In addition to publishing a new piece on ESPN.com today, Chad Ford also updated his big board and conducted an afternoon chat. Let's check in on Ford's latest draft nuggets….
- A day after our Zach Links profiled the injured Kentucky big man, Nerlens Noel has recaptured the top spot in Ford's 2013 prospect rankings. Ford explains that while some top prospects haven't looked great in the NCAA tournament, scouts and GMs are remember Noel's increasing productivity prior to his ACL injury. Ford doesn't go so far as to call Noel a "consensus No. 1" but says NBA decision-makers are starting to lean in that direction.
- Other risers on Ford's big board include Michigan's Trey Burke, who moved into the top 10, Lehigh's C.J. McCollum (12th), Michigan's Glenn Robinson III (16th), and San Diego State's Jamaal Franklin (17th).
- In a separate Insider-only piece, Ford looks at a few more players whose stocks have been affected by their play during the NCAA tournament, and addresses the topic of whether any Florida Gulf Coast players are candidates to be drafted, either this year or in the future.
- Ford also answered an hour's worth of draft-related questions in his latest chat with readers at ESPN.com.