Did Rosario, Mbiya Additions Boost National Perception of Kansas?

Bill Self added Paul Mbiya and Kohl Rosario to Kansas' roster last month, but national rankings remain split on what it means for the Jayhawks' outlook.

Jan 11, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Bill Self works the sideline against the Cincinnati Bearcats in the second half at Fifth Third Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

The Kansas Jayhawks made a pair of thrilling recruiting additions last month after Bill Self hit a brick wall in the middle of the offseason.

Reclassified sharpshooting guard Kohl Rosario and Congolese big man Paul Mbiya pledged to KU a day apart from each other, giving the Jayhawks much-needed depth in the frontcourt and backcourt.

While both players bring exciting upside, they are far from finished products.

Kansas is entering the 2025-26 campaign with one of its youngest rotations in recent memory and very few proven options on the roster.

So the question is, did the additions of Rosario and Mbiya actually improve how people view the Jayhawks, or is the jury still out on Self and his squad? These updated rankings paint a mixed picture:

USA Today Rankings: No. 17 Before, No. 21 After

USA Today dropped KU from No. 17 to No. 21 in its latest poll, though it had not updated its rankings since April and was reacting to the Jayhawks' entire offseason.

Therefore, the change should be taken with a grain of salt, as it took into account all of the program's transfer portal misses rather than its recent momentum.

On3 Rankings: No. 17 Before, No. 14 After

On3 had a far more positive outlook, bumping Kansas up three spots from No. 17 to No. 14 after the signings.

The Jayhawks jumped UConn, BYU, and Tennessee in the process, showing that some outlets believe in the ceiling of this team led by incoming freshman Darryn Peterson.

Rothstein 45: No. 32 Before, No. 32 After

Jon Rothstein did not move Kansas at all in the Rothstein 45, keeping them ranked at No. 32 following the recruiting moves.

At the end of the day, adding two unproven freshmen was not going to immediately sway the media. That does not mean Rosario and Mbiya will not become high-impact players in Lawrence, but it will likely take them some time to settle in.