Isaiah Jackson highest-ranked Wildcat in new ESPN mock draft

For months, BJ Boston was considered Kentucky’s top draft prospect; according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz, that is no longer the case.

Isaiah Jackson is the top Wildcat in ESPN’s new 2021 mock draft, released this morning. The freshman from Michigan is projected right on the cusp of the lottery at No. 15, up from No. 25 in ESPN’s first 2021 mock draft in November. Boston, who was No. 3 in the preseason mock draft, dropped to No. 26. Terrence Clarke, who has not played since the Louisville game on Dec. 26, dropped from No. 15 to No. 44.

• 15. Isaiah Jackson (San Antonio)
• 26. BJ Boston (Brooklyn)
• 44. Terrence Clarke (New Orleans)

Jackson has been one of the lone bright spots of the season, ranking tenth nationally in blocks with 2.9 per game and second in block percentage at 15.3%. The latter figure is better than Anthony Davis (13.8%), Nerlens Noel (13.2%), and Willie Cauley-Stein (12.3%). Jackson is also ahead of those former Cats in blocks per 40 minutes (5.9), but well behind them in fouls per 40 minutes. Jackson is averaging 5.2 fouls per 40 minutes; by contrast, Davis averaged just 2.4 and Noel 3.2.

Former Kentucky recruit Cade Cunningham is ESPN’s projected No. 1 draft pick, followed by USC center Evan Mobley and Jalen Green from the G-League Ignite. Tennessee’s Keon Johnson is No. 7, Auburn’s Sharife Cooper No. 9, and Arkansas’ Moses Moody No. 12. If you’ve got an ESPN Insider account, you can check it all out at the link below.

[ESPN]