Popular college hoops analyst Andy Katz predicts another Big Ten win for Purdue with 7’3" freshman Daniel Jacobsen

College basketball analyst Andy Katz from the Big Ten Network believes Purdue will clinch another victory in the Big Ten this upcoming season. He sees 7’3" tall freshman Daniel Jacobsen as the prime reason for it.

Purdue are anticipating the arrival of another towering player next season. Katz is convinced that Purdue possess the front-line strength to dominate the Big Ten, pointing to Jacobsen's potential impact.

"Daniel Jacobson, 7'3", freshman coming in, U-18 gold medal," Katz said. "He was scoring, he was rebounding, and he was blocking a lot of shots. Jacobson is gonna step right in for that five spot with Will Berg."

Jacobsen is expected to fill the void at the center position when needed, alongside Will Berg.

While Jacobsen may not be another Zach Edey, Purdue head coach Matt Painter has managed to recruit one of the most promising post players in the country:

"Cam Heide, Myles Colvin, they jump in to contribute with that starting backcourt of Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer," Katz said. "This Purdue team is loaded yet again."

Despite not having the Naismith National Player of the Year, Purdue's wealth of talent includes potentially the best freshman post player in West Lafayette. This, Katz thinks, means that the team is on the upswing.

Purdue's Daniel Jacobsen set a new U18 Team USA blocks record

During the 2024 AmeriCup, Daniel Jacobsen broke the U18 Team USA blocks record, surpassing Myles Turner. Team USA took home the gold after defeating Argentina.

According to the Purdue Exponent, Jacobsen averaged nine points, seven rebounds, and three blocks in just 16 minutes per game. He did so while shooting 65% from the field and 79% from the free-throw line.

If we look at his stats per 40 minutes, it translates to an impressive 22.5 points, 17 rebounds, and nearly eight blocks.

Jacobsen finished the 2024 AmeriCup with 19 blocks, setting a new all-time U18 record. It will be exciting to see how Jacobsen continues to develop at Purdue.

Matt Painter and Purdue also extended an offer to four-star small forward Sebastian Williams-Adams in the 2025 recruiting class, as reported by BVM Sports. With such talent, they will be difficult to stop this upcoming season.