CBS Sports ranked Kansas men’s basketball star freshman Darryn Peterson as the second-best player in the country. Peterson headlines the three-horse freshman race for the No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick between him, AJ Dybantsa of BYU and Cameron Boozer of Duke. 

Peterson was the highest-ranked of the star freshmen trio at No. 2, with Boozer coming in at No. 4 and Dybantsa right behind him at No. 5. CBS Sports writer Matt Norlander backs up Peterson’s high expectations. 

“The Canton, Ohio, product is the most anticipated freshman Bill Self has ever coached, thanks in part to Self saying multiple times in recent months that he's never had a freshman as good as Peterson,” Norlander wrote. “High praise and big words. All of it seems justified.”

In Peterson’s first game action, he lived up to the expectations and even exceeded them in some capacity. He finished with 26 points on 9-15 shooting (6-10 from 3) in Friday's exhibition win against Louisville. This was also with limited playing time in the second half due to cramps. Peterson did not play in Kansas’ Tuesday night exhibition over Fort Hays State because he was not feeling well due to a bug and some cramping. 

The only player ahead of Peterson is veteran Purdue guard Braden Smith. Peterson’s teammate, center Flory Bidunga, was the only other Jayhawk in the Top 100 list, coming in at No. 44. Kansas has wrapped up exhibition play and will tip off the season against Green Bay on Monday, Nov. 3. Tip-off from Allen Fieldhouse is set for 7 p.m. (Central), and the game will be televised on ESPN+.