Playing with a crafty point guard in Jamaal McKnight Jr., Woodard oftentimes finds himself on the receiving end of lobs given McKnight’s ability to drive into the teeth of the defense and force help. Given the elite athleticism that Woodard possesses, it results in poster finishes that not many prospects at the high school level can pull off. Woodard can do it with regularity and ease, if we’re being honest.

He can soar in for chase down blocks on the break and can quickly erase shots around the bucket as the weak side defender.

He finished with per games averages of 7.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks.

The plays that Woodard can make above the rim are the type you only see at the P5 levels and above. The 6-foot-8 forward threw down over a handful of dunks in the fashion of put-backs, lobs or doing the job himself in transition, each of which ended in thunderous fashion. He was the most athletic prospect in the gym on Saturday and made it known at both ends. Every now and again, he can knock down a triple when he has time to set his feet, but his ability to get to the rim in straight-line fashion from the three-point line is typically how he attacks. He served as a weak side shot eraser, pulled down some boards at their peak above the rim and flashed the high-major ability that he typically does. He’ll be the highlight reel for this Durant 17s group.

-Our scouts loved the strides that Woodard made at the defensive end of the floor down the home stretch of the high school season and extending into the MDPSSBT as an impact W/F tweener. A dynamic athlete that has also improved his ball skills over the course of the season, Woodard has proven capable of buying into his role to get easy buckets at the rim by playing through contact, hitting the glass, and earning trips to the free throw line to round out his impact. If the motor can consistently run hot at both ends of the floor to take full advantage of his athletic gifts, he should step into a big role with Durant this offseason and an even bigger role on a Mustangs group that graduates several key long-term contributors. 

With McNamara’s pair of high-major seniors sitting out with injuries, Woodard seized the opportunity to step up into a more prominent offensive role. The hyper-athletic forward delivered to the tune of 16 points and 12 rebounds in a last-second loss to Springdale Prep. He was a force using his size, quickness, and pogo-stick leaping ability to put pressure on the rim in both the halfcourt and transition. Woodard made a consistent impact defensively, flying around on the back line for explosive blocks and moving his feet comfortably on the perimeter with smaller players. He has to continue keeping his motor up and playing to his strengths but the ceiling for Woodard is undeniable when he’s streamlined like he was on Tuesday.

13p 5r 1a 2s 1b 6/7 FG in 21 min

-The explosive wing prospect ended up sitting for most of the 1H with foul trouble but made his re-entrance into the game known with several aerial attacks at the rim. Woodard started the 2H off by poking out a steal from behind along the baseline before detonating at the rim on the other end, threw down two 1-handed dunks off the short roll on the side PnR, and hit his matchup with a double crossover at the top of the key before taking one power dribble and 2-hand posterizing his defender at the basket. The athletic junior wing is starting to see opportunities to use his lateral mobility to become more disruptive defensively and is starting to take the right shots within his team’s offensive scheme on a group that is loaded with offensive talent. Encouraging signs in Springfield this weekend.

There’s no questioning the ceiling that Woodard has as an elite athletic forward at 6-foot-8 who can put his chin on the rim or make plays at either end that you rarely see at the high school level. He’s done the same in spurts this season for McNamara that have made their waves through different social media vessels. The biggest factor with Woodard is continuing to progress towards stages of improvement with overall feel and IQ. Little things such as playing to his strengths, providing value as a guy playing out of short rolls or simply time/score shot selection could easily move his name up the ranks with the intangibles that not many other prospects in the country can bring to the table.

-Arguably the most talented player in the class, Woodard is a skilled wing that can dribble, pass, and shoot while also detonating above the rim with explosive leaping ability. Woodard can play both on or off the ball and is making way more decisive reads now that the game has slowed down for him. If he can be a leader for McNamara at the defensive end of the floor while producing consistently at the opposite end– the Mustangs have a chance to take home a WCAC Championship.

Prep Hoops National Ranking: 27

Next Highest National Ranking: 32 (ESPN)

The natural talent of Woodard is unreal as athletically he checks every box you’d look for in a high-flying forward. Woodard’s ability to handle the ball and create dunks for himself in the half-court is incredibly rare and speaks volumes to the type of talent he is on the court. When Woodard is making shots from the outside he seems almost impossible to stop. If Woodard can put these skills together consistently, he has the potential to be one of the top players in the country. Woodard also jumped into number 1 on the Prep Hoops Maryland rankings when Team Durant teammate Babatunde Oladotun reclassified to the 2026 class.

One of the top athletes I saw all day, Woodard came out aggressive with a couple alley-oop slam dunks as well as a wing 3-pointer. With all the physical tools you could look for, Woodard has the ability to dominate any game he steps on the floor. After a strong start Woodard was called for a technical foul after a foul, which saw him sit for the majority of the second half. If Woodard can remain in the right headspace, he has the potential to wind up even higher than the top 50 national ranking currently has him listed at.

Previous Ranking: 2

-Woodard’s stock at a national level continues to rise as the McNamara/Durant wing has made improvements to his handle and shooting ability. Opponents have to respect the jumper but Woodard is consistently making the right read to either attack closeouts or let it fly from the perimeter. His motor is becoming more consistent at both ends of the floor and he projects as a 3+D wing with some upside as a playmaker and slasher that can make things happen with the ball in his hands thanks to some impressive vertical pop and lateral movement skills.