The final 247Sports recruiting rankings for the 2025 class revealed on Wednesday featured little surprise at the top. Kansas signee Darryn Peterson finished as the No. 1-ranked player. He was followed closely by BYU signee AJ Dybantsa, Duke signee Cameron Boozer (the son of former Duke All-American Carlos Boozer), Tennessee signee Nate Ament and Arkansas signee Darius Acuff to round out the top five.
The 2026 NBA Draft may be over 13 months away, but the race for the lottery, particularly the No. 1 overall pick, is officially on. Peterson, Dybantsa and Boozer all have an early case to go No. 1 next summer. The 2025-26 college basketball season will go a long way toward determining the final pecking order.
Former Duke star Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 overall pick for the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, was once part of the 2025 recruiting class before he reclassified to play college basketball a full year early. Flagg has been projected to go No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft since.
More: Final rankings for 2025 class defined by top three of Darryn Peterson, AJ Dybantsa, and Cameron Boozer
Those three players, Peterson, Dybantsa, and Boozer, won’t be the only impactful players in a loaded incoming class. Acuff headlines Arkansas’ 2025 recruiting class that second-year Razorbacks coach John Calipari is bringing in, while Kiyan Anthony — the son of former NBA star Carmelo Anthony — will look to carry on his father’s legacy at Syracuse this season.
Here are eight freshmen to watch during the 2025-26 season.
Darryn Peterson, Kansas
Final ranking: No. 1
Peterson spent most of the recruiting cycle ranked behind Dybansta before jumping to the No. 1 spot for good last month. Kansas coach Bill Self has been very candid about Peterson, calling him the “best player” he has recruited since joining the program in 2003.
Kansas has had no shortage of stars during Self’s tenure, but Peterson’s addition comes at an inflection point for the program. Kansas has failed to make it out of the first weekend of the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons. Houston just reached the national title game and has won back-to-back regular-season conference titles. Peterson can change a lot for Kansas. He’s an elite scorer and one of the best guard prospects of the modern era. If this clicks, Peterson is more than capable of bringing Kansas back to the biggest stage.
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Final ranking: No. 2
There is no program in the country on a more rapid rise than BYU under second-year coach Kevin Young. The Cougars have become one of the biggest players in the NIL market. That is illustrated perfectly by Dybansta joining the program alongside former Baylor star sophomore Robert Wright lll, who landed a $3M NIL deal in Provo.
At 6-foot-9, 210 pounds, Dybansta is the prototype wing for the modern NBA. Dybansta can create his own shot in bunches while applying pressure around the rim. Dybansta should be considered the early frontrunner to hear his name first in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Cameron Boozer, Duke
Final ranking: No. 3
Duke has the luxury of replacing Flagg with another blue-chip prospect. Boozer, the son of former NBA legend Carlos Boozer, is coming to Duke alongside his brother, Cayden Boozer.
The Miami, Fla., native is one of the most accomplished high school basketball players from his recruiting class. Boozer is a terrific rebounder and willing passer. Boozer will be in the starting lineup on opening night for the Blue Devils this fall and should be the frontrunner to win ACC Freshman of the Year.
Darius Acuff Jr., Arkansas
Final ranking: No. 5
Calipari’s track record of developing elite guards dates back to his time at Memphis. That success translated to his next stop at Kentucky and should carry over to Arkansas, too. Arkansas star Boogie Fland should become the latest guard to get drafted.
With Fland testing the NBA Draft waters, Acuff should be in line to start at point guard this season for the Razorbacks. The IMG Academy product is the top-ranked point guard in his recruiting class. As 247Sports Director of Scouting Adam Finkelstein notes in his scouting report, Acuff has a great feel for how to play the pick-and-roll game.
Final ranking: No. 6
Brown is the highest-ranked player to commit to Louisville in the modern recruiting era. The 6-foot-3 point guard is the second-ranked player at his position in the 2025 recruiting class, and his addition is a monumental win for second-year coach Pat Kelsey.
Brown, a McDonald’s All-American, should be in line to play a significant role for a Louisville team with national title aspirations. The Cardinals have been busy this offseason making key additions via the transfer portal, but no newcomer on the roster will have a chance to impact the ceiling of this team like Brown will.
Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
Final ranking: No. 14
Yessoufou is one of my favorite players from this recruiting class. Baylor coach Scott Drew has done an incredible job of developing one-and-done talent in recent years, and Yessoufou has a chance to be next. Baylor star VJ Edgecombe is projected to be the highest-drafted player in program history this summer, and Yessoufou looks on his way to becoming a future first-round pick.
The 6-foot-6 forward is an incredible athlete. If Yessoufou gets to his spots more consistently at the college level, his ceiling will be sky-high. I’m not comparing him to Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, but there are some similarities in the way both players move with the ball in their hands.
Shelton Henderson, Miami
Final ranking: No. 25
New Miami coach Jai Lucas played a significant role in Henderson signing with Duke. When Lucas left for the vacant job at Miami, it didn’t take long for Henderson to follow. Henderson signed with Miami less than a week after he backed off his pledge to Duke.
With Henderson joining the Hurricanes, his chances of being more impactful during his freshman season went up drastically. Henderson would’ve likely had a role off the bench if he stayed committed to Duke. Henderson should start and play significant minutes for Miami this upcoming season. This is the perfect partnership.
Kiyan Anthony, Syracuse
Final ranking: No. 32
It’s unlikely the younger Anthony will replicate the success his father had during one of the greatest one-and-done seasons in college basketball history. Still, the 6-foot-5 guard should have a chance to impact winning for a program that has fallen on tough times in recent years.
The Orange have missed the NCAA Tournament in four consecutive seasons. This could be a make-or-break year for coach Adrian Autry. Anthony is a skilled shotmaker capable of being a primary option on offense. His upcoming season at Syracuse will be one to monitor.
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