Five thoughts on Kansas football’s 2023 signing day class: Recruit list, takeaways
.JPG "Here’s a closer look at the 2023 recruiting class that second-year head coach Lance Leipold and his staff have put together.")
Kansas football coach Lance Leipold and his staff have had quite the hectic month.
The staff has hosted on-campus recruiting visits, taken home visits, made phone calls and even sent last-second texts in preparation for the start of the early signing period.
All their actions center around making KU better.
They’ve done all this while balancing preparation for the Jayhawks’ (6-6, 3-5 Big 12) Liberty Bowl showdown vs. Arkansas on Dec. 28 in Memphis, Tenn.
Now, the start of the signing period has finally arrived.
As of Wednesday morning, 12 KU high school commits had signed their National Letters of Intent. The only previous commit who remained unsigned was quarterback Kasen Weisman, who was reportedly set to decide between Kansas and Colorado. Weisman decommitted late Wednesday morning.
It’s too early to tell how the class will turn out, but Kansas’ 2023 class ranked 68th nationally via the 247Sports Composite and 77th on Rivals entering signing day.
Here are five thoughts on the recruiting class:
Kansas keeps backyard talent home
Kansas coach Lance Leipold and his staff have been on quite the in-state recruiting tear lately.
Jaden Hamm, a native of Eudora, committed to KU on Monday. The safety flipped from Arkansas, which marked KU’s second in-state flip.
Earlier in December, Lawrence native and Free State offensive tackle Calvin Clements flipped from Baylor to KU.
The Jayhawks’ first bowl appearance since 2008 has played a factor in recruiting.
“I’m ready to play,” Clements told The Star in early December. “I’m going to give this program everything I got. I’ve grown up in Lawrence and I was born a Jayhawk. I grew up watching some of the blowouts, and seeing the momentum of this program shift has given me a lot of pride. I want to be a part of the change within the program.”
Clements and Hamm will join other local talent at KU, including sophomore running back Devin Neal (Lawrence High) — who was recruited by the Les Miles staff. Other local players on the KU roster include tight ends Mason Fairchild (Andale) and Jared Casey (Plainville), wide receiver Luke Grimm (Raymore-Peculiar) and defensive lineman Caleb Taylor (Staley).
“There was a long period where those guys were going to K-State and schools like that,” Neal said on Tuesday. “Especially for me, I wanted to be the first. I wanted to be someone who did something different to bring other guys along. To kind of see other guys follow along, … it means a lot to me.”
What happens at the quarterback spot?
One of the most interesting recruiting storylines surrounding Kansas’ class was whether QB Kasen Weisman would remain with KU.
Weisman committed to the Jayhawks in August, but he visited Colorado and new head coach Deion Sanders this past week. He posted a picture wearing a Buffaloes uniform on Sunday.
The three-star commit waited until the morning of signing day to formally announce he was decommitting from the Jayhawks.
If the Jayhawks do add a QB recruit — Weisman or otherwise — that player will compete with young quarterbacks Ethan Vasko and Ben Easters, plus potentially super-senior Jason Bean (if he returns), for a backup spot to Jalon Daniels.
KU looks to build out class through transfer portal
Kansas has a smaller class of 12 high school players — in part by design. Leipold will likely turn to the transfer portal to fill out the rest of the class, similar to what the Jayhawks did last season.
In the early signing period, Kansas’ transfer class ranks 22nd (247Sports Composite) and has five verbal commitments: Logan Brown, Gage Keys, Seth Keller, Charlie Weinrich, and Devin Phillips. (Verbal commitments are not binding and, especially with transfers, can be fluid until a player arrives on campus.)
Next season, former five-star and Wisconsin offensive lineman Brown will try to replace star KU left tackle Earl Bostick Jr., who departs for the NFL.
Minnesota defensive lineman Keys will fight for starting spot after KU loses the trio of Sam Burt, Caleb Sampson and Eddie Wilson, who have exhausted their eligibility.
The Jayhawks also picked up two commitments from kickers: Keller of Texas State and Weinrich of Wisconsin.
This season, KU ranked last in the Big 12 for field goal percentage (53.8). Kansas started the season with Jacob Borcila, who was replaced midseason by Owen Piepergerdes. Borcila is not currently on the depth chart for Kansas’ bowl game.
Early Wednesday morning, KU received a commitment from Colorado State defensive lineman Philips.
On the flip side, the Jayhawks have had six players enter the transfer portal.
Kansas loads up on wide receivers
The Jayhawks made wide receiver a priority in this class.
Between commits Jarred Sample, Surahz Buncom and Keaton Kubecka, KU added more players at wide receiver than any position group.
Going wide receiver heavy was an intentional choice.
“You always want to have depth in that spot,” Kansas offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki said on Monday. “You always want to feel that they are really some marquee players. You always want to have competition. We don’t have that right now in a lot of our spots, but we actually went into the season with less in the room than we normally have.”
Tight end university?
Last season, the Jayhawks led the Big 12 in tight end touchdowns with nine.
It appears KU hopes to build on that success with the addition of Jaden Hamm. Hamm is Kansas’ highest nationally ranked commit (No. 602, 247Sports Composite).
The three-star prospect will join a crowded tight end room headlined by All-Big 12 second teamer and current starter Mason Fairchild, who is a senior but could return as a super-senior.
Hamm will compete with current sophomores Jared Casey and Trevor Kardell for playing time.
Kansas football’s 2023 recruiting class
These players signed with the Jayhawks on Wednesday. All national rankings are via the 247Sports Composite.
Jaden Hamm: 3-star tight end from Eudora, No. 602 nationally
Calvin Clements: 3-star offensive tackle from Lawrence, No. 632
Jameel Croft: 3-star safety from Detroit, No. 856
Surahz Buncom: 3-star wide receiver from Chula Vista, Calif., No. 869
Jarred Sample: 3-star wide receiver from Cypress, Texas, No. 934 nationally
Tony Terry: 3-star defensive lineman from Jackson, Miss., No. 978 nationally
Johnny Thompson: 3-star RB from Westlake Village, Calif.
Keaton Kubecka: 3-star wide receiver from Austin
Taylor Davis: 3-star safety from Missouri City, Texas
Marcus Calvin: 3-star defensive lineman from Saint Petersburg, Fla.
Logan Brantley: 3-star linebacker from Englewood, Colo.
Blake Herold: 3-star defensive lineman from Shenandoah, Iowa
This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 5:30 AM.
