The Tuesday after the lads’s faculty basketball championship might as properly be referred to as some variation of “Way Too Early Day,” as publications across the nation already sit up for how next season might pan out, even because the switch portal will extensively reshape groups over the next few weeks and months.
BYU, as has been well-chronicled, entered the 2025-26 season with extremely excessive hopes and had been delivering on these hopes the primary half of the season earlier than largely crumbling down the stretch and dropping within the first spherical of the NCAA Tournament.
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So how are prognosticators feeling a couple of 2026-27 Cougars group that may virtually absolutely be dropping its two greatest gamers from this season in AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders, in addition to beginning heart Keba Keita?
Seldom-used massive man Xavion Staton has already introduced his intention to switch.
Eleven nationwide shops launched way-too-early rankings both late Monday after the title sport or on Tuesday. Of these, seven have BYU of their top-25 rankings and 4 don’t.
Longtime faculty basketball analyst Seth Davis’ rankings have the Cougars at No. 13, whereas Jon Rothstein has them sneaking in at No. 25. The remaining 5 have BYU ranked between No. 15 and No. 22.
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Some of the varied publications have written blurbs about every group ranked, whereas others simply have groups listed or notes about projected rotations.
Like a number of publications, Davis highlighted incoming elite freshman Bruce Branch III as a motive to be excited in regards to the Cougars next season, writing “Branch is not quite as good as Dybantsa, but he is a one-and-done talent who will make an instant impact.”
Others famous query marks about level guard Robert Wright III doubtlessly departing and the necessity for BYU to get higher within the frontcourt.
Wrote Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, “… if Robert Wright III comes back to join third-generation forces with Bruce Branch III, the Cougars should still be in darn good shape.”
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Here’s a rundown of the place all 11 publications have BYU ranked: