The Utah Jazz enter the 2026 NBA Draft holding the No. 2 overall pick, and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects them to land Kansas guard Darryn Peterson. The selection would pair Peterson alongside Keyonte George, Utah’s breakout second-year guard, as the Jazz continue to build around youth under CEO Danny Ainge.

Peterson, a 6’6″ freshman who was the consensus No. 1 recruit out of high school, saw his draft stock become murkier during a complicated season at Kansas that was described publicly as “bizarre” by some evaluators. Still, Wasserman argues his NBA combine performance allayed lingering concerns — he moved and shot well enough to avoid any new red flags, posting efficient results in shooting drills and avoiding medical issues that could have soured evaluators.

The case for Peterson centers on his off-ball scoring, shooting range, and defensive quickness, qualities that even AJ Dybantsa doesn’t possess in the same combination. Peterson shot 38.2 percent from three at Kansas on high volume, a substantial leap from his prep numbers, and his lateral quickness tests suggest plus-level defensive potential at the NBA level. Wasserman calls his bankable selling points “off-ball scoring, shooting range, and defensive quickness.”

CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein agrees with the Peterson projection for Utah, noting that Peterson would complement Keyonte George well given both players’ on-and-off-ball versatility. The fit is coherent: Peterson can thrive as a secondary creator without demanding the ball at all times, which matters when sharing the floor with a guard who had a breakout season in 2025-26. Finkelstein specifically calls Peterson “a perfect fit next to Keyonte George.”

Tankathon’s model also projects Peterson to Utah at No. 2. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor Mock Draft 6.0 is in agreement, making Peterson to Utah the near-universal consensus for this pick across all four major outlets. The only meaningful divergence involves trade scenarios — some evaluators believe Utah could explore trading the pick down if they prefer a longer-term rebuild timeline.

The opportunity cost for Utah at No. 2 is Cameron Boozer, the Duke forward Wasserman projects third to Memphis. Boozer, a 6’9″ freshman and 2026 College Basketball Player of the Year, offers a nearly unmatched physical profile with bulk, ball-handling, and playmaking ability. His father Carlos Boozer works in Utah’s front office as a scout. However, Ainge is expected to evaluate both players purely on their merits, and Peterson’s athleticism and creation ability at the guard spot give him the edge here.

Caleb Wilson, projected fourth to Chicago, is the other significant opportunity cost. Wilson, a 6’10” North Carolina freshman, impressed scouts with open-floor ball-handling, mid-range scoring, and defensive range. Some front office members privately prefer Wilson to Boozer, but Peterson’s superior burst and on-ball juice make him the stronger fit for a Jazz rebuild centered on pace and shooting.

Utah is in full build mode — the Jazz finished 22-60 in 2025-26 and have assembled a young core that includes George, Walker Kessler, and a 2025 class headlined by Ace Bailey. Peterson would immediately become the best player on this roster with genuine franchise upside. His ability to function in catch-and-shoot situations while also running pick-and-rolls makes him one of the most versatile players in this class to build around at the guard position.

Utah has just one pick in this draft, making No. 2 all the more consequential. This is the Jazz’s single opportunity to meaningfully build on what’s already in place. Landing the highest-ceiling guard in the class with the clearest path to stardom makes the franchise’s next chapter significantly brighter — and Peterson’s profile as a scoring guard who can defend gives Utah a blueprint for competing sooner than most rebuilds allow.

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Darryn Peterson
CBS Sports	Darryn Peterson
Tankathon	Darryn Peterson
Yahoo Sports	Darryn Peterson