While Kansas has some solid pieces on its roster, the one Jayhawk fans cannot wait to see in the crimson and blue is freshman Tyran Stokes. The Class of 2026's No. 1 overall recruit has incredibly lofty expectations entering his first year in Lawrence. Standing at 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, Stokes is the complete package on both ends of the floor. His athleticism is off the charts, with his high-flying dunks and impressive vertical, but his offensive skill set features several underrated qualities that could make him among the best players in the country. This past season, KU's top weapon was Darryn Peterson, who also happened to be a freshman and the top recruit in his class. That didn't necessarily work out for the Jayhawks, though factors such as his availability and health played a role. Stokes may not be a one-man band with his supporting cast, but he'll need to perform at a superstar level for KU to have a successful 2026-27 campaign. Just how good could the former Rainier Beach High School star be?CBS Sports analysts Gary Parrish and Matt Norlander recently surveyed approximately 100 anonymous Division I college coaches, asking them who they believe will be the best player in the country this season. The overwhelming answer was Florida forward Thomas Haugh (43%), but Stokes was a name several coaches mentioned as well. Mar 30, 2026; Goodyear, AZ, USA; Tyran Stokes during the McDonalds All American Jam Fest at Millennium High School. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect"If he lives up to expectations, the 6-8 wing should be the next one-and-done top-five pick to emerge from Hall of Fame coach Bill Self's program, joining the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Darryn Peterson, Josh Jackson, Thomas Robinson and 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid," Norlander and Parrish wrote."But to win NPOY, as our poll indicates, Stokes will have to out-perform more-experienced projected first-round picks like Haugh, UConn's Braylon Mullins, Arizona's Motiejus Krivas and Duke's Dame Sarr, all of whom received votes and are on teams expected to compete for the national championship," they continued.According to the poll, Stokes has the fifth-best chance to be the top player in the country at 5%, trailing Haugh, Jeremy Fears Jr., Tyler Tanner, and David Mirkovic. At the very least, this would put Stokes in First-Team All-American conversations and potentially the Wooden Award discussion as well. There's no doubt that considerable pressure is being placed on Stokes given the expectations on him as a freshman. Some players embrace the kind of hype he's getting, while others get overwhelmed by it. We don't know what version of Stokes we'll see, as he experienced plenty of ups and downs at the high school level. When he's at his best, he's utterly unstoppable and can take over a game single-handedly. However, many coaches have admitted that he needs to work on his maturity during games when things don’t go his way. Either way, if opposing NCAA coaches believe Stokes could be among the nation's best talents this year, KU should be in good hands.Check out the KCSN official website and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest KU basketball and football news.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow