Top draft boards favor Kansas guard Darryn Peterson to provide the perimeter creation Utah craves, though elite prospects AJ Dybantsa and Cameron Boozer remain in the mix.
With the calendar turning to June and the 2026 NBA Draft just over two weeks away, the national conversation around the Utah Jazz’s No. 2 pick continues to be magnified. The latest Mock Draft Monday from the Jazz compiled projections from major outlets, and while the order at the top remains fluid, a clear trend has emerged as most analysts expect Utah to select Kansas guard Darryn Peterson.
The class is widely viewed as one of the strongest in recent years. As draft analyst Ben Pfeifer noted, the top group features “three franchise‑cornerstone, MVP‑ceiling level prospects,” referring to AJ Dybantsa, Peterson and Cameron Boozer, with BYU’s Caleb Wilson rounding out the expected top four. The order in which they are drafted, however, remains up in the air.
Across ESPN, The Athletic, The Ringer, Yahoo Sports and Bleacher Report, Peterson is the projected Jazz selection. The reasoning is that he fits Utah’s roster, addresses a long‑standing need for perimeter creation and carries one of the highest ceilings in the class.
ESPN called Peterson “a clean fit” for Utah and highlighted his desire to play point guard at the next level, a role he would have the opportunity to grow into with the Jazz. The Athletic emphasized his shot‑making, noting he averaged 20.2 points on strong efficiency despite injuries and limited spacing at Kansas.
The Ringer went further, calling Peterson “the most talented player in this class,” while Yahoo Sports praised his blend of size, fluidity and defensive impact. Bleacher Report framed the decision as a likely choice between Peterson and Boozer if Dybantsa goes No. 1, but still leaned toward Peterson as the cleaner roster fit.
CBS Sports offered the lone outlier, projecting AJ Dybantsa to Utah. Their reasoning was that if Washington passes on him, his scoring upside is too strong for the Jazz to overlook. Dybantsa was the most productive scorer in college basketball and as a result, remains a legitimate candidate to go first overall.
The Jazz are evaluating three elite prospects, and Pfeifer reinforced that “you can’t go wrong” with any of them. His personal lean was Peterson, citing elite movement shooting, defensive dominance and untapped passing upside. But he also noted that Will Hardy would likely covet Boozer’s passing and versatility, while Dybantsa’s size and scoring fill a clear need.
The national picture is clear, and while Peterson is the consensus projection, the Jazz remain in position to land a franchise‑level talent regardless of how the top of the draft unfolds.
