After AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer come off the board in the 2026 NBA Draft, it sounds like Caleb Wilson has his fans at No. 4. However, after that, there will be a run on freshmen guards. This draft is packed with them — including Kingston Flemings and Mikel Brown Jr. — and we’ll get to as many as we can throughout the draft process. However, there are some older forwards climbing the ranks as the business end of the 2025-26 college basketball season approaches. Joshua Jefferson, a multifaceted 6-foot-9 forward, is one of them. His do-it-all game is turning heads. 

Jefferson is a stat-sheet stuffer. Last year, in his first season with Iowa State — he transferred after two years with Saint Mary’s — he was a solid scorer, a decent playmaker, and a good overall dirty-work guy on both ends of the floor. Well, in Year 2 in Ames, Jefferson has taken everything to another level. 

The 22-year-old’s playmaking is probably what stands out the most. You just don’t see many bigs that can really swing games with their passing, but Jefferson can dice defenses up at the power forward spot. He’s clever in the way he finds his teammates, making risky pocket passes, behind-the-backs, one-arm whips to the corners, and bold outlet passes that actually turn into buckets. 

NBA teams won't be lining up to run offense through a rookie four, but it’ll be nice for Jefferson’s next team to have the option. And either way, in a quick, read-and-react offense, his ability to move the ball and set guys up for open looks will make him a valuable connective piece. The modern NBA game is played with so much pace and space that good passers shine even with small usage rates. 

As a scorer, Jefferson is a physical presence, capable of bumping defenders off to finish around the basket, where he’s poised, has good footwork, and possesses good touch. He’ll be a threat to bully perimeter-oriented wings when opponents look to play small-ball. However, his improving jumper could also allow him to stretch out traditional bigs, and that three-ball will determine what he can be in the pros. 

Jefferson has worked himself into a 36.1% three-point shooter, despite the fact that his free throw shooting has fallen off a bit from where it was the previous two seasons. But Jefferson has good-looking mechanics and a relatively quick release. There’s really no reason to doubt him continuing to make strides as a spot-up option, especially with how clear it is that his work ethic is killer. 

Jefferson just has so many things he can do to harm defenses, and he’s also a reliable defender. Jefferson doesn’t have the quickest feet in the world, nor is he an explosive leaper. He does, however, have strong defensive instincts, which is backed up when looking at his “stocks.” Jefferson is a decent weak-side shot blocker, plus he finds ways to rack up a couple of steals each night. He does that by utilizing his great hands, which are an asset when he’s already playing aggressive defense. 

The only things really holding Jefferson back are his lack of size and traditional athleticism. He’s best suited to be a center that serves as a playmaking hub, but he’s not quite big enough for that. He’s also not quick or explosive enough to defend wings. So, even though he’s a solid defender right now, he’ll have his work cut out for him in the NBA. Will he be roasted as a one-on-one defender? The team defense should be there. 

Ultimately, it really might come down to the shooting with Jefferson. If he’s able to continue his upward trajectory as a floor-spacing threat, there’s some Paul Millsap and Al Horford to him. If this year’s shooting is a flash in a pan, he’s probably more of an end-of-rotation player. That gives Jefferson a little more downside than your typical older lottery prospect, but there’s also more upside than usual. High-feel bigs with very few holes tend to hit in the NBA, and they tend to impact winning in a big way.