With the 2026 NBA Draft in the rearview mirror, prognosticators have already begun taking way-too-early looks at the 2027 draft class.
By doing so, one potential concern for Jon Scheyer and Duke has been brought back to the forefront.
After back-to-back seasons of being led by the best players in college basketball, both of whom were top-three picks in their respective draft classes, will Duke's lack of high-end draft talent for the 2027 cycle be its ultimate downfall?
Duke signed the No. 1 high school recruiting class in college basketball again, but none of them project to have a Cooper Flagg or Cameron Boozer-sized impact. At least not next season.
Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje is widely seen as the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2028 NBA Draft, the first year he's eligible, but he'll play all of next season as just a 17-year-old freshman. How quickly he can transition to the college game will be an important question, and it's not fair to expect that he can do what Flagg and Boozer did as freshmen.
In Jeremy Woo's 2027 draft forecast for ESPN, Duke has three projected first-rounders, but the highest projected selection is at No. 10.
Freshman Cameron Williams is Duke's top 2027 draft prospect, according to ESPN
Woo projects Williams as the only incoming Duke freshman in his first 2027 mock. He does not have Deron Rippey Jr. or Bryson Howard, presumably believing that both need a second season of college ball before entering the draft. That could be foolish thinking, however, especially in a draft class that appears to lack serious star power.
Woo has Williams at No. 10 in his debut mock to the Houston Rockets. He questions how big a role Williams will play, however, with Boumtje Boumtje nipping at his heels for the starting spot at the four for Scheyer. Regardless, the consensus on Williams is that he's incredibly skilled, but significantly more raw than Flagg or Boozer were, which makes it unlikely he can carry anywhere near the workload.
Woo projects two additional first-rounders for the Blue Devils in returning starters Dame Sarr (No. 18) and Patrick Ngongba II (No. 28). Both will play significant roles for Duke next season. Sarr has the potential to develop into one of the better two-way wings in the country if his three-point shooting can come around, and Ngongba was one of the most impactful centers in college basketball this past season. That won't change as long as he stays healthy.
The only other projected draft pick for Duke by Woo is expected to be the Blue Devils' best player next season. Wisconsin transfer John Blackwell is projected to be the final pick of the draft. He's a safe bet to be Duke's leading scorer, and he will undoubtedly make a massive impact and potentially even compete for ACC Player of the Year, but his NBA prospects remain grim due to his lack of size and negative wingspan.
Blackwell is the reason, however, that Duke fans won't panic. He might not project to be a difference-maker at the NBA level, but Blackwell is one of the best guards in college basketball. There's no doubt about that.
And while Duke may not have the same high-end NBA talent it had in the previous two seasons, it undoubtedly has more depth throughout the roster than either of those teams had. That will make a huge difference.
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