High-Potential Seniors Outside the Top-50

Collin Parker

October 11, 2019 @ 02:21 PM

This offseason played out like a slow day at the office that happens to drag on for almost four months. Today began particularly slow, tedious almost. After settling on writing this piece in lieu of a fantasy football roster-makeover, I mulled over Wisconsin’s senior crop, particularly the guys who, with stats and the eye-test in mind, appeared to be the most apt for a memorable career at the next level (each senior chosen was also ranked outside the top-50). Jordan Majeed - Turner Majeed averaged 18.4 points per game last season, utilizing a smoother-than-butter up-and-under move. His craftiness in the paint was the engine behind a breakout junior year, dazzling crowds happened to be a side effect. Dylan Runkel - Burlington On a much smaller scale, Runkel counters the small-ball movement with the grace of big-boy basketball. Not many share Runkel’s back-to-the-basket prowess, so we should consider the Burlington center as a tailor-made, high-potential player. Zach Mashlan - Freedom Scoring on all three levels is Mashlan’s niche. His three point jumper snaps cleanly off his wrist, almost with a crispness to it. Meanwhile his driving game is a savvy complex of jolts and counter-moves. Dai’Vontrelle Strong - Turner Strong is the perfect last name for a guy that stands as tall as 6’6” and, get this, is exceptionally strong. The senior battled injury last season, but as a sophomore he plugged in 14.2 points a game, a team-high. Behind his monster dunks is a playstyle that screams small-forward potential, as Strong developed into a lengthy prospect with soft touch and a skillful driving game. If he comes back this year improved, then he will burst into the top-50 of our rankings, a trail of division two suitors following closely at his heels. Cole Dakovic - Catholic Memorial Passing ability from the center position is a skill that puts average players into starting rotations. At the college level, Dakovic may not boast the silkiest of jump shots or tightest handle, but his facilitating out of the post, how he coaxes in defenders just to snap a pass right back out to a shooter, puts some unique stock behind his profile. Caleb Williams - Wild Rose Tough shot makers can poke at coaches and scouts, piquing their interest quite easily. Williams proved himself as one of those players, and after averaging nearly 20 points a game last season, his senior encore should be wildly entertaining. Peyton Rodgers-Schmidt - Chippewa Falls As a leaper, Rodgers-Schmidt stands within a tier of gravity-defyers shared by maybe one other person in the state (the “person” is otherwise known as Johnny Davis). He excels attacking the rim, as a rebounder, and essentially all aspects of the game that require size and athleticism. Side Note: The fact that he is a nascent ball-handler and passer means his potential remains through the roof. He could be a force of mixtape-athleticism and dominance at the division two or three level with even an average guard skillset. Jayquon Owens - Hortonville Owens is a well-rounded basketball prospect with a nice base heading into his senior year. He budded as a passer last season, pinging two-handed, over-the-head fastballs through tight gaps. Defensively he shows an obvious style carried over from the gridiron, as the lightning-quick guard can pick pockets and swipe at balls as if he is shooing away tacklers.