Trey Lathan didn’t spend long testing the waters. After briefly entering the transfer portal following the 2025 season, the Kansas linebacker decided Lawrence was the place he wanted to finish his college career.
At Big 12 Football Media Days, Lathan said the choice came back to his teammates and his belief in what Kansas is building.
"Just the scheme and a lot of things," Lathan said. "I feel like stepping out on my team is something in my heart that I just couldn't do. So I just decided to return."
Lathan arrived at Kansas from West Virginia before the 2025 season and wasted no time becoming the centerpiece of the Jayhawks’ defense. He led the team with 86 tackles and added seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks, good enough for honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.
His return gives Kansas a proven anchor on a defense that needs to take a step forward after a 5-7 season in which the unit struggled for much of the year. The Jayhawks also attacked the transfer portal on that side of the ball, bringing in 15 defensive transfers. Among them are linebackers Jibreel Al-Amin, Daveon Crouch, Jaron Willis and Quincy Davis.
Lathan is also taking on more responsibility as his final college season approaches. Earlier at Media Days, he said he’s working to be more vocal and help establish the tone for the defense.
"I wasn't really an outspoken guy," Lathan said. "This being my last season, I know I have to take on that role."
Kansas is counting on that experience to help turn things around in 2026. The Jayhawks came up just short of a bowl game last season, but they do bring back one of the Big 12’s top tacklers while surrounding him with a fresh wave of portal additions.
For Lathan, though, the decision wasn’t about chasing something new. It was about staying put and finishing what he started in Kansas.
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What makes that run so striking is how different each path was, and how quickly the Jayhawks turned overlooked talent into real production. Bryant is already into his next NFL chapter, Daniels is still carrying a legacy that trails only one name in the program record book, and Punis rise remains the clearest reminder that Kansas has found value where plenty of others did not. The bigger question now is which recent recruit will be next to follow that same unlikely climb. [Read more 🡒]