Underrated 5A 2025 Forwards who won't be Underrated for long...

The 2024/25 season inches closer each day, so it is important to know the players who are currently under-the-radar, but will become household names before long. These senior forwards are vital to the success of their 5A programs, and they are expected to have huge seasons!    As of August 3rd, [player_tooltip player_id='408136' first='Laykin' last='Moore'] is no longer an uncommitted recruit, but her abilities still warrant a spot for her on this list. The Harding Bisons will be welcoming Moore to Searcy next season, but for now, she will lead the Lady Bombers in the 5A West.   Moore's best skill on the court is her 3-point shooting ability. She can absolutely light it up from any spot on the floor. Baseline, wing, top-of-the-key, doesn't matter, she is a threat to knock it down. Moore has such a high-arching shot and she uses it well to shoot over the defense. She also has shown the ability to shot well off of the catch and off of the dribble.   Moore is best known for her offense, but she is very active on the defensive end. Moore ends games with a number of steals recorded on the stat sheet, whether those were from picking off a pass or taking away a loose ball.   [player_tooltip player_id='408136' first='Laykin' last='Moore'] is ranked higher than some of the other players on this list, but she is still coasting slightly under-the-radar. Although she is committed to play for Harding University, with a strong senior season, there will be plenty of teams regretting not offering her sooner.     There are not many forwards in high school basketball that have the physicality, speed, and athleticism that [player_tooltip player_id='453249' first='Allison' last='Burgess'] has, especially not in 5A. Burgess, of course, is underrated, but she has some serious abilities that colleges cannot ignore.   Whether on the offensive or defensive glass, Burgess is the first player to crash the boards. Don't even bother trying to box her out because there is no chance anyone is grabbing a rebound over her, even at 5'6". I also mentioned her speed.   Speed kills. Burgess torches teams with her speed. She is excellent at running out on the fastbreak and being ready for a pass from a teammate or to putback a miss. She can even take it coast-to-coast herself, and against tight defense, too. But when Burgess has her sights set on the rim, no one is stopping her. She can either barrel her way through the defense or go over the top with her solid athleticism. Once she is at the rim, Burgess finishes with a soft touch or draws plenty of fouls to convert free throws.   [player_tooltip player_id='453249' first='Allison' last='Burgess'] does not appear to be on anyone's radar right now, but do not count on that being the standard for her entire senior season.     Weslyn Burnside was a great role player for a very good Greene County Tech team last season, but expect her role to increase as she heads into her senior season.   Burnside is best on the offensive end. Her 3-point shooting is very solid as she shot 35% this past season. She is best on catch-and-shoot jumpers, but she has the stride to be able to attack inside if the defense closes out too hard.   Burnside also has shown the ability to rebound at a high rate. She crashes the glass hard on both sides of the ball. Her defense is also solid, averaging 1.0 steals per game as a junior. This was up from 0.4 steals per game as a sophomore, showing her growth on the defensive end.   With a strong senior season, Weslyn Burnside could become one of the top two-way players in the 5A classification, and she needs to be a key part of the opposition's defensive gameplan every night.     [player_tooltip player_id='465533' first='Tyra' last='Taylor'] might just be the most active player in all of 5A. You could even argue in the entire state of Arkansas! Taylor is practically unstoppable in the paint, as she dominates with her high activity and fierce determination.   Taylor is one of the best rebounders in the Natural State, and she uses her length, athleticism, and precise timing to be that. She boxes out well, but her vertical allows her to snatch board after board. Taylor does not know how to give up on a play, which is great for her team. She fights for every loose ball and there is nothing the other team can do about it.   Taylor's rebounding is elite on both sides of the ball. On offense, her teammates could miss every shot and Taylor will probably rebound more than half of those misses. On defense, she is getting all of the misses.   There are not many players who can seemingly dominate the game of basketball off of activity and intensity alone, but [player_tooltip player_id='465533' first='Tyra' last='Taylor'] can. Her energy can also be very beneficial on the defensive end. With a strong senior season (it would be a shock if that did not happen), colleges will come calling the natural power forward.     [player_tooltip player_id='1049425' first='Hannah' last='Johnson'] had an excellent junior season for the Lady Badgers in 2023/24, earning all-state and 5A Central all-conference honors. Johnson will be one of Beebe's primary weapons in 2024/25, so do not be shocked if she has a breakout season.   Johnson's offensive game is elite, and I do not know why colleges are not knocking on her door every day. Her inside-outside game is special, and she can score in so many different ways. She can hit threes off the catch and off the bounce with a smooth shooting form. She can pull up and hit mid-range jumpers, even fall-away jumpers in traffic. She can finish over taller and more physical defenders. She can run the floor well on the fastbreak and her production leads to a lot of assists for her teammates. She can hit floaters and runners up over the defense. She can do it all!   One of Johnson's better offensive skills is her ability to post up her defender and finish straight up over them. Johnson is very deadly on either block, but particularly the left block. It does not matter how good of defense is being played in the post, Johnson can and will finish over it.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049425' first='Hannah' last='Johnson'] is also a very active defender, forcing turnovers for the opposition, and creating opportunities for her team to score.   [player_tooltip player_id='1049425' first='Hannah' last='Johnson'] is well under-the-radar but for not any good reasons. With another season like she had in 2023/24, expect top colleges in this region and possibly across the country to come calling.     [player_tooltip player_id='603910' first='Jordan' last='Gramlich'] is a fantastic basketball player, and she has been for a long time with Alma. Gramlich has a natural scoring ability along the perimeter, and though she is listed as a power forward here, she is probably closer to being a small forward. Regardless, her scoring ability alone is why colleges have already come to offer her.   Whether it is inside or outside, Gramlich finds a way to get buckets for her team. She knows how to run around screens and get open for uncontested threes, which she knocks down regularly. Gramlich can also knock down catch-and-shoot jumpers in the mid-range area. On the inside, Gramlich cuts well to the basket and can finish over taller defenders. One of the most notable parts of Gramlich's game is her ability to hit any shot from any point off the glass. Not a lot of players nowadays use the backboard effectively, but she can. Whether it is a short jumper or a floater, Gramlich is utilizing every hooper's best friend and recording a lot of points.   The University of Arkansas at Fort Smith has already locked down [player_tooltip player_id='603910' first='Jordan' last='Gramlich'] as a commit in 2025, but if she continues to impress, then there is no reason why more colleges won't try to nudge their way in.    Football season is right around the corner, but that means that basketball is also almost here! These players must be stoked to play in their final season of high school basketball, and this is their last opportunity to put themselves farther onto the national stage. Be on the lookout for my next article covering 5A 2025 bigs who are also looking to seize this opportunity in 2024/25.

The 2024/25 season inches closer each day, so it is important to know the players who are currently under-the-radar, but will become household names before long. These senior forwards are vital to the success of their 5A programs, and they are expected to have huge seasons!