Kansas Football Eyes Dylan Edwards as Transfer Portal Closes, Reloads Roster with 20+ Additions
As the Division I football transfer portal window officially closes, Kansas finds itself deep in the thick of roster reshaping. The Jayhawks, coming off a 5-7 campaign in 2025, are working to turn the page - and they’re doing it with a flurry of additions, exits, and one particularly intriguing potential reunion.
Let’s start with the name that’s catching early buzz: Dylan Edwards. The former Kansas State and Colorado running back is drawing interest from Kansas as he explores his next stop.
Edwards, a 2023 four-star recruit out of Kansas, logged 205 rushing yards and two touchdowns over four games for the Wildcats last season. While his touches were limited, his speed and versatility remain enticing - and the fact that he’s a local product only adds to the intrigue.
If Kansas can land him, it would be a notable in-state addition with upside and familiarity.
But even without Edwards in the fold (yet), Kansas has already been busy. The Jayhawks have brought in a wave of transfer talent - over 20 players - to shore up depth across the board. It’s a group that includes a mix of Power Five veterans, Group of Five standouts, and specialists, all carrying three-star ratings or proven experience at their previous stops.
Notable Transfer Additions:
- Kevin Oatis, a 3-star defensive lineman from Arkansas, adds size and power to the trenches.
- Jibreel Al-Amin (LB, Marshall), Jaron Willis (LB, South Carolina), and Landyn Watson (LB, Kentucky) bring experience and athleticism to a linebacker corps that needed reinforcements.
- Elijah Cannon, a 3-star cornerback from Mississippi State, and Christian Pritchett, a safety from Georgia Tech, help bolster a secondary that saw several departures.
- Nick Morrow, a 3-star offensive tackle from Cal, and Trezelle Jenkins Jr., an interior lineman from Wayne State, are part of a broader effort to fortify the offensive line - a unit that struggled with consistency last season.
- At the skill positions, Yasin Willis (RB, Syracuse), Jalen Dupree (RB, Colorado State), and Nik McMillan (WR, Buffalo) offer fresh options for a Kansas offense still searching for a reliable rhythm.
- Special teams got a facelift too, with Matthew Gill (punter), Martin Connington (kicker, Michigan State), and Rino Monteforte (long snapper, California) all joining the fold.
This isn’t just about plugging holes - it’s about building competition across the depth chart. And with so many three-star players coming in, Kansas is clearly betting on development and upside.
Who’s Out?
Of course, the portal giveth and the portal taketh away. Kansas saw a significant number of players exit the program as well - including several former starters and high-upside young talents.
- Dean Miller, a 3-star edge rusher, and Caleb Redd, another edge defender, are both gone, leaving questions about pass-rushing depth.
- The secondary took a hit with the departures of Jalen Dye, Devin Dye, Laquan Robinson, Lyrik Rawls, and Jameel Croft Jr., among others - a clear reason why the Jayhawks were aggressive in adding new DBs.
- On offense, Tyler Mercer (OL) heads to Oklahoma State, Jaidyn Doss (WR) and Bryce Cohoon (WR) are out, and David McComb, a 3-star quarterback, committed to Miami (Ohio).
- Running back Harry Stewart III is off to Boise State, and Johnny Thompson Jr. has also left the program.
- Other notable exits include Jon Jon Kamara (LB, Wisconsin), Logan Brantley (LB, Boise State), and Jacoby Davis (CB).
This kind of turnover isn’t unusual in today’s college football landscape, but it does raise the stakes for player development and cohesion heading into spring ball.
What’s Next?
With the portal window now closed, Kansas will shift its focus to integrating the new faces and evaluating how the pieces fit. There’s still time for post-spring movement, but for now, this is the core group the Jayhawks will take into offseason workouts and eventually fall camp.
And keep an eye on the Dylan Edwards situation. If Kansas can bring him home, it would be a headline addition and a potential difference-maker in a backfield that’s still looking for its next breakout star.
The rebuild in Lawrence isn’t flashy, but it’s methodical - and clearly ongoing.