'BTPowerhouse 25' - #8 Jake Layman

In the months leading up to the 2015-16 college basketball season, BTPowerhouse will be releasing a new series called the 'BTPowerhouse 25,' which features the Top 25 players in the Big Ten as voted by members of the staff. All players set to be on Big Ten rosters for next season were eligible during the staff vote with their top selection receiving 25 points and their 25th and final selection receiving 1 point.

In today's edition of the 'BTPowerhouse 25', we will look at Maryland senior Jake Layman. He had an impressive campaign for the Terrapins last season by helping the team to a 28-7 record and a 14-4 record in the Big Ten. Last season was Maryland's first season in the Big Ten and the team impressed everyone around the country, but next year the expectations are even higher, and Layman will have a big impact on how the Terrapins perform next season.

'BTP 25'- #8 Jake Layman

• Eligibility: Senior
• Career Totals: 105 games, 2826 minutes, 1020 points, 485 rebounds, 115 assists
• 2014-15 averages: 30.1 min, 12.5 pts, 5.8 rebs, 1.4 asts, 0.7 blks, 0.8 stls
• Position: Small Forward/Power Forward

Layman has really improved his game since his freshmen season in College Park. He has improved his jumpshot, particularly from deep. His scoring is something that the Terrapins are going to need next season because most of the focus will be on Melo Trimble next season for opposing defenses, so Layman will be called upon a lot to hit the big shots and be a great senior leader next season.

Player Strengths

Layman shot the basketball pretty well last season and hit 47 percent of his shots from the field. The 6-foot-9 power forward finds many ways to impact the game on the offensive end. He is extremely athletic, and he has great touch around the rim. Layman is able to stretch the floor, and he shot 37.8 percent from deep last season, which is higher than his two previous seasons. He has good size down in the paint and great length, which is why he is a decent rebounder.

Areas For Improvement

Layman's offensive game has improved tremendously through the years, but he must make progress on the defensive end. He is a little outmatched against certain players when he plays down in the post, but the addition of center Diamond Stone should alleviate some trouble for Layman in the paint. Layman has great length and athleticism, but he struggles to protect the rim. He must become a better two-way player for the Terrapins next season because he spends too many big minutes on the floor for him not too make an impact on both ends of the floor.

Player Projection