Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
-
Paul Biancardi
Multiple authors
The 2026 prospect class initially looked a little weak, especially compared to the star-studded 2024 and 2025 classes — Cooper Flagg, AJ Dybants, Cameron Boozer etc. But this year’s crop of high school seniors has finally turned into a formidable group, with the help of some timely reclassification. Bruce Branch III And Babatunde Oladotun.
Now comes the natural question: How does this class stack up against the group just before it?
To find out, we created a position-by-position comparison of the top players in the 2026 and 2025 recruiting classes, weighing high school track records, long-term projections — and, in the case of the 2025 class, early college returns.
The result: While the 2026 class offers plenty of upside, the 2025 group holds the edge for now, with both proven production and top talent already translating to the next level. That said, 2026 has a chance to win.
Player Ranking:
Final 2026 SC Next 100 | 2027 SC next 60 | 2028 SC next 25
2026: Jason Crowe (Missouri)
Crowe is California’s all-time leading high school scorer, with 4,718 career points. He also broke Jayson Tatum’s hoops single game record with 48 points this winter. Needless to say, he is an elite scorer with an exceptional knack for taking his shots from anywhere at any time. His next challenge? Learning to blend his scoring-oriented game with a team structure at Missouri. Dennis Gates will put him in charge of the ball and the team from day one.
2025: Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas)
A Detroit native, Acuff flashed his ability to take over games while at IMG Academy in Florida and was a high-volume scoring machine on the Nike EYBL circuit. He could beat defenders off the dribble and with his jumper and flashy playmaking ability. He became a more complete guard under John Calipari last season, answering questions about his shot selection, maturity and willingness to trust his teammates. He averaged 23.5 points and 6.4 assists, earning SEC Freshman of the Year honors, leading the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 and moving into the top half of NBA draft projections.
edge: get
Crowe and Acuff are both esteemed scoring point guards and have enough vision to help elite shotmakers. But Acuff has already translated his game to the college level with elite production and efficiency while handling primary playmaking duties (48% shooting overall, 44% on 3s and 80% on free throws).
2026: Jordan Smith (Arkansas)
Few high schoolers can compete with Smith’s track record of wins throughout the high school, summer circuit and USA Basketball games. He projects as an immediate defensive contributor for Calipari, with a developed offensive game focused on physicality at the point of attack and impressive rebounding for his position. Offensively, Smith’s aggressive mindset helps him draw fouls and finish through contact, and his perimeter jump shot should only get better in college. His two-pronged tenacity is hard to beat.
2025: Darrin Peterson (Kansas)
Peterson was unstoppable against elite competition as a high school student at Prolific Prep (Calif.). His scoring carried over to Kansas, where he averaged 20.2 points and turned in some high-profile individual performances, including 32 points at home against TCU and 28 points against California Baptist in the NCAA Tournament. When he was available to play, Peterson was both dominant and efficient. His size, shooting range, handle and high-level free throw shooting should make him a top pick in the NBA draft.
edge: Peterson
At 6-foot-6, Peterson’s positional size is hard to beat. His combination of shooting, scoring and flawless execution on ball screen action — which he does with supreme confidence.
2026: Tyrann Stokes (Kansas)
Stokes likes to facilitate and his passing is the best part of his game. His size, strength and strength allow him to rack up flashy free throw totals — and he makes them at a 75% clip. He is a skilled 3-point shooter and has an impressive basketball IQ. Add it all up, and it suggests a very bright future in college and beyond. And, if all goes according to plan, he’ll be the No. 1 pick in the 2027 NBA draft
2025: AJ Dybants (BYU)
Divantsa is the ideal small forward. He is explosive and covers tons of ground with long strides. He is adept at creating his own shots with the ball in his hands or using ball screens to free himself up for shots. But the versatile Divanta also enjoys creating drama for others. He led the nation in scoring last season (25.3 points per game) and averaged 29.8 points over his last five college outings. He chipped in nearly seven rebounds per game while shooting 51% overall. He’s the No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.
edge: Divantasa
This one was close. Stokes and Debantsa were once teammates in high school and on the traveling circuit. Both were number one in their respective recruiting classes. But Dybantsa is the projected No. 1 pick in one of the best drafts in recent memory, so he wins.
2026: Cameron Williams (Duke)
Williams has the tools that NBA teams covet in big men. He can knock down 3-pointers and take opponents off the bat with a 7-2 wingspan at 6-11. Defensively, he is a shot-blocking rim protector. His strength and finishing ability will only get better as he adds strength and learns to play less of his position. He will play a key role for Duke and, given time to develop, could blossom into a lottery draft pick.
2025: Cameron Boozer (Duke)
Boozer is one of the most accomplished high school players. He won both the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the AP National Player of the Year, then carried that momentum into his freshman season at Duke, where he made his presence, production and potential felt in nearly every game. He has a great mix of multilevel scoring, playmaking and rebounding, and his processing ability to make split-second decisions benefits him on both ends of the floor. His style of play is conducive to winning and will make him a high lottery pick and great long-term NBA player
edge: drinker
Along with his physical makeup, accomplishments and talent, Boozer is exceptional in two important traits that set him apart from Williams and his peers: competitiveness and coachability.
2026: Tony Bryant (Missouri)
Bryant ended his high school career on a high note, improving as a catch-and-shoot 3-point shooter and performing well throughout McDonald’s All American Week. Overall, he is a force in the paint and a dominant shot blocker and rebounder. Bryant’s defensive impact is graded at an elite level, according to Cerebro Sports, and offensively he’s averaging 22.6 points and converting 62% of his shots. He has a promising future in Missouri and beyond.
2025: Chris Cenac Jr. (Houston)
Cenac was an outstanding vertical threat and rebounder in high school. He often overwhelmed opponents with superior athleticism, speed, explosiveness and mobility. The 6-11, 240-pounder was integral to Houston’s success inside the arc, averaging 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds on 48% shooting. He also showed he’s capable of stretching out to the 3-point line, where he made 30 triples (33.3%) on the season. Cenac will be a first round draft pick.
edge: Bryant
The 6-9 Bryant has the length, size and explosive tools to become an immediate factor as a rim runner, finisher and defensive anchor at Missouri. He projects as a center in the NBA, and as his face-up game develops more consistency, his production will take a step forward.
