Maryland Basketball: Early Look at the Depth Chart
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Small Forward
Jan 25, 2015; College Park, MD, USA; Maryland Terrapins guard Jake Layman (10) defended by Northwestern Wildcats guard Dave Sobolewski (3) at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports
Starter: Jake Layman
At one point, many in the college basketball sphere believed that Layman would declare for the NBA Draft. By the middle of the season, he was even projected to be selected in the late-first round. However, he and those in his corner did not like his prospects at the end of the season, which is why he’ll be back in College Park for his senior season. Returning to Maryland was simply the best move for his career and it couldn’t have been a better time to do so.
Layman is expected to be the lone contributing senior on Maryland’s roster next season and with that, comes a lot of responsibility. Not only will he be called upon for leadership, but he is also one of the best players on the team. In fact, he may be the X-factor next season. The Terps will only contend for a national championship, if Layman is playing at a high level.
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Backup: Jared Nickens
With all of the attention surrounding Melo Trimble, another freshman for Maryland flew under the radar. He had a few big games in his first season with the Terps, including a 15-point performance in a win over Iowa State and a 14-point game in Maryland’s NCAA tournament first round victory over Valparaiso.
Nickens is known as a three-point specialist, knocking down 39 percent of his attempts last season. Like Wiley, he still has some developing to do, but he is sure to play a huge role in the team’s success for years to come.