Kansas is losing its left tackle to the NFL. Here’s who the Jayhawks have to replace him
The Kansas football team has a 6-foot-6, 310-pound hole to fill next season. KU’s star left tackle, Earl Bostick Jr. has exhausted his eligibility and will likely be off to the NFL following Kansas’ bowl game.
Kansas coach Lance Leipold and his staff didn’t waste any time finding Bostick’s potential replacement: former Wisconsin offensive tackle Logan Brown.
The former five-star prospect was dismissed from Wisconsin in early October after a reported fight at practice.
On October 30, Brown committed to the Jayhawks. (Verbal commitments are not binding and, particularly with transfers, can be fluid until a player arrives on campus.)
“Kansas did their work behind him and they wouldn’t sign a kid that’s going to disrupt the culture there,” Clint Brewster, who evaluates prospects and transfer portal talent for 247Sports, told The Star. “I think they’ve built a great culture at Kansas.”
As arguably the favorite to take Bostick’s role, Brown will face some competition. Kobe Baynes, who transferred from Louisville before this season, and current right tackle Bryce Cabeldue, who filled in when Bostick had to come out of games this year, could both challenge Brown for the starting spot.
Brewster believes Brown should win the job.
“I think he was Academic All-Big Ten in 2020, “ Brewster said. “He’s a really smart, bright kid. (On the field) there were some missed assignments that I saw when he played for Wisconsin, but they are easily correctable. I think he’s a guy that has all the tools to come in right away.”
This season, Brown started two games at right tackle and one at left tackle. Brewster was impressed with Brown’s play in Wisconsin’s 52-21 loss to Ohio State.
“Especially in pass protection, his PFF (Pro Football Focus) grades on pass protection were really good,” Brewster said. “He’s a really fluid, easy mover. He can regroup his feet and can get out of his stance.
“I think that’s what really separated him to be the number one player in the state in high school in the 2019 class; it was just his ability to move at that size. He’s so fluid and an easy mover. With his arm length, it makes things a lot easier for him to latch on and get some distance between himself and the defender.”
Though, by no means is Brown a finished product.
“He needs to get a lot better as a run blocker,” Brewster said. “I think they need to find a way to get some tenacity out of him and be able to get movement up front, especially on his drive blocks. He needs to be more physical, for sure.”
Even so, Brewster believes Brown has the opportunity to be special at Kansas.
“I think he’s got the versatility to either play left or right side,” Brewster said. “He’s certainly got NFL potential if he can tie everything together and just play more mistake-free football, play more physical up front. … If he can play up to his standards and be the player we know he can be that we saw in high school, I think that he can certainly be an NFL draft pick.
“I think kind of the sky’s the limit with him with the physical attributes that he has and just the talent. His ability to move at that size is what everybody is looking for, especially in the NFL.”
