Ranking the Top 10 Power Forwards in Men’s College Basketball for 2026

The countdown to the college basketball season is on, and Sports Illustrated is getting you ready for the new season by ranking the best players at every position heading into 2026–27. From top freshmen to breakout returners and elite transfers, consider this your guide to the best of the best in college hoops this season.

The series continues today with the power forwards. We also ranked point guards, shooting guards and small forwards earlier this week.

1. David Mirkovic, Illinois

In addition to being arguably the sport’s most entertaining personality, Mirkovic is also an incredible talent coming off a monster freshman season. He has a unique skill set offensively, capable of being deployed as a jumbo ballhandler who can create for others, dribble into post-ups and hunt mismatches all over the floor. And buzz out of Champaign is that he has made a massive jump this spring and summer, with Illinois planning to use him as its primary offensive engine at times.

2. Braden Huff, Gonzaga

Before his season-ending injury, Huff was the most efficient offensive player in college basketball. The sky is the limit for what he can achieve in a full season with the Zags in 2026–27. He’s an incredibly difficult cover with soft touch over either shoulder on the block and elite skill level stretching out to the midrange. The only question may be whether Gonzaga’s point guards can get him the ball; the loss of projected starter Mario Saint-Supery in July is significant.

3. Alex Condon, Florida

Condon would play center almost anywhere else, but at Florida he’s a power forward as part of the Gators’ enormous frontcourt that features some of the best players in the country. He made strides last season as a passer, now frequently used as a hub the offense runs through on the perimeter in the half court. He runs the floor incredibly well, which has been a big part of Florida’s dominance in transition. If he has a bounce-back year shooting the ball after a rough go from deep in 2025–26, he should solidify himself as a ’27 first-round pick.

4. Thijs De Ridder, Virginia

De Ridder came to college with high-level pro experience in Spain and made the transition look easy, immediately stepping in as the best player on a 30-win Virginia team. He’s such a well-rounded offensive weapon who can knock down shots on the perimeter, score in isolation from the elbows or catch it on the block and finish with either hand around the rim. He might not quite have All-American upside, but he’s certainly one of the best players in the ACC.

5. JT Toppin, Texas Tech

If Toppin was guaranteed to be fully healthy, he’d have a strong case to not just be No. 1 on this list, but No. 1 in the preseason national player of the year conversation. Expectations have to be tempered though coming off an ACL tear suffered late last season. He’s expected to return at some point (there’s no incentive for him not to given the new age-based eligibility model), but after stars like Bryce Hopkins and Jayden Quaintance’s returns on similar timelines failed it’s hard to be sure we’ll get the best version of Toppin. But if we do, he’s a walking double-double and a guy who gives the Red Raiders a chance in any Big 12 matchup.

6. Aiden Sherrell, Indiana

Sherrell spent much of his time last season at Alabama at center, but is expected to slide over to power forward regularly for Indiana. He’s in better shape than he was in Tuscaloosa, which should allow him to defend on the perimeter more effectively. Pair that with averaging over two blocks per game a year ago, and it’s easy to be bullish on his defensive impact. And offensively, he’s such a weapon, a very good pick-and-pop threat who’s also very good in the short roll.

Alabama forward Aiden Sherrell handles the ball against Mississippi. — Aiden Sherrell spent much of last season at Alabama playing center, but Indiana is expected to use him at power forward. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

7. David Punch, Texas

Punch was one of the best transfer pickups in the sport this offseason, moving over from TCU to Texas as part of an incredible offseason for the Longhorns. He’s an incredible defender who should cover some deficiencies from the rest of the Longhorns’ roster on that end, and his offensive skill level has continued to improve. Texas may not need him to score as much as TCU did, but don’t let that allow you to question his overall impact. If Texas competes for a Final Four berth as many project, he’ll be a huge reason why.

8. Xavier Edmonds, TCU

Edmonds was one of the under-the-radar stars of last season, posting big numbers next to Punch in the Horned Frogs’ frontcourt. Punch departs, clearing the way for even more offense to run through the 6'8" force. He’s a beast on the boards and is a lot more skilled offensively than many gave him credit for coming out of junior college. He should play mostly as a PF this year next to a rim protector in Luke Bamgboye after spending lots of time as an undersized center last season.

9. Joaquim Boumtje-Boumtje, Duke

No matter how hard one tries to temper expectations surrounding the 17-year-old phenom, it’s becoming difficult to ignore Boumtje-Boumtje’s incredible spring and summer. He’s clearly on a rapid developmental curve, and has the skill set to make an immediate impact at Duke in spite of being the youngest player in college basketball. He could also get some time at center behind Patrick Ngongba II thanks to his incredible size.

10. Paulius Murauskas, Arizona State

Murauskas could have transferred anywhere in the country after Randy Bennett left Saint Mary’s for Arizona State, but instead the former Gaels star is off to Tempe to be the star of Bennett’s first Sun Devil squad. He’s such a complete player, a legitimate three-level scorer whose shooting ability has improved every season. If ASU makes a serious NCAA tournament push, he’ll be the biggest reason why.

10 more to watch

Joseph Tugler, Houston
Keanu Dawes, Kansas
Caleb Gaskins, Miami
Amani Hansberry, Virginia Tech
J.P. Estrella, Michigan
Jaylen Crocker-Johnson, Minnesota
Amare Bynum, Ohio State
Cameron Williams, Duke
Royce Parham, Marquette
KJ Evans, Villanova

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