2025-26 Preseason College Basketball Rankings: Purdue Boilermakers
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers

College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers

This article is part of our Draft Kit series.

Top-25 College Basketball: Purdue Projected Roster & Outlook

In this series, we'll be taking a closer look at RotoWire's preseason college basketball top-25, with an in-depth roster analysis and projected rotation for the 2025-26 season for each team. Today's feature will be our top projected team -- the Purdue Boilermakers.

For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, roles and overall player performance, head to RotoWire's latest college basketball news page or follow @RotoWireCBB on X.

1. Purdue

It's very rare in this era of college basketball to find a team where your core has played together for multiple years. That's what makes this Purdue team so special going into the 2025-26 campaign. 

The dynamic trio of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have grown up together over these last three years and now enter their senior campaigns looking to finally win it all. They got close as sophomores losing in the title game to UConn, but that was when they had Zach Edey.

Last season had its ups-and-downs, as Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Loyer all had to adjust to shouldering more of the load. The offense turned out to not be a problem, but defensively and on the interior is where Purdue got exposed at times. 

Enter Oscar Cluff from South Dakota State, who was a double-double machine last year, averaging 17.6 PPG and 12.3 RPG. Cluff was one of the best big men in the portal this cycle, and at 6-11, 260 pounds, he is exactly what this Purdue team

Top-25 College Basketball: Purdue Projected Roster & Outlook

In this series, we'll be taking a closer look at RotoWire's preseason college basketball top-25, with an in-depth roster analysis and projected rotation for the 2025-26 season for each team. Today's feature will be our top projected team -- the Purdue Boilermakers.

For up-to-the-minute updates on injuries, roles and overall player performance, head to RotoWire's latest college basketball news page or follow @RotoWireCBB on X.

1. Purdue

It's very rare in this era of college basketball to find a team where your core has played together for multiple years. That's what makes this Purdue team so special going into the 2025-26 campaign. 

The dynamic trio of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have grown up together over these last three years and now enter their senior campaigns looking to finally win it all. They got close as sophomores losing in the title game to UConn, but that was when they had Zach Edey.

Last season had its ups-and-downs, as Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Loyer all had to adjust to shouldering more of the load. The offense turned out to not be a problem, but defensively and on the interior is where Purdue got exposed at times. 

Enter Oscar Cluff from South Dakota State, who was a double-double machine last year, averaging 17.6 PPG and 12.3 RPG. Cluff was one of the best big men in the portal this cycle, and at 6-11, 260 pounds, he is exactly what this Purdue team needed. 

7-3 big man Daniel Jacobsen will also be a rotational piece off the bench to use as another rim protector. Jacobsen played in just two games last season as a freshman before suffering a leg injury that ended his year. 

C.J. Cox started 23 games last year for Purdue as a freshman and is likely to be the fifth starter, although 6-7 wing Liam Murphy from North Florida is another interesting option. Murphy was a sixth man for North Florida last season, but knocked down 3.3 treys per game. 

There's a good chance coach Matt Painter has the most efficient offense in the country next season, and now he also has the defensive pieces to beat any team. 

Check out how injuries are affecting the status of other players & teams on RotoWire's college basketball injury report.

2025-26 Purdue Basketball Projected Starting Lineup:

PG: Braden Smith (15.8 PPG, 8.7 APG)

SG: Fletcher Loyer (13.8 PPG)

SF: C.J. Cox (6.0 PPG)

PF: Trey Kaufman-Renn (20.1 PPG, 6.5 RPG)

C: Oscar Cluff (17.6 PPG, 12.3 RPG at South Dakota State)

Key Reserves: Liam Murphy (13.0 PPG, 3.3 3PM at North Florida), Daniel Jacobsen (6.5 PPG, 1.5 BPG), Gicarri Harris (3.8 PPG), Raleigh Burgess (1.9 PPG), Antione West (3-star Freshman)

2025-26 Full Preseason College Basketball Top-25

  1. Purdue Boilermakers
  2. Houston Cougars
  3. Florida Gators
  4. Kentucky Wildcats
  5. St. John's Red Storm
  6. Duke Blue Devils
  7. Louisville Cardinals
  8. Michigan Wolverines
  9. BYU Cougars
  10. UConn Huskies
  11. Texas Tech Red Raiders
  12. Auburn Tigers
  13. Arkansas Razorbacks
  14. UCLA Bruins
  15. Alabama Crimson Tide
  16. Iowa State Cyclones
  17. Arizona Wildcats
  18. Michigan State Spartans
  19. Gonzaga Bulldogs
  20. Kansas Jayhawks
  21. Tennessee Volunteers
  22. North Carolina Tar Heels
  23. Oregon Ducks
  24. Illinois Fighting Illini
  25. Wisconsin Badgers

Want to Read More?
Subscribe to RotoWire to see the full article.

We reserve some of our best content for our paid subscribers. Plus, if you choose to subscribe you can discuss this article with the author and the rest of the RotoWire community.

Get Instant Access To This Article Get Access To This Article
RotoWire Community
Join Our Subscriber-Only College Basketball Chat
Chat with our writers and other RotoWire College Basketball fans for all the pre-game info and in-game banter.
Join The Discussion
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ryan  Andrade
Ryan has covered golf, college basketball, and motorsports for RotoWire since 2016. He was nominated for "DFS Writer of the Year" in 2021 and 2023 by the FSWA.
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 2 Houston Cougars
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 2 Houston Cougars
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 3 Florida Gators
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 3 Florida Gators
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 4 Kentucky Wildcats
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 5 St. John's Red Storm
College Basketball Preseason Rankings: No. 5 St. John's Red Storm