For the second straight season, the Big 12 is set up to own the top of the NBA Draft conversation.
The league already proved it can do that. During the 2025-26 college basketball season, Arizona reached the Final Four, and BYU’s AJ Dybantsa and Kansas’ Darryn Peterson went No. 1 and No. 2 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft. Now the conference is positioned to run that race again, with several elite freshmen arriving and three of 247Sports’ top six players in the 2026 recruiting cycle headed to Big 12 programs.
That gives the conference a real chance to produce another battle for the top pick in the 2027 draft. Three names stand out right away.
At BYU, wing A.J. Branch enters with plenty of buzz after reclassifying from the 2027 recruiting class.
He checked in as the No. 6 overall prospect and the No. 2 small forward in the 2026 cycle, and his age could become a major selling point if he delivers a strong freshman season. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 190 pounds, the McDonald's All-American will line up next to skilled guard Robert Wright III and could step into the kind of role Dybantsa filled in 2025-26.
Arizona has its own high-end lottery candidate in Brayden Holt. The Wildcats landed the No. 3 overall player and No. 1 shooting guard in the 2026 recruiting class, and he joins a program that already saw Brayden Burries and Koa Peat go in the first round of the 2026 draft.
Holt is listed at 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds, and if he shows the kind of offensive polish and defensive impact that make scouts lean in, he could be a top-10 pick after just one year in Tucson. He’ll also share the floor with Ivan Kharchenkov and Motiejus Krivas, both of whom are in the mix for first-round consideration in the 2027 class.
Then there’s Darryn Stokes, the prize of Kansas’ recruiting haul. 247Sports ranked him No. 1 overall in the 2026 class, making him a major win for Bill Self and the Jayhawks.
At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, Stokes is already being viewed as the top pick in the 2027 draft heading into the 2026-27 campaign. He brings athleticism and scoring ability, and the Big 12 will give him a stage full of other top prospects.
Kansas will also pair him with fellow 2026 top-20 recruit Taylen Kinney.
With Branch, Holt and Stokes all entering the league, the Big 12 has another shot to turn the draft race into its own showcase.
In Other News...
Taysom Hill Just Signaled A Major Shift In His NFL Journey
Taysom Hills run in New Orleans has come to a close, and the longtime Saints utility man made it clear in a social media post that he is moving on after nine seasons with the only NFL team he has known. Hill thanked the New Orleans community and looked back on a stretch that saw him used all over the field, from quarterback to running back, tight end and special teams.
The Saints answered with an appreciation video celebrating his time in the franchise, a fitting nod for a player who became one of the leagues most unusual and recognizable chess pieces. What comes next for Hill is still the open question, and for a BYU fan base that has followed his winding pro career from the start, this feels like another significant turn in a journey that has never really stayed in one lane for long. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Suddenly Has A Linebacker Depth Concern Fans Cant Ignore
BYUs linebacker room took a hit this week when backup Ephraim Asiata was arrested and charged with a DUI and other offenses, a development that immediately complicates his future with the program. Asiata had been projected as a reserve for the upcoming season after seeing only limited action over the past two years, so the issue is less about losing a centerpiece and more about a depth chart that suddenly looks thinner than it did a few days ago.
The bigger concern for the Cougars is what this means behind the top of the defense, especially with the season approaching and roster decisions still taking shape. Even if the front line of the linebacker group remains intact, BYU now has to sort through who can absorb the extra snaps and keep the position stable if Asiata is unavailable for the long haul. [Read more 🡒]
BYU Has A Rare Edge In Utah's Biggest Recruiting Battle
Dennis Tua'one has become one of the most closely watched recruits in Utah, and the Timpview High School wide receiver is taking his time while a long list of major programs stays in the mix. Michigan, Oregon, Miami, Oklahoma and BYU are among the schools pursuing the four-star prospect, who has drawn attention for his versatility and the kind of upside that makes every conversation feel meaningful this early in the process.
BYU, though, has had a head start in a battle that could matter plenty to the Cougars down the line. The staff has kept steady contact with Tua'one and built on an early relationship that has helped keep the program in the conversation as he weighs his options. With so many national powers pushing hard, the question now is whether that familiarity can hold up as the recruiting race starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]