Written by Paul Garwood
Photo Courtesy: Southeastern Prep / USA Basketball

A Prospect You Build Your Program Around

At 6–9, 195 pounds, C.J. Rosser isn’t simply one of the best young bigs in America — he is one of the best basketball players in the 2027 recruiting cycle, period.

A consensus Top-5 national prospect, Rosser is already viewed as the prototype modern power forward: explosive, mobile, multi-positional, and capable of shifting the momentum of a game without calling a single set for him.

Recruiting services agree:

• Rivals.com — No. 2 overall prospect in 2027

• 247Sports Composite — No. 3 overall

• ESPN — No. 4 overall
  Across all platforms, Rosser is the No. 1 ranked power forward in the country.

This isn’t a projection. It’s production, résumé, and an athletic ceiling that coaches only see once every few cycles.

Foundation Years: Northern Nash (Rocky Mount, NC)

Rosser spent his first two high school seasons at Northern Nash High School in Rocky Mount, North Carolina.
As an underclassman, he posted 14.5 points, 6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, instantly becoming one of the most impactful young frontcourt players in the region.

He didn’t dominate with sheer height — he dominated with motor and maturity:

• Defending wings and bigs interchangeably

• Cleaning the glass with long arms and a violent second-jump

• Running the floor like a guard twice every possession

• Making winning plays when the game slowed down

That mindset is why college staffs and USA Basketball took notice before the mixtapes ever did.

World Stage: Gold Medal Mindset

This past summer, Rosser elevated his profile on the international stage, helping USA Basketball capture gold at the FIBA U16 Men’s AmeriCup in Juarez, Mexico.
Under pressure, against older and more physical competition, he responded exactly how future professionals respond.

Across six starts, he averaged:

• 13.7 points

• 6.2 rebounds

• 1.8 assists

• 1.8 steals

• 1.8 blocks

That stat line is the definition of elite two-way impact.
He defended without fouling, rebounded through contact, made reads out of double teams, and turned defensive stops into transition blades.

Players who can dominate high school are common.
Players who can scale their game to international competition and still own the floor are rare.

Recruitment: Every Giant Is in the Room

Rosser’s offer sheet reads like the opening weekend of March Madness:

Alabama, Arkansas, Cincinnati, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Syracuse, TCU, Texas, USC, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, and more.

These aren’t casual inquiries — they are priority board offers.
Programs don’t recruit Rosser as a “nice piece.”
They recruit him as a future cornerstone.

The Verdict

C.J. Rosser isn’t the type of talent you adjust your lineup to accommodate —
he’s the type of talent you build your entire roster around.

At 6’9” with elite movement, defensive versatility, international production, and the hunger to keep sharpening his game, he is positioned to become one of the defining frontcourt players of his class.

The 2027 cycle has stars.
It has scorers.
It has playmakers.
But it has only one C.J. Rosser.