The 2019 NBA draft is months away, but that doesn’t seem to matter to draft experts and prognosticators who have been compiling their lists of best available prospects leading up to the main event on Thursday, June 20.

The Portland Trail Blazers managed to keep their first round selection while re-tooling their roster on the fly at the trade deadline, so it appears that barring a trade leading up to the draft, Portland will have a pick late in the first round and an opportunity to add talent to a position of need.

Which prospects will rise? Which ones will fall? And who might be available when the Blazers are picking late in the first round? Here’s a look at what some of the top NBA mock drafts are saying. Keep in mind that the draft order and position the Blazers are selecting at are determined by the records and results on the day each mock draft was released from the various news outlets providing these mock drafts.

KEVIN PORTER JR., USC TROJANS | 6-6, 218 | SG

Southern California guard Kevin Porter Jr. has rocketed up mock drafts in recent weeks.AP

- In his latest mock draft over at ESPN (subscription required) from February 12, NBA draft savant Jonathan Givony has the Blazers picking freshman shooting guard Kevin Porter out of USC. Givony is one of the best in the business at predicting draft selections, but considering Porter’s suspension from the Trojans for undisclosed conduct issues earlier this season, it seems a bit far fetched that the Blazers would take a chance on him considering their prized culture and preference for players of strong character. But Porter has been called a lottery-caliber talent, so if he were to fall to the Blazers at No. 20, Portland might have to take a chance on the talented wing.

Porter is an elite athlete with the perfect NBA frame for the wing position at 6-foot-6. He has a great rhythm with the ball in his hands and has the strength to finish inside on drives to the rim. But it’s his shooting that has seemingly made him the ascending prospect he is today. Porter is a lefty, much like James Harden, making him a tough cover for defenders. His jump shot mechanics could use a little work, but that’s something NBA coaches can easily work with him on. He’s about as NBA-ready as a guard can be coming out of college.

Here’s a look at some Kevin Porter highlights to give you an idea of what he’s capable of:

JALEN MCDANIELS, SAN DIEGO STATE AZTECS | 6-10, 190 | SF/PF

San Diego State's Jalen McDaniels has some lingering character issues haunting him, but looks like he could have a bright NBA future.AP

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic is another highly-respected draft prognosticator and in his latest mock draft released on January 29 (subscription required), Vecenie has the Blazers selecting sophomore post Jalen McDaniels out of San Diego State. But much like the Porter Jr. situation described above, McDaniels has some questions surrounding his character. McDaniels was recently sued in civil court by a former classmate for recording sex acts on video and distributing them on the internet without permission while he was a high school student at Federal Way in Washington. The attorney representing the plaintiff indicates there could be another suit coming from a separate former classmate who alleges the same thing happened to her. Would the Blazers be willing to take a chance on McDaniels with those issues tailing him? It would seemingly go against everything they have preached with their team in recent years. With all that in mind, here’s what Vecenie has to say about McDaniels:

"McDaniels had a bit of a hit-or-miss start to the season, but he’s been an absolute force in Mountain West play. Through six games, he’s posting 21.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, two assists and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 57 percent from the field. He seems to have turned a corner for the Aztecs, going from inconsistent offensively to true No. 1 option and all-league player. Throw in that he moves his feet exceedingly well on defense and consistently plays hard, and you have a fascinating prospect who has a chance to make an impact at the four. The key to his game will come in the form of his jumper, which still hasn’t quite found its consistency. But in the 20s, I’m happy to take a chance on fixing that and getting everything else he brings to the table as a driver from the mid-post, multi-positional defender and rebounder.

The Blazers could really use help at the four position with Al-Farouq Aminu entering free agency and the team lacking depth behind him."

In case you want to get more familiar with McDaniels, here’s a look at some of his recent highlights:

COBY WHITE, NORTH CAROLINA TARHEELS | 6-5, 185 | PG/SG

North Carolina guard Coby White has become a volume scorer on one of the best college teams in the country.AP

- NBADraft.net last updated their mock draft on February 9, but have an interesting take on who the Trail Blazers may select at No. 22 where freshman combo guard Coby White is pegged as Portland’s pick. This is a paired down version of what the NBADraft.net folks had to say about his strengths and weaknesses:

“Strengths: Provides a scoring mentality and scores in bunches. Can score from all three levels ... A scoring threat from anywhere within the half court and has range out to the NBA three-point line. Scores at the rim with either hand at various angles. Adjusts his body well in the air on difficult layups. Good midrange game with a pull up and floater … Squares up quickly ... Shoots well off the dribble or catch with a quick release and no wasted motion.”

“Weaknesses: Labeled as a combo guard but is much more effective as a scorer than running the point ... Solid court vision and passing ability but if his scoring isn’t working for him, he doesn’t generally contribute much else offensively ... Can improve overall as a playmaker … Has tunnel vision at times and can improve shot selection.”

Here’s a look at some of White’s most recent highlights:

P.J. WASHINGTON, KENTUCKY WILDCATS | 6-8, 227 | PF

Kentucky forward PJ Washington is playing the best basketball of his career, and looks like a prime draft candidate at the power forward position.AP

- Sports Illustrated hasn’t attached teams to their mock draft, so their list is done by best available players regardless of the team drafting them. If the regular season ended today, February 26, the Blazers would be making their selection at the No. 22 spot. That’s where Kentucky sophomore power forward P.J. Washington is slated to be picked up. Here’s what the folks at SI have to say about him:

“Washington is playing the most consistently productive ball of his career at the moment, and while he’s not a huge upside guy, it’s pretty clear his base set of skills make sense together when projecting forward. He’s mobile, bouncy, and his rebounding, passing and defensive positioning enable him to impact games even when he’s not scoring. Washington has always been a sound finisher, and his jump shot continues to improve—his three-point range has looked more convincing of late, as well. From a role-player perspective, he has a lot to offer.”

- Kyle Boone of CBS Sports released his mock draft late last week and also has the Blazers picking P.J. Washington at No. 22. Here’s what he has to say about the Wildcats’ big man:

“Portland’s offensive system centers around Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum generating the majority of its offense. But for as good as both are, the Trail Blazers are still middle of the pack in the NBA in 3-point shots, both in number taken and in shots made. PJ Washington would add another dimension to that to help them embrace the 3-point revolution, as he’s shooting 43.9 percent from distance this season. He’s not just a stretch-four, either -- though Portland could certainly use him in that way. His physicality as a rebounder and lateral agility as a defender could provide endless value on both ends of the floor.”

In case you want to catch a look at Washington in action, this video of his double-double against Kansas State in last year’s Sweet 16 gives you a great idea of the kind of player he is:

TRE JONES, DUKE BLUE DEVILS | 6-2, 183 | PG

Duke's Tre Jones (3) has become one of the best defensive point guards in the country.AP

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report also seems to take the best available player route with his mock draft as he has the Blazers slotted at No. 22 and picking a 6-foot-2 point guard with their selection despite currently being loaded at that position. Here’s a look at what Wasserman has to say about the Blue Devils’ freshman floor general, Tre Jones:

“Portland is a strong fit for Jones, who could focus on his strengths as a passer and defensive stopper behind Damian Lillard. He’s the only player in the country averaging at least 5.0 assists and 2.0 steals and fewer than 1.5 turnovers per game. Though a limited scorer and athlete, he possesses the basketball IQ and toughness to carve out a similar role and career to those of Monte Morris or Fred VanVleet—valued NBA backups who were two of the 11 college players to previously match Jones’ two-way playmaking numbers and efficiency.”

Since Jones is such an adept defender, here are some of his best defensive highlights from the 2018-19 college basketball season:

DANIEL GAFFORD, ARKANSAS RAZORBACKS | 6-11, 234 | PF/C

Arkansas's Daniel Gafford has become one of the fastest-rising big men on draft boards with his improved play this season.AP

The folks at HoopsHype have an interesting take on their mock draft, combining several of the top mock drafts from around the web and aggregating them into one list. In the latest version of their aggregate mock draft, HoopsHype has the Trail Blazers selecting sophomore post Daniel Gafford out of Arkansas.

This pick seems like a pipe dream for the Blazers as Gafford has effectively played his way into the lottery over the course of the season and should be long gone by the time the Blazers are picking. The big man is terrorizing opponents in the paint this season, shooting around 60 percent from the field.

Here’s a look at some of Daniel Gafford’s recent highlights from a monster game he had against Indiana this season:

Which player do you think would fit best with the Trail Blazers? Sound off in the comments and let us know which guy you want to see in Portland next season.