NCAA March Madness Prospects to Watch

by Tony Donohue

The Madness is here. The NCAA tournament will tip off on Thursday and while your bracket probably won't last through Sunday, there is plenty of talent in this year's field of 68 that will move on to NBA careers. Let's look at some potential players who could make deep runs in the NCAA tourney and boost their draft stock like the likes of Gordon Hayward, Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brunson did:

Colorado could be a sleeper team in this year's tournament. They will first have to survive the play-in game in Dayton, but the Buffaloes should have the three best players on the floor in almost any game they play from here on out. The projected first overall pick in the NBA draft is Cody Williams. Williams missed time late in the season but returned for the Pac 12 tournament in a limited role. KJ Simpson is however the player to watch. The Buffaloes rely on his scoring heavily at 19 points per game. He's projected to be an early second round pick but if Colorado can make it to the Sweet 16, Simpson's draft stock could push him into the first round.

Many experts have the Baylor Bears making it back to the Final Four for the second time in four years. If the Bears make it to Glendale, it will be behind Ja'Kobe Walter, the team’s top scorer at 15 points and 7 rebounds per game. The 6’5” freshman has raw talent and will need to put on some weight before turning pro, but his playmaking ability could lead Baylor back to the Final Four. He's currently projected to be a top 15 pick but with a good showing in the tournament, look for Walter to move inside the Top 10.

If the Creighton Blue Jays want to make their school's first ever Final Four, they will have to do it on the shoulders of Trey Alexander. Alexander is a high-flying point guard who can shoot the 3. He averages 17 points per game and shoots 33% from downtown. He also leads the team in assists and steals and averages 5 rebounds per game. The basketball will be in Alexander's hands throughout this tournament, and he can explode at any time as he did two weeks ago against St. Johns when he hit four three pointers and scored 31 points. Alexander could be in play to move up into the Top 20 of the NBA Draft.

Athleticism will be on display when the BYU Cougars take to the floor this week as a six seed taking on Duquesne. Jaxson Robinson leads one of the best three-point shooting teams in this tournament. Robinson has NBA athleticism as well as NBA shot making ability. He's shooting 42% from the field and 35% from 3. He is also a great on ball defender with his 6’7” size on full display. BYU could be a sleeper team in this year's tournament, and it will start with the play of Jaxson Robinson.

Also, keep an eye out for DaRon Holmes from the Dayton Flyers. One of the nation’s best scorers is projected to go late in the second round of the NBA Draft. Holmes is averaging 20 points and 8 rebounds per contest and may remind fanst of Trayce Jackson-Davis from IU a year ago. Holmes enters the tournament scoring 20 plus points in his last four games. Dayton, at a seven seed has the potential to win in the first round and knock off second seed Arizona. Expect Holmes to have a great scouting combine and move up. He would fit perfectly on an NBA roster that is ready to win and could add a bench player in the mid second round.