Two weeks ago, I profiled Kanon Catchings as an underclassman who took a leap in his sophomore year and could use it to take a larger one in his junior year.
Now, I want to break down another player who could be a “leap before The Leap” candidate: University of Southern California (USC) forward Jacob Cofie.
On paper, the numbers don’t pop out. He only averaged 9.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.8 blocks—while shooting 56.5 percent on twos and 32.3 percent on threes. Declaring for the draft as a sophomore with this résumé was a bit shocking, but it all worked out for his NBA trajectory.
Cofie follows a possible path called “The Combine Leap.” This progression is seen through the G League and NBA Combines. The more prominent circumstances of the leap during the combine usually result in draft stock rising—Jalen Williams, Brandin Podziemski, Cedric Coward. Others leverage the combine and use it as a springboard for a better college season in hopes of more solidified draft stock.
Cofie earned a NBA Draft Combine invitation after a strong showing in the G League Combine. From No Ceilings’s Maxwell Baumbach:
He was impactful on the defensive end, grabbing four stocks, which shouldn’t come as a big surprise given his priors. He was super communicative and disruptive on that side of the floor. But Cofie’s overall skill level, shooting, and assertiveness all impressed me. Cofie looked comfortable leading the break in transition after grabbing a rebound. While his past shooting inconsistencies were tough to forget given his 3-7 mark at the free throw line, Cofie did hit both of his three-point attempts and a handful of pull-up jumpers. His serious size, impressive athletic testing, and awesome first outing are pushing him into, “this is a stay-or-go situation to monitor” territory.
Cofie has questions to answer and areas to sharpen—particularly with his offensive utility. However, he checks a lot of boxes for the modern connective forward with his event creation, rebounding, and defensive versatility. He’s paired these traits with improved touch as well.
Cofie can now use these tools and the combine feedback to lay the foundation for a big junior year on his way to becoming a first-round pick in the 2027 NBA Draft.
The Skillset
The signature skill for Cofie’s game is his defense. The intrigue behind his defense lies in the blend of quality and quantity with his defense, while being a 6’10” forward. He has multiple ways he can impact the game defensively at a high level.
Cofie’s rim protection popped out, as he boasted a 6.1 block percentage last season. He was also third in the Big 10 in blocks per game (1.8). His prowess as a rim protector emulates his role in the NBA. Maybe in the previous decade, he’d be labeled as a potential small-ball 5 because of this skill and his weaknesses as a shooter. Instead, he profiles as a 4 who can operate as a rim-roamer, swarming to the basket in rotation to block or alter shots. He can demolish shots as a help defender. When altering shots at the rim, he demonstrates great verticality—which is evident through contesting shots in help, in drives, or in transition offense. Power forwards with sharp timing on rotations, contests, and swats help create an extra layer of protection that builds an edge in the paint.
