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It's an uncommon year for the NBA Draft to begin with, as some experts have called this year's talent pool the deepest in at least a decade.

It's also an uncommonly deep year for talent with Utah ties. As many as six players who either were Utah preps, attended Utah colleges or grew up in Utah are hoping to hear their names called Thursday night. While none is a lock for the first round, the state could see a lot of the talent it helped produce enter the league.

A quick overview of the players with Utah ties who have a shot at getting drafted:

Kyle Kuzma, F, Utah

Key measurables • 6-foot-9.5 height, 7-foot wingspan

College stats • 16.4 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 2.4 apg as a junior

In a nutshell • Surprising some when he initially decided to hire an agent, Kuzma's stock has been on the rise since the NBA Draft Combine, when he stood out in 5-on-5 action. Teams have talked about his game translating better to the NBA than college. His length and versatility has teams eyeing him as a prototypical stretch four, but he still has work to do to prove he can defend that position and can hit 3-pointers consistently in games.

DraftExpress projection • No. 28 overall, first round

Frank Jackson, G, Duke, Lone Peak High

Key measurables • 6-foot-3.5 height, 6-foot-7.5 wingspan

College stats • 10.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 39.5 percent 3-point shooting as a freshman

In a nutshell • Jackson mostly came off the bench in his only year at Duke, but he had some of his bigger games at the end of the season. There's a lot of appeal in his elite athletic ability (42-inch vertical leap at the Draft Combine), but Jackson is still a bit of a tweener in the backcourt, and it might take him time to learn point guard at the NBA level if that's his true position. Seen as a developmental talent with a potentially high payoff.

DraftExpress projection • No. 38 overall, second round

Eric Mika, F, BYU, Lone Peak High

Key measurables • 6-foot-10 height, 6-foot-10 wingspan

College stats • 20.3 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.9 bpg as a sophomore

In a nutshell • Mika dominated the paint in the West Coast Conference as a sophomore. It's less clear if that will translate to the pro level, where Mika's athleticism and length is somewhat average. Mika feels that having less tread on his basketball tires, so to speak, could indicate that he has lots of room to develop, and he's working on his shooting range.

DraftExpress projection • Undrafted

Jalen Moore, F, Utah State, Sky View High

Key measurables • 6-foot-8 height, 6-foot-11 wingspan

College stats • 17.0 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 2.6 apg as a senior

In a nutshell • This Cache Valley native was a four-year starter for the Aggies and improved each year. He wrapped his college career as a reliable scorer and 3-point shooter. He may have an uphill battle into the NBA, but he's got good length for a small forward, and his experience may offer an intangible edge over other younger prospects.

DraftExpress projection • Undrafted

Jeremy Senglin, G, Weber State

Key measurables • 6-foot-1 height, 6-foot-5 wingspan

College stats • 21.2 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 2.9 apg as a senior

In a nutshell • The career points record holder at Weber State rode a high-scoring year to boost his NBA ambitions. One thing he can do as well as anyone is shoot. Senglin hit better than 43 percent from 3-point range at Weber over the last two years. Will that be enough to give the Texas native a look? It couldn't hurt.

DraftExpress projection • Undrafted

Caleb Swanigan, F, Purdue, grew up in Salt Lake City

Key measurables • 6-foot-8.5 height, 7-foot-3 wingspan

College stats • 18.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg, 3.1 apg as a sophomore

In a nutshell • Swanigan's journey from homelessness in Salt Lake City to Big Ten player of the year at Purdue reflects his desire and will to reach this point in his career. While there are concerns about his overall athleticism and ability to play above the rim, he's a gritty player who can be very physical on the block, and teams are likely to take a chance on him based on his college production.

DraftExpress projection • No. 31 overall, second round

kgoon@sltrib.com

Twitter: @kylegoon