Published Jun 22, 2018
Fernando, Smith projected as 1st round picks in early 2019 mock drafts
Scott Greene  •  TerrapinSportsReport
Publisher

With the 2018 NBA Draft now in the rearview, it is time for draft gurus to begin projecting who will be selected next June.

Despite being extremely young and having lost two players to this year's NBA Draft, various 2019 mock drafts project the Terps could have as many as two players selected in the first round next year.

Several outlets tab returning sophomore center Bruno Fernando as a possible lottery pick, while others believe incoming freshman forward Jalen Smith could be selected somewhere just outside the lottery of next year's draft.

Below is a look at where some of the mock drafts released earlier today expect them to land:

Bleacher Report - Bruno Fernando at No. 9

NBADraft.net - Bruno Fernando at No. 7

SB Nation - Jalen Smith at No. 16, Bruno Fernando at No. 22

On Smith, SB Nation had this to say:

Smith is a late bloomer who now finds himself around the top-10 of the recruiting rankings as he enters Maryland. He’s an athletic 6’10 forward who can finish above the rim and is developing range on his face-up jumper. From an NBA perspective: does he play enough defense to be a center? Can he shoot well enough to be a power forward?

On Fernando, SB Nation had this to say:

Fernando is a physical specimen as a strong and lean 7-footer with a 7’4 wingspan. He’s a gifted athlete who can make plays above the rim as a shot blocker and lob catcher. It’ll be fun to watch him and Jalen Smith work off each other with the Terrapins this season.

Sporting News - Bruno Fernando at No. 26, Jalen Smith at No. 29

On Fernando, Sporting News had this to say:

As an impressive athlete with size and length, Fernando has his fans in NBA circles. During his freshman season, he flashed potential as a finisher around the basket, converting 58.2 percent of his 2s.

There remain questions about his NBA role, however, as he’s not much of a shooter and blocked just 2.2 shots per 40 minutes last season.

On Smith, Sporting News had this to say:

Smith will likely spend his freshman season playing alongside returning frontcourt mate Bruno Fernando. His ability to knock down 3s from the outside will be important as Maryland looks to retain some semblance of appropriate spacing.

The 6-10 big is already an effective scorer, but he needs to add significant weight and strength to fill out his size for the next level.

While neither has been updated to reflect last night's draft results, both ESPN (No. 17) and Sports Illustrated (No. 29) have Jalen Smith projected as a top 30 prospect for the 2019 draft.

Obviously a lot can and will happen between now and next year's NBA Draft, but the Terps have some positive buzz heading into the 2018-2019 season with a chance to have first-round picks in back-to-back years for the first time since 1976-1977.