What They're Saying: Mock Draft, Big Board Projections For Romeo Langford

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Following the news Thursday that Romeo Langford will be declaring for the 2019 NBA Draft, TheHoosier.com takes a look at where various experts expect him to be picked or have him ranked among other prospects.

Note: The official draft order has yet to be set.

Publication date: March 19

Projected Pick: No. 10 overall -- Los Angeles Lakers

Notes: This is four spots lower than the previous projection by ESPN's Jonathan Givony, which had him going No. 6 overall to the Washington Wizards on March 7. Givony also had Langford landing at No. 6 but going to the Cleveland Cavaliers in his preseason mock draft released Aug. 29.

Publication date: March 18 ($)

Projected Pick: No. 8 overall -- Washington Wizards

Notes: Langford actually moves up one spot compared to the first projection Vecenie published on Jan. 29 when Vecenie had Langford going ninth to the Detroit Pistons. "Langford had an inconsistent year, but his stock largely held steady if only because no one else stepped up around him," Vecenie wrote.

Publication date: March 21

Projected Pick: No. 13 overall -- Orlando Magic

Notes: Of all the most recent projections, this is by far the lowest for Langford. "It's been an up-and-down season for him, but if you're confident he can become a passable 3-point shooter (like the fellow mid-range savant Khris Middleton, a player he's often compared to, has), Langford has a high ceiling," analyst Reid Forgrave wrote.

Publication date: April 2

Projected Pick: No. 11 overall -- Los Angeles Lakers

Notes: Consistent with the majority of experts' forecasts, Langford remains a projected lottery pick based on NBC Sports' evaluation. "Langford can get buckets, but the Indiana freshman is a polarizing prospect. He hasn't displayed the killer instinct a lot of pundits expected, but it's also a bit unfair, since he's still just a freshman," the analyst wrote.

Publication date: April 4

Projected Pick: No. 16 overall -- Brooklyn Nets

Notes: Analyst Aran Smith has the lowest landing spot for Langford out of all the projections.

Publication Date: Not specified

Ranking: No. 11 overall

Notes: Langford is also regarded as the No. 2 small forward in the draft.

Publication date: April 4 ($)

Ranking: No. 10 overall

Notes: Vecenie's Final Four edition of his big board has Langford two spots lower on the board than where he sat on March 1 in the third edition of his Top 100 rankings.

Publication date: March 13

Ranking: No. 20 overall

Notes: SI is the least bullish on Langford when it comes to where he stands as an overall player compared to his draft classmates. "He has not looked the part of a lottery pick, although it may be where he ends up based on perceived upside," analyst Jeremy Woo wrote.

Publication date: Feb. 20

Ranking: No. 8 overall

Notes: The Ringer has yet to release an updated big board. At the time of publication - the day after IU's loss to Purdue - its main knock against Langford was his poor shooting, though we have since learned from ESPN's story this week that Langford had been dealing with a torn ligament in his thumb since the Nov. 27 game against Duek. Langford was shooting 46.3 percent from the floor but just 26.7 percent from 3-point at that point. "If he can improve his shooting consistency, he might wind up being the Markelle Fultz we never received. But if he can’t reliably extend his range, much of what makes him special in college could make him a majorly inefficient player in the NBA," analyst Danny Chau wrote.

Despite playing through an injury the majority of his freshman season, Langford is still regarded by most experts as a lottery pick. While he experienced severe 3-point shooting struggles - likely as a result of the injury - his size and frame as well as his upside still make him a top 10 player in this year's draft assuming he keeps his name in it. It will be interesting to see what the consensus is among experts the next time they update their projections now that it has been reported that Langford played with a torn ligament in his thumb.

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