New KU Jayhawks Q&A examines 2026-27 hoops roster + Melvin Council’s draft stock
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Darryn Peterson is expected to be a top-2 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.
- Council and White are projected as undrafted free agents or late second-round picks.
- Council and White were brought in by the Washington Wizards for workouts.
As the 2026 NBA Draft approaches, the most talked-about Kansas Jayhawks player is Darryn Peterson.
That’s no surprise.
Peterson is expected to be a top-two pick in the June 23-24 draft. I wrote about everything I’ve heard from NBA sources regarding Peterson last week.
There are two other Jayhawks who could be drafted: Melvin Council and Tre White. Both are projected as late second-round picks or undrafted free agents who figure to find teams.
According to a source close to the situation, both players were brought in by the Washington Wizards for workouts. Taking a closer look at some of Peterson’s KU teammates makes a ton of sense.
The number one question scouts ask me is how Peterson is viewed by his teammates. NBA teams want to know how those around him felt about Peterson as his single season at KU was being marred by injuries and inconsistent play.
Where Council and White end up next depends on many factors. A source recently told The Star that Council looked “great” at the workout and that he was doing, “really, really good.”
Per that same source, Council’s interview with the that team was “OK, not great.”
Anyway, where all the 2025-26 KU players end up in their next chapter of hoops will soon become apparent. The NBA Draft is less than three weeks away. As a reminder, it is taking place in Brooklyn, New York.
With that, let’s jump into another Kansas Jayhawks Q&A. Thanks, as always, for the questions …
How often will all three of KU’s QBs be used in the same game? Gotta think AK is going to run both the wildcat and two QB plays in games? @theblakemc
We could see some wild things from KU’s offense this fall. From what I’ve heard, recently returned offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has had the team lining up in a lot of different looks.
I absolutely expect to see some wildcat and plays with two quarterbacks this season. And I wouldn’t be surprised if that sort of alignment is used in high-leverage situations.
Who else is Coach Self looking at in the portal and realistically, who can we afford at this point? @derekho23
Candidly, I have not heard any specific names of late. But Kansas has two scholarship spots open.
Coach Bill Self recently indicated KU will add to its roster.
“Do I think we are done with significant roster changes? Probably,” he said. “We still have a couple of guys left to bring in, but can we get a steal? Absolutely. We will try to do that, but the reality of it is the big plays have been done for the most part, I think.”
I wouldn’t be surprised if, by the end of the month, the Jayhawks have picked up a younger player they can develop.
Who’s going to be the starting qb? @mark40786525052
This might be the question I hear most often right now. The answer is still this: It’s very much an open competition, with Cole Ballard having a slight edge.
The battle remains very close. I expect the competition to extend into training camp before we find out coach Lance Leipold’s starter for 2026.
Ballard has done a great job of learning KU’s playbook and has the best arm of those competing for the job. That said, sources note that Isaiah Marshall has improved since last season.
Marshall seen as the best of the trio when it comes to moving the football with his legs.
But we can’t forget about Chase Jenkins, who missed much of spring practice with an injury and still came on late. He was taking some first-team reps by the end of spring ball.
Lance has been pretty nonchalant about the importance of beating K-State or Mizzou. Does he need to change that so he can finally beat a rival? @theblakemc
I do think that caring more about rivalry games could help the Jayhawks.
I understand the case for downplaying such games, but there really should be more hype surrounding showdowns with particularly high interest.
That said, winning rivalry games starts with playing better on the field. That should be Kansas’ first and foremost priority.
This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 12:39 PM.
