2027 NBA Draft: 3 Underrated Sophomores Heading into 2026-27 Season

The NCAA features a handful of second-year players who could be 2027 NBA Draft prospects.

Mar 19, 2026; Portland, OR, USA; Gonzaga Bulldogs guard Davis Fogle (4) dunks against Kennesaw State Owls guard Kaden Rickard (4) during the second half of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Moda Center. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The 2027 NBA Draft will likely feature a handful of rising sophomores who elected to return to school rather than test the 2026 draft.

Players like Braylon Mullins, Amari Allen, Malachi Moreno and others have the potential to earn spots near the top of the 2027 class with strong second seasons in the NCAA.

Alongside the aforementioned players, there are a few other rising sophomores who could play their way into the draft conversation.

Jalen Haralson, Tennessee

Haralson averaged 16.2 points, 4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 51.5% from the field as a freshman at Notre Dame, earning All-ACC honorable mention honors.

Following his debut season, the former five-star recruit transferred to Tennessee, where he will join 2027 NBA Draft prospect Juke Harris, who joined the Volunteers after two years at Wake Forest.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, Haralson's has solid physical tools that could be enticing to NBA teams. Currently, the biggest concern about the rising sophomore's game is a lack of 3-point volume.

Haralson averaged less than one attempt from beyond the arc per game as a freshman, and will need to improve as a perimeter shooter to earn a spot in the 2027 draft.

Coming out of high school, the McDonald's All-American was rated the No. 18 player and No. 4 small forward in the 2025 class by 247Sports.

Davis Fogle, Gonzaga

Fogle didn't record the same output that Haralson notched as a freshman, but played an important role for a strong Bulldogs' squad.

The former four-star recruit averaged 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 51.8% from the field and 35% from deep in 2025-26. An expanded role as a sophomore should open the door for Fogle to have a breakout season, which could garner the WCC All-Freshman honoree attention from NBA teams.

Listed at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds, the rising sophomore wing player showed impressive flashes as an offensive creator in his first NCAA season.

Fogle was rated the No. 31 overall player and No. 9 small forward in the 2025 cycle by 247Sports.

Nigel James Jr., Marquette

In his first season at Marquette, James averaged 16.4 points, 4.9 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game while shooting 47% from the field and 34.7% from 3-point range.

Listed at 6-feet tall and 195-pounds, the former four-star recruit's size could be a concern for NBA teams, which may put James into a similar situation as Vanderbilt's Tyler Tanner.

Tanner had a strong sophomore season in 2025-26 and tested the NBA Draft waters, but elected to return to school as the Commodores' standout likely would have been pushed down the draft board despite an impressive campaign.