from many different spots and puts his physical attributes to good use. Koch has earned college interest recently and I certainly expect more programs to take notice in the near future.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2022565' first='Wesley' last='Mboga'] -- SF -- Eau Claire Memorial</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mboga's game might not be super flashy, and his numbers may not be eye-popping, but those who know basketball know how valuable the small forward is to his team. Mboga scores well, rebounds at a high level, and can defend in many different ways. Mboga's versatility and willingness to change his role on any given night is very valuable.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1331056' first='Jay' last='Johnson'] -- SF -- Stoughton</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Johnson -- who is also a standout football player -- is a tremendous athlete with plenty of upside. On offense, the small forward uses his quick first step and slick ball handling skills to get downhill and convert plays in the paint. Johnson is a play finisher, too. He often creates something out of nothing. Johnson has significant potential as a two way player.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2231465' first='Manning' last='Shareef'] -- SF -- Milwaukee School Of Language</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Shareef has quickly become one of my favorite prospects in Wisconsin's 2025 class. The 6-foot-6 small forward has skill that you often don't see in players with his stature. He is a self-creator and dynamic isolation scorer. On the block, Shareef has great footwork and can finish with force. He also has shown glimpses of potential as slasher and primary ball handler. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->