Arkansas guard Darius Acuff has significantly boosted his NBA draft stock with his recent play, including a strong showing during the NCAA Tournament, according to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line.
While Kansas guard Darryn Peterson is still widely viewed as the top guard in the 2026 draft class and a likely top-three pick, Fischer reports that some teams are becoming “increasingly torn” between the two prospects.
A few organizations currently have Acuff ranked ahead of Peterson, with Arkansas coach John Calipari offering strong praise for his freshman guard.
“Acuff definitely put himself even further on the map,” one veteran college scout told Fischer.
Peterson’s stock presumably dipped a little after an injury-plagued season that led to questions about his availability. Still, one scout told Hoops Wire that “we still have him at No. 1” on the team’s draft board.
“I was hurt for a majority of it,” Peterson said, via Ira Gorawara of The Athletic. “I wasn’t really myself, really, until the end of the year. So I guess whatever people see in these last games is kind of me.”
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