The 2027 NBA Draft class could bring another round of smaller guards into the spotlight.
That’s not a new development. The 2026 draft already featured a cluster of undersized backcourt players - Ebuka Okorie, Christian Anderson, Bruce Thornton, Braden Smith and Ja’Kobi Gillespie all landed in that class after measuring under 6-foot-2 at the NBA Combine. Their arrival came on the heels of a pair of small guards helping the New York Knicks win an NBA championship, a reminder that height alone doesn’t shut the door at the highest level.
Now the next wave is starting to take shape.
One name to watch is Michigan guard Elliot Cadeau. After helping the Wolverines win a national championship and taking home Final Four Most Outstanding Player honors in 2026, Cadeau is back for his senior season.
He averaged 10.5 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds as a junior while shooting 41.1% from the field and 37.6% from 3-point range. Listed at 6-foot-1, Cadeau should have a real shot to hear his name called in 2027 if he puts together a strong senior year.
Michigan State’s Jeremy Fears is another guard with draft momentum. The brother of Jeremiah Fears, the No. 6 pick in the 2025 draft, Jeremy turned in a breakout 2025-26 season of his own.
He posted 15.2 points, 9.4 assists, 2.4 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 43.1% from the field and 32.1% from beyond the arc. At the 2026 NBA Combine, Fears measured 6-feet tall without shoes and had a 6-foot-4 wingspan.
West Virginia newcomer Acaden Sadler brings a different profile into the conversation. He arrives with a five-star pedigree after a strong high school career, and 247Sports’ composite rankings placed him No. 19 overall and No. 2 among point guards in the 2026 recruiting class. Listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Sadler’s size will work against him, but his talent gives him a legitimate path to one-and-done status.
Vanderbilt’s Mike Tanner also remains squarely in the mix. He explored the 2026 draft and had first-round potential before choosing to return.
In 2025-26, the sophomore averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 48.5% from the field and 36.8% from 3-point range. Another season like that could put Tanner firmly in first-round territory for 2027.
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Michigans New Defense Could Change Everything Against Big Ten QBs
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For Michigan, the appeal is as much about identity as it is about results. Hills defenses at BYU were aggressive and opportunistic, a contrast from the more frustrating stretches the Wolverines endured under the previous coordinator, when takeaways were harder to come by. The new setup should give Michigan a different edge against Big Ten offenses, even if the real answer on how well it all fits will not come until the defense starts taking shape in 2026. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Freshman Savion Hiter Is Already Forcing A Big Fall Question
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Tony Alford has been among the coaches impressed by Hiters physical style, and Michigan is clearly looking for ways to make use of that talent without waiting long. The bigger question now is how quickly the Wolverines can turn a promising spring into a real role once the season arrives, especially with the staff considering different ways to get its backs on the field together. For a freshman who has already changed the tone of the room, the next step is figuring out how much of the offense can fit around him. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fall Camp Hinges On Two Questions Fans Know Too Well
Michigan enters fall camp with a familiar mix of optimism and unfinished business under new head coach Kyle Whittingham after a 9-3 season. The offensive line looks like one of the steadier parts of the roster on paper, which gives the Wolverines a chance to build around a unit that can help settle things early while the rest of the offense finds its footing.
The bigger concern is whether the group is actually ready to hold up when camp opens, with injuries still clouding some of the depth chart decisions. On the other side of the ball, Michigan has even more to sort through on the defensive line after losing several key pieces from its 2023 national championship team, and finding new contributors there may end up shaping the whole tone of the season. [Read more 🡒]