NBA teams never stop hunting for defense, and that’s exactly why a few names in the 2027 draft picture already stand out. The league keeps proving that a tough, connected defensive identity can carry a team a long way, with the last two Western Conference champions - including the Oklahoma City Thunder, who won an NBA title in 2025 - built around that side of the floor.
That reality helped shape the 2026 NBA Draft too, where players who could defend earned real value even without flashy offensive production. Ugonna Onyenso went No. 52 overall after averaging only 6.5 points per game as a senior, a reminder that teams will bet on impact stops just as quickly as scoring.
With that in mind, here are three defenders who could hear their names called in the 2027 NBA Draft.
Byrd is one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball and already has some draft history behind him after previously testing the NBA waters. He spent four seasons at San Diego State, appearing in 101 games and starting 63 of them before transferring to Providence for the 2026-27 season.
His final year with the Aztecs showed exactly why he keeps showing up on pro radars. Byrd put up 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, production that reflects how much he affects both ends of the floor.
At the 2025 NBA Combine, he measured 6-foot-4-and-three-quarters without shoes and posted a 6-foot-10 wingspan, giving him the kind of perimeter size teams love to work with. If he puts together another strong defensive season, Byrd should put himself in position to land in the 2027 draft.
Natt is headed into his sixth season as a college player, and his path has been a long one. He began at Southern University at Shreveport, then spent three seasons at LSU-Alexandria before moving on to the NCAA level.
At Sam Houston State, Natt made his mark right away. In his first season at that level, he averaged 10.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and two steals per game.
After that lone year with the Bearkats, he transferred to Oklahoma State, where he’ll join a Cowboys team that brought in multiple talented freshmen. If he turns in another strong defensive season in the Big 12, and especially if he repeats the kind of effort that made him the CUSA Defensive Player of the Year, Natt could work his way into the 2027 draft conversation.
Tugler heads into his senior season at Houston with a reputation already built on defense. The Cougars forward was a four-star recruit, and as a junior he averaged 8.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
At 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds, Tugler has the frame and length to cause problems all over the floor. He’ll be undersized for a frontcourt player at the next level, but that same length and defensive feel could still make him a useful NBA role player.
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