Kansas has landed in rare territory on the defensive edge. According to Pro Football Focus, Leroy Harris III and David Santiago are both being graded among the best defensive ends in the country, with Harris at No. 2 nationally and Santiago right behind him at No. 3.
That gives the Jayhawks two of the top three defensive ends in college football, a striking spot for a defense that has leaned on its front to drive success in 2026. Defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald has plenty to work with on the line, and these two have been the headliners.
Harris has been the more disruptive of the pair so far. Over Kansas’ first four games, the junior has posted 18 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, three forced fumbles and a blocked kick. That kind of production makes him impossible to ignore when opponents build a game plan.
247Sports has also pointed to Harris as a growing leader on the defense. He is doing more than finishing plays; he is setting a tone, creating turnovers and giving the standard around the program more bite.
Head coach Lance Leipold has praised Harris for the way he keeps finding new ways to help the team. Harris has taken on more leadership responsibilities, too, helping younger players and transfers get comfortable while also establishing expectations in practice.
Santiago has brought a different kind of value to the edge. A redshirt junior with stops at Michigan State and Air Force before arriving at Kansas, he adds experience and flexibility to the Jayhawks’ front. He has been useful against both the run and the pass, which has made the defensive line sturdier overall.
His impact showed up against Utah, where the official Kansas Athletics roster lists him with a sack, two tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. That’s the kind of stat line that tells the story of a defender who can shape a game in more than one way.
With Harris and Santiago both sitting near the top of the national rankings, Kansas suddenly has a real edge on the perimeter of its defense. Offenses have to deal with two players who can collapse the pocket, blow up run plays and punch the ball loose.
And the line’s success has helped lift the whole unit. Kansas has already separated itself as one of the Big 12’s better defenses early in the year, and what Harris and Santiago do next could go a long way toward where the Jayhawks finish in the conference.
In Other News...
Kansas Pulled Out A Messy Win Fans Wont Forget Soon
Kansas found a way to survive a messy Big 12 night against Baylor, escaping with a 25-24 win that had all the usual ingredients of a game fans will talk about for a while. Isaiah Marshall had his rough patches with two interceptions, but he also delivered when it mattered most, guiding the Jayhawks on the decisive scoring drive and helping finish it himself with a 15-yard run.
Even with the offense leaving plenty on the table, Kansas leaned on a defense that kept Baylor from cashing in on enough of its chances. The biggest moment came at the end, when the Jayhawks blocked a field goal that could have flipped the result, turning a tense finish into a win they almost certainly had to grind out the hard way. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Finally Ended A Painful Baylor Streak In Wild Fashion
Kansas finally found a way past Baylor in a finish that had plenty of the usual Big 12 drama, but none of the familiar ending. After a 14-game losing streak in the series, the Jayhawks rallied at home for a 25-24 win that felt equal parts relief and validation, with Isaiah Marshall steering the comeback and keeping Kansas alive when the game looked like it might slip away again.
Marshall accounted for the winning touchdown on the ground after also throwing for 212 yards and two scores, and Kansas closed it out in the wildest possible way by blocking Baylors late 45-yard field goal try. The result lifted the Jayhawks to 3-4 overall and 1-3 in conference play, while also giving the program a long-awaited answer to one of its more painful matchups. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Fans Have Another Reason To Celebrate A Program Builder
Ted Owens has given Kansas fans plenty to remember already, and now the former Jayhawks coach has another line on his rsum. Owens was inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City, Missouri, joining a group of notable figures recognized for their impact on the college game. His time in Lawrence still stands out as one of the defining stretches in program history, with a run that included a 348-182 record, two Final Fours and six Big Eight titles.
The ceremony offered a fresh reminder of how much Owens helped shape Kansas basketball during his 1964-83 tenure, and he spent time reflecting on his career and the memories that came with it. For a fan base that already knows his place in the programs history, the Hall of Fame nod only adds to the appreciation. The bigger question now is how Kansas chooses to honor a coach whose imprint still echoes through the program decades later. [Read more 🡒]