Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Is Kansas BUILDING Toward 2027? Analyzing Transfer Portal Additions & Potential Depth Chart

Starting point is 00:00:00 You might be building it toward 2027 on the gridiron. We're going to break that down and project the latest depth chart for KU after the wild transfer portal that was. You are locked on Jayhawks, your daily podcast on the Kansas Jayhawks, part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. How's it going, Derek Johnson with Locked on Jayhawks? Thanks for making it your first every day. And thank you for making locked on the number one. one sports podcast network. On today's episode of the show,

Starting point is 00:00:38 we're breaking down KU football's transfer portal editions and why I think it almost looks like Kansas is obviously trying to be more competitive in 2026, but really building toward 2027. We'll also update our projected depth chart for both the offensive and defensive side of the ball for the Jayhawks.

Starting point is 00:00:55 Let's start right here. KU, after all their transfer portal editions, I have them at 88 scholarship players at this point in time, and you could probably give or take or die. or two based on, I don't know, walk-ons earning a scholarship or something. But for the most part, probably around there. And based on that number, if you look at the roster breakdown for KU football, you have 18 true freshmen, 14 redshirt freshmen, two true sophomores, 11 redshirt

Starting point is 00:01:25 sophomores, four true juniors, 20 redshirt juniors, two true seniors, 17 redshirt seniors. So you total it all up. 32 freshmen, 13 sophomores, 24 juniors, 19 seniors. And the claim of me saying, hey, I think they're building it toward, you know, more 2027. Obviously, they're building to try to be better in 2026 and trying to make it back to a bowl. But to me, this feels like a roster that you have brought in via the portal to kind of have a two-year window here, not just be a one-year thing. And obviously, that can be something that is a bit of a risk because you never know with the transfer portal, guys that you bring in who have multiple years. might only end up spending one year at your school anyway and transferring off to somewhere else.

Starting point is 00:02:07 But you look at a lot of the additions made by KU. There are a lot of juniors in that class. You go to the quarterback position, Chase Jenkins, the addition you made from Rice, he is a redshirt junior. You look at the running back position. Dylan Edwards, he seen Willis, both either juniors or Redshirt Jr. Nick McMillan can be a Redshirt Jr. If he gets another year back down the road. You look at the offensive line additions.

Starting point is 00:02:28 They had Nick Morrow and Connor Stroh, both Redshirt Juniors. Even Cason Carpenter is a Redshirt Jr. On the defense side of the ball, he added David Santiago, Redshirt Jr. You added Eamon Smalls, Redshirt Jr. You added Jibril Condé from the D2 level, Redshirt Jr., right? You keep going down the list. Quincy Davis at the linebacker position, Redshirt Jr. So I guess Christian Pritchett is a junior as well.

Starting point is 00:02:53 And obviously there's a lot of seniors that you added to, and then a few guys sprinkled in who maybe are like Redshirt freshman or sophomores or something. but that is a lot of junior additions for KU to a roster that already had a big or decent size junior class. And where I noticed it the most, I think is specifically on the lines of scrimmage. And this is where it's interesting too. Like I just went over some of those numbers and was like, okay, if you're basing it off those scholarship numbers, actually the biggest class is freshmen, but some of those will filter out and transfer eventually. But 32 freshmen, 13 sophomores, 24 juniors, 19 seniors.

Starting point is 00:03:27 Again, there's not a big split between the juniors and the seniors. What if we just look at the two deep? Now, this is just based off my projected two deep, which will probably be wrong at a couple spots, probably more than a couple spots, but wrong at several spots. So there's going to be a few changes here there, but just based on what I have on the two deep, I have basically, I don't know, 20 juniors on the two deep. if you're looking at, I guess this is if you're counting the specialists as well. So like if you're counting the specialist, the kicker punter, and the long snapper, I have three freshmen on there. One's the true freshman with Matthew Gill, the punter.

Starting point is 00:04:07 So that would take care of that. And then I have a couple of redshirt freshmen potentially on the two deep here, which we'll get into that when we project the depth chart. Eight players who are sophomores, so the redshirt sophomore, true sophomores on the two deep. 20 players who are juniors and 16 players who are seniors. So again, you get the biggest class there is the juniors. But again, it's tough to say definitively they're building to 2027 when the difference between the junior class and the senior class is 20 compared to 16.

Starting point is 00:04:35 Where I think you really start to see the split is the projected starters here. Because among my projected starters, I have 13 juniors and eight seniors. And that also takes into account, like, again, if I'm projecting out the entire starters, I'm not just, I'm also counting the specialists. If we discount the specialists, then I have 13 juniors and seven seniors among the list of the 11 offensive and 11 defensive starters for my projected starters. And it's especially something that rings true, like I was saying, on that offensive line. Nick Morrow, Calvin Clements, Amir Herring, Connor, Cason, Carpenter, Tivoc, Tuico Lobatu. I think those are your top six offensive linemen,

Starting point is 00:05:21 the guys who are going to be either starters or in competition to start. All of them are redshirt juniors. I mean, the offensive side of the ball in general, right? Like if Cole Ballard or Chase Jenkins ends up winning the quarterback job, their redshirt juniors too, I mentioned the two running backs. I mentioned Nick McMillan, who's probably going to be your number one receiver. Keaton in Quebec is a redshirt junior, right? This is potentially a very big class.

Starting point is 00:05:41 And there's other redshirt juniors on the offensive line. too with guy like Antonio Wilson. Those are kind of your main ones. And it kind of rings through a little bit on the defensive line, too. Like David Santiago could potentially start. Leroy Harris will probably be a starter. He'll be a junior. Blake Harold's a Redshirt Jr.

Starting point is 00:05:56 Eamon Small is a Redshirt Jr. Real Condé is a Redshirt Jr. And then you look at the secondary. You have Jalen Todd as a junior, Joliel Hurley as a Redshirt Jr. Taylor Davis is a Redshirt Jr. So like you go all the way through, this has the potential for Kansas that if they can have that season of

Starting point is 00:06:12 getting back to a bowl game in 2026. You could potentially have a lot of talent back for 27 when you look to not just build on what you did in 2026, but look to exceed it. And it kind of reminds me a little bit of what Kansas did in 2022 and 2023. 2022 was the year that Kansas made it back to a bowl game. They go six and six, then they lose to Arkansas and that crazy Liberty Bowl. But they brought a lot of players back into 2023. And then they make some other good additions in the portal. And boom, they're winning nine games in a season where they easily could have won double-digit games, if not for a few things here or there, injury here, there, whatever.

Starting point is 00:06:53 I think that this is kind of what the staff is looking to do with some of the portal editions. Again, they did make some senior editions. They did some of the junior editions are win now additions too. And obviously they want to get back to a bowl game this year. But it feels like to me they targeted out a little bit of, hey, let's not just try to be better this year. Let's try to give ourselves a two-year runway, a two-year window to get to this thing as well. And then you start taking into account that, okay, the stadium is going to be under construction this year.

Starting point is 00:07:23 Maybe it'll be done by the second year of that kind of window there. Maybe the schedule won't be as difficult in 2027 as it is in 2026. I don't think 2026 is going to be a make or break year for Lance Leipold unless it was an absolute disaster. But I think 2027 would be, like if they go four and eight, this year. I don't think he would get let go. I think the buyout's too big. I think 27 would be the make or break year. So having that two year window, I think makes sense in a lot of different areas and a lot of different discussions here for KU. And I do think that was a little

Starting point is 00:07:54 bit intentional for Kansas. And I don't think it's a bad idea either. All right, let's get to our updated depth charts. We'll start with the offense, move to the defense next. Hi, everyone. I'm Kalia Butler, host of Locked on women's basketball. And this is Mazda's women's basketball snapshot. Celebrating the work no highlight real can ever. capture. The WMBA has released its 2026 schedule featuring a 44 game regular season beginning on Friday, May 8th. The league's historic 30th season includes expansion teams Portland Fire and the Toronto Tempo with opening weekend highlights such as Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever hosting Paige Beckers and the Dallas Wings and a rematch of the 2025 finals between the Aces and the Mercury.

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Starting point is 00:09:31 There's more to a Mazda because there's more to you. Thanks for joining us here on Lockdown Jayhawks. And don't forget you can check out the Everydayer Club as well, where you can get the ad free version of Lockdown Jhawks as well as joining our Discord server. It's locked on podcast.com slash everydayer or check it out in the show notes, Lockdownpodcast.com slash every dayer. All right, we're going to get to our depth chart projection. You know, again, this is tough to do pre-spring ball where you don't get any intel or any

Starting point is 00:10:00 information on how these guys are doing with another year of development. And then there's another summer off season and then fall camp. There's so much in front of you. But as of right now, based on the additions, here's what I have. right? Let's start with the offense. So this one, let's let's rip the bandaid off with the quarterback, right? I think if you were to poll a majority of KU fans, I think a majority would want to see Isaiah Marshall as the starter. And I would be in that group of people. But this is me projecting what the coaching staff is going to do. And I will say this, even though I am in

Starting point is 00:10:33 the camp of like, I'd like to see it be Isaiah Marshall, I have heard some things that throwing isn't as accurate or consistent as you would want. And I am not in the camp that just thinks Cole Ballard like stinks. There's a segment of the fan base that thinks that Cole Ballard's starting would be an indictment on the program. I'm not to that level with it. Again, I'd prefer Marshall to Ballard. I don't think we said necessarily judge the fact that, oh, because Ballard was a former

Starting point is 00:11:03 walk-on and the stats aren't great from his first year when he was a true freshman who came in and had to be thrown into the fire. I mean, he almost won two big 12 games. Like, I think Ballard is probably a little better than people give credit for, but again, I would prefer to be Isaiah Marshall, but, you know, we'll wait and see what happens there. I do think if we look at the history of what this staff prefers, they look at everyday consistency.

Starting point is 00:11:28 And the tie going to the runner, basically, is the tie goes to the veteran. Cole Ballard is a year veteran to Isaiah Marshall. I always point back to this example. Hayden Hatcher started over Austin Booker. No slight against Hayden Hatcher, but Austin Booker was an NFL player or is an NFL player. Hayden Hatcher started over Austin Booker. So if I'm just projecting what I think the staff's going to do, Cole Ballard.

Starting point is 00:11:54 I'm not sleeping on Chase Jenkins, though. Certain things I don't love, but it's hard to tell certain things about some of the stats based on the offense and the scheme that he was in. some similarities to what you had with Jason being coming over. So that's what I have is the third string. But none of those guys would surprise me. Moving to the running back position, this is one where I have a big question mark because I think Dylan Edwards is going to be the guy that it would not surprise me if he's listed as the starter. But if you're guessing who gets the most carries,

Starting point is 00:12:29 I don't know that Edwards would be the answer, right? He might be somebody who you try to give 12 carries to a game, get him involved in the return game, get him involved with some catches. And he's the starter on paper, but it ends up being one of you seen Willis or Jalen Dupree. I think probably the idea for the staff is, hey, let's have Willis be the power guy and Edwards be the lightning guy. But I got to tell you, man, watching some film of Jalen Dupree, I like love his game. And I like Willis's game too.

Starting point is 00:12:57 So I do like all three of these backs. But right now I have Edwards kind of as the one just de facto. I have Willis is the power guy. but I do think all three of those guys will get carries for KU. Then you look at the receiver position. The starters, I have Nick McMillan, which I feel like he's receiver one. I have Kim Pickett as your starting slot. And then the big competition comes down to Keaton, Quebec as a retro junior and

Starting point is 00:13:22 Nasea Cox as a senior. Now, Quebec has the in the program, the veteranship. So, you know, maybe you would lean that way. I do think that Cox was brought in to be that big body. receiver who can make contested catches for you and be a downfield threat, kind of like Quentin Skinner. And I think that's what they wanted Bryson Canty to be. But because Canty didn't join until after Springball and then had an injury in the fall, it just set the whole thing up that it didn't work as well as they hoped. Cox is joining for Springball. And he'll be around for all of that.

Starting point is 00:13:54 So I have Cox as the third starting receiver with Quebec kind of as your fourth. I've Tate Nagy as the backup slot. And then pick and choose one of your young freshman receiver, Jackson Cook, Tyrant Parker, Jada Nickens, Bryson Hayes, like one of these guys that can be the sixth receiver essentially on the two deep for KU. Tight ends, I basically view this as co-starters. KU plays enough two tight ends. I'm going to say Carson, Brun and Carter Moses are both starters. Brun, you're blocking tight end, Moses, more of your receiving tight end. And then the guys behind it would then be Layton Kier who comes back for another year in the program and Jalen Butler. Now, I do think Curen Butler are going to have a chance to beat out Moses and who knows how the recovery from injury goes for Carson Brune.

Starting point is 00:14:39 But that would be how I'd be that right now. On the offensive line, I think, you know, Calvin Clements played left tackle for you this past year. But the fact you brought in Nick Morrow, who has played, who has started all his games at left tackle for Cal tells me they're going to move Clements to right tackle, right? Who knows? Maybe you do move Morrow to right tackle, but then why wouldn't you just go out into the portal and grab a right? tackle because this is just an estimation, but I know this is how it works in the NFL. Typically, left tackles get paid more than right tackles. That is something that's starting to change a little in the NFL with guys like, I don't

Starting point is 00:15:13 know, Mitchell Schwartz and Lane Johnson and stuff like that. For the most part, left tackles get paid more. And I feel like that's probably how it works on the portal too, just in general, right? There's probably exceptions to the role. So I think to me that signals more probably your left tackle. Then you move Clements to the right side of the offensive line. The big competition to me becomes who will be the backup swing tackle and who will be the combination of starting interior linemen. Amir Herring had a really good season for KU.

Starting point is 00:15:41 He's going to start. The question is, will he start at guard or will he start at center? Then you look at how that affects Kaysen Carpenter. Kaysen Carpenter, former starter at Tulsa, started a game or two for Oklahoma State, was a backup. If Herring's a guard, Carpenter's a center. And it's one of those things where it's like, if Carpenter plays. really well, you keep Herring at Guard. If Carpenter's struggling, you move Herring to

Starting point is 00:16:04 center and say, okay, now at the guard spot, we're going to be Connor Stroh, Tabaki, Tuukolovatu, James Livingston, and Amir Herring, right? But if Herring's moving to center, then it comes down to Livingston, Stro, Tuikolovatu, for two spots between those three guys. And I think Stro and Tuikovatu would be the favorites there.

Starting point is 00:16:22 Then you look at the battle for the swing tackle spot. Jack Tanner, Antonio Wilson, like, maybe a guy like David Abagian or DeAndre Haram. Parker could play guard or tackle potentially. So I think they need to figure out kind of the backup lineman. I feel good about the top six. Morrow Clemens, Herring, Stro, Carpenter, Tuico, Lovatu.

Starting point is 00:16:40 Maybe you feel good about the seventh with Livingston, with how long he's been in the program and being an older player developing on the offensive line. But they need to figure out swing tackle. They need to figure out is Herring guard or center to start for you? And like I said, I think that just comes down to this. Between Case and Carpenter, Connor, Stro, and Tavaki, Tuiko, Levatu. Which of those three are your two best? If your two best are Stro and Tuiko Lobatu, then you move Herring to center.

Starting point is 00:17:06 If your two best are Carpenter and one of those guards, then Herring's playing guard. And I guess part of that too is how comfortable Herring is when he's getting the center reps as well. But they'll cross match this stuff. Like I remember Dom Poonie had such a great season for KU at Guard in his first year over. And then all of a sudden he ends up experimenting playing some tackle spot in spring and during the spring game. And he ends up being an NFL draft pick at the tackle position. So things can change as late as fall camp for this team, but that'll be kind of the interesting competition on the offensive line.

Starting point is 00:17:36 But I feel good it'll be five of those six at the very least on the O line. Gator projected too deep on the defensive side of the football next. This episode of the show is brought to you by Rocket Money. Let's be real. Managing your finances can feel overwhelming. Between subscriptions, you forgot about bills that keep going up and trying to figure out where all the money actually goes each month, it's easy to feel like you're losing control.

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Starting point is 00:18:53 On to our defensive two deep for KU football. Let's start with the defensive line. So this will be interesting. to from a standpoint of like, I still don't know that we have a great grasp on on what primarily they want to do just in terms of like, are they going to switch it up now and more in year two of D.K. McDonald, like, are they going to play one front more than the other now? Are they going to, you know, different bodies they bring in? Is it going to be more three down, more four down? Let's start here. If they're playing four down, the way that they've done it in

Starting point is 00:19:24 the past when Brian Borland was the DC, you have a strong side defensive end, a weak side defensive end, two defensive tackles. I think in those four, formations, you look at David Santiago versus Alex Bray at the strong side, and then maybe one of the youngsters can come along, like an Adrian Hawley. To me, I mean, Bray has the experience. I think Santiago is the better players. I have Santiago as the starter with Bray as the backup. I look at the weak side. I feel really good about these two. Leroy Harris and Dak Brinkley. They'll have a good rotation there with two potential star players for you at the weak side with Harris as the starter. And then at the defensive tackle spot, Blake Harold, arguably one of your two or three best players on the entire team, him starting a defensive tackle.

Starting point is 00:20:04 And I have Trayvon McAlpine starting next to him. But I think that is wide open between McAlpine, Smalls, maybe even Marcus Calvin. I mean, we'll see what Conday and Oatis, if one of them can kind of break out as upside swings for KU there. But I think realistically you'd view Harold as a lock and then McAlpine in Smalls, maybe the two biggest in competition. If KU goes to more of a three down front, I think it kind of depends. Like, are they going to play the 3D tackle front that we saw them play a lot? Then maybe you're seeing one of McAlpine or smalls is the nose tackle. You're seeing probably Harold and then maybe Calvin or maybe, you know, Harold and Harris,

Starting point is 00:20:40 depending how you want to play it. And then if they're playing the front where it's the three defensive tackles, which we just mentioned and the two defensive ends, I think Santiago makes sense. because in that position, it's defensive ends who are sometimes dropping in coverage. He's played outside linebacker before. And then maybe you use one of your linebackers like a Landon Watson in that role, who was like a defensive end recruit, ended up moving to linebacker between his time at like TCU, Marshall and Kentucky, that that could make a little bit of sense as well.

Starting point is 00:21:10 So just kind of some interesting variations and things you can do there. You do look at the linebacker. And again, this is one of those things where it's like, are they going to start three linebackers? are they going to start two? It was mostly two this past year. If it's two, this feels like an easy one for me. Trey Lathen's starting next to Daveyon Crouch.

Starting point is 00:21:27 The bigger question is the battle for the two deep. Landon Watson, Geron Willis, both Redshirt seniors, Gabriel Alameen, a Redshirt senior coming from Marshall, Quincy Davis liked his game as Redshirt Jr. Some interesting young prospects in the linebacker room as well. That becomes interesting. But because of the depth they have a linebacker, maybe they do consider playing three linebackers.

Starting point is 00:21:45 And the athleticism of Debril Alameen, you know, maybe allows you to, like if you're going to play a third linebacker, that third linebacker better be athletic enough to essentially be like a safety linebacker hybrid, just so you don't get tors and coverage. Alameen is a pretty good athlete there. Quincy Davis had some decent coverage grades in New Mexico State. You look at like even Josh Colbroth as a true freshman is a freak athlete. So some interesting things you could do there depending how many you want to play.

Starting point is 00:22:14 Then you look at the corner position. I'll be interested to see do they use Jaylen, Todd is a slot corner where they were using him as a lot this past season, or do they use him back on the outside where he started the year? But either way, Todd in the starting lineup, and then Roman Pearson versus Austin, Alexander, for one of the starting spots, if you do move Todd to the outside, does one of Alexander or Pearson move to the inside and the outside? Or Saeed Gibbs, is he the starting nickel corner because he's done that a little bit more

Starting point is 00:22:42 on the interior? But I think Todd Pearson, Todd for sure starter, Pearson, Alexander, Gibbs. and Hurley all at least in the competition for those other spots. Then you look at the safety spots. Corey Gordon feels like a knockdown starter for me. Realistically, it's probably five safeties for three starting spots. But again, if you play three linebackers, then it's two starting spots. But Corey Gordon feels like a lockdown to me.

Starting point is 00:23:07 I really like Kejohn Cummings Coleman, but we'll see what his role is because you do have a redshirt senior Mason Ellis coming back. You do have a redshirt senior, Jaden Harris, who was a starter in 2024 for Miami. and Taylor Davis comes back as a returning starter. To me, Gordon is a locked-in starter, and then it's Ellis, Davis, Cummings, Coleman, and Harris competing four guys for two spots. And then you're kind of building it out with, you know,

Starting point is 00:23:29 who will be the depths. It'll be Darien Jones or Brandon Schmelsley as a retro freshman will be Christian Pritchett to fill out kind of that too deep there. But I feel really good about those top five safeties in the room for KU. If I was projecting the starters right now in the back end, I think I'd go with Jalen Todd and Roman Pearson. I'm hoping Austin Alexander makes a jump, though. And then Corey Gordon, Taylor Davis, and Keijon Cummings Coleman would be my pick at the safety spots.

Starting point is 00:23:55 But that one is kind of a crapshoot. And you look at the kicker punter, long snapper, Martin Connington, the transfer from Michigan State, Matthew Gill, the freshman from Australia, and Reno, Montefort, the long snapper transfer from Notre Dame and Cal. All right, that'll do it for this episode of Lockdown Jayhawks. you can find our show anywhere you get your podcast, including on our YouTube page where you can like and subscribe to the show. We'll be back at you to preview the Kansas BYU game on Friday's episode. See you then.

Locked On Jayhawks - Daily Podcast On Kansas Jayhawks Football & Basketball - Is Kansas BUILDING Toward 2027? Analyzing Transfer Portal Additions & Potential Depth Chart

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