Darryn Peterson has such a tantalizing assortment of skills that will almost surely make the Kansas Jayhawks one-and-done guard a top-four pick in the 2026 NBA Draft -- and potentially as high as No. 1 overall.
But there is at least one number that makes things worrying, particularly in the context of the injury-plagued season Peterson just had at KU.
Peterson's vertical leap at the NBA Draft Combine was 31.5 inches. That's not particularly great for a high-end perimeter player in the league.
It's also less than New England Patriots offensive tackle Will Campbell had at the 2025 NFL Combine before the Pats made him the No. 4 pick out of LSU.
Campbell is 319 pounds, and he vertical leaped 32 inches.
Will Campbell is 6'6" and weighs 319 pounds.
He logged a higher standing vertical than Darryn Peterson 😅 pic.twitter.com/5WKL0azeRf
— Underdog (@Underdog) May 13, 2026
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Maybe this really should just be giving props to Campbell, who is full of promising traits and will just have to put it all together to make a long-term difference for the Pats.
But for any team considering Peterson, it's something worth considering. Is his lower-level athleticism something that he will grow out of as he becomes healthier? Or is he always going to be a bit lacking in that department?
Even if Peterson never jumps higher than this, he can still be a high-end NBA player. It's just one of those things that is concerning enough to keep everyone wondering at least a little bit.
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