2015-16 NCAA Season Preview: Top 4 NBA Draft Prospects in the ACC

With the 2015-16 college basketball season fast approaching, a preview series will be rolling out detailing who I believe the top five prospects in each major conference are with reasoning that hopefully helps back up those assertions. First up is the ACC.

1) Brandon Ingram (SF), Duke Blue Devils

Young basketball prospects are often more athlete than skilled player. Brandon Ingram is already both.

Ingram possesses elite length (7-3 wingspan) and glides through the air with ease upon taking off toward the basket, but he’s also impressively smooth with the ball in his hands — he demonstrates good handles for his position and shoots the ball well both inside and outside the arc. He will need to add muscle to be able to penetrate into the paint against bigger, more evenly matched college defenders, but that’s normal for young prospects.

If and when Ingram fills out his frame, that should enable him to play both the three and four in the NBA. He might struggle defensively against traditional power forwards, yet his wingspan already keeps him from getting beaten often around the rim. Until he does bulk up, though, he will continue to use his sweet shooting stroke and ridiculous length to shoot over defenders and dominate college games on his way to the NBA.

2) Demetrius Jackson (PG), Notre Dame Fighting Irish

One of the most electric players in the ACC last season, Demetrius Jackson will have a chance to demonstrate even more of his superb athleticism and explosiveness with the ball in his hands now that Jerian Grant is in the NBA. Equally as captivating as his leaping ability is his court vision — he is first and foremost a distributor with the ball in his hands. A common sight last season was Jackson using his above-average speed to penetrate into the lane before kicking the ball out to an open teammate for a clean shot.

While Jackson projects to spend more time on the ball this season than last, he’s comfortable and capable of excelling off the ball as well — he shot 42.9 percent from the 3-point line last season. Defensively, he compensates for his lack of elite height with great strength. He turns his compact body into a wall by closing off driving lanes for ball handlers with ease. Jackson will be in the running for best player in the ACC this season, and Notre Dame is likely to go however far the fun point guard can take them.

3) Justin Jackson (SF), North Carolina Tar Heels

Justin Jackson is poised to take on a bigger role in North Carolina’s offense this season, and it’s fair to wonder if he’s ready for the added responsibility. His midrange shooting is probably the strongest part of his game, at least that we’ve seen. He’s excellent at taking one or two dribbles, stopping on a dime and sinking buckets over the outstretched arms of a back-pedalling defender. He has nice touch from midrange and around the rim, and he flashes a nice floater when the situation calls for one. He has not been a good perimeter shooter, and while he is capable of scoring in bunches already, it could be argued that it would be much easier for him to assume a bigger offensive role if he could expand his shooting range.

RELATED: Is Justin Jackson a first-round pick in the making?

It’s tough to know what to make of Jackson as an NBA prospect right now. He might be better suited as a role player off the ball than a guy who will be able to have the ball in his hands and deliver his team a bucket when they most need it. Additionally, his upside is limited because he’s hindered by average athleticism on both ends and poor lateral quickness on defense.

With J.P. Tokoto gone, Jackson could handle the ball more, which would provide him a great chance to show just how much he can bring to the floor on any given night. Will he take a step forward, or will he continue to play in the shadows of fellow teammates? No pressure. It’s only his draft stock up in the air.

4) Kennedy Meeks (C), North Carolina Tar Heels

Rebounding alone makes Kennedy Meeks incredibly valuable and worthy of being on this list. He’s a bruiser, and he uses his girth to push guys around underneath the rim. It often takes two guys to keep him off the offensive glass, which is what will impress NBA scouts the most. Dominant rebounders always catch evaluators’ eyes because rebounding is thought to be one of the more transferable skills between the college game and the highest level. 14.1 percent of Meeks’ total 2-point jumpers came on putbacks last season. Even when he’s not rebounding, he’s mostly hanging out around the paint.

While size often serves as an advantage on the glass, it can be a hindrance when trying to finish in traffic around the rim. He has flashed excellent post moves, but he can struggle to finish once he beats his defender because he’s slow to get off the ground and mostly finishes below the rim. Standing at 6-9 and 265 pounds, Meeks possesses adequate strength to hold his own in the post defensively, but lengthier players as well as more agile ones can hurt him.

Questions persist about Meeks’ fit at the next level, but for now he’ll continue to gobble up rebounds and make an impact in the paint like a human Pac-Man.