The J-Notes
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Utah Jazz: Way-Too-Early Draft Prospect Rankings

By Ryan Aston

Feb 28, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) gestures to the crowd during the first half of a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 28, 2016; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans guard Denzel Valentine (45) gestures to the crowd during the first half of a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports /
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2) Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame

The point guard position will be an area of great intrigue for the Jazz heading into this offseason and beyond. Dante Exum will look to return from an ACL tear next season, but what can Jazz Nation reasonably expect from the young Aussie?

Meanwhile, Trey Burke is probably on the move, Raul Neto is a work in progress and although the team made the move to acquire Shelvin Mack at the trade deadline, his long-term future with the Jazz is also unclear. Bottom line, something needs to be done.

Although a move to acquire a veteran point-man (Mike Conley, anyone?) is probably the more likely scenario for the Jazz front office, it’s not unfathomable that GM Dennis Lindsey could look to the draft if a player really stands out. That player could be Notre Dame’s Demetrius Jackson.

The Irish have leaned heavily on Jackson this season–the point guard has played all 40 minutes of a game eight times–and he has led the team to a 20-10 record this season. For the year, Jackson is averaging 16 points, five assists and 1.3 steals per game.

At six-foot-one and 200 pounds, what Jackson lacks in size, he makes up for in raw strength, speed and leaping ability. As a collegiate, he’s been able to absorb contact and finish above the rim and in traffic. His three-point shooting has dipped this season, but he’s still a career 39 percent shooter from distance.

Defensively, he will probably have same kind of transition that many rookie guards have in the league, but his strength and athleticism allow him to make plays both on the ball and in passing lanes. With time, he could develop into a solid NBA defender.

Next: No. 1: Furkan Korkmaz