Kansas’ latest roster overhaul is already showing up in a place that matters: the Shrine Bowl 1,000.
After a 1-5 finish to the 2025 season and another round of major changes, the Jayhawks landed 11 players on the Shrine Bowl 1,000 list, a group made up of the top NFL Draft-eligible players across all three NCAA divisions. For a program that brought back Andy Kotelnicki as associate head coach and offensive coordinator, then watched 25 transfers leave and 31 arrive, the recognition is a useful snapshot of where the rebuild stands.
Kansas’ portal class is ranked 53rd nationally by 247Sports, and the Shrine Bowl nods suggest the roster has real talent spread across both sides of the ball. The group includes a mix of returning contributors and transfers who should factor heavily next season.
On defense, Jalen Todd is one of the more established names. The junior cornerback recorded 44 tackles last season with 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble. He has played in 22 games overall, with 10 of his 11 starts coming last season at cornerback and HAWK.
Blake Herold also made the list after becoming a steady presence in the middle of the defense. The redshirt junior defensive tackle posted 43 tackles, 5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 4 pass breakups and 1 forced fumble last season.
Kansas also added size and production up front with Tre’Von McAlpine, a redshirt senior defensive tackle who checks in at 6-foot-3 and 305 pounds. McAlpine had 35 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 1 fumble recovery last year for Tulane, which reached the College Football Playoff under former coach Jon Sumrall.
At linebacker, Tre Lathan remains a key figure. He was viewed as the leader of the defense, entered the portal for two weeks before withdrawing, and finished last season as an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. Bam Crouch brings another veteran presence after transferring from Boston College with 29 starts, 107 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks and 1 interception on his résumé.
The offensive line is represented by Amir Herring and Calvin Clements. Herring, a redshirt junior guard, played in all 12 Kansas games last season after appearing in just one game over three years with Michigan. Clements, a redshirt junior offensive tackle, brings 13 starts and made 12 starts last season, with two seasons of eligibility left.
Kansas also has a pair of receivers on the list. Cam Pickett caught 45 passes for 476 yards and three touchdowns last season, while Nik McMillan may have the highest ceiling of the transfer group after posting 62 receptions for 981 yards and 3 touchdowns at Buffalo. McMillan earned All-MAC First Team honors and had 7 100+ yard games.
The backfield got a major boost with Dylan Edwards, one of the most high-profile transfers Kansas has ever landed. The junior running back brings production as both a runner and receiver, and he could form a strong tandem with Yasin Willis if he stays healthy.
In the secondary, Corey Gordon rounds out the list. The redshirt senior safety played in all 13 games for Louisville last season, starting 12, and finished with 53 tackles and 3 tackles for loss. He also spent two seasons at Baylor, where he totaled 64 tackles, and in 2024 he intercepted three passes.
For Kansas, the Shrine Bowl 1,000 selections don’t solve every question hanging over the roster. But they do show a team with plenty of recognizable talent after a busy reset.
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Melvin Council Just Put Kansas Back In A Roster Squeeze
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Now the path gets murkier, with Council still weighing his next step and Kansas still interested in finding a way to make the reunion happen. The Jayhawks are also juggling other possibilities, including whether Javon Bardwell might reclassify and how to handle the big man spot if Serbian center Mihailo Musikic is not cleared, which leaves the roster picture unsettled in a way Kansas would rather avoid this late in the process. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Faces A Massive Challenge Before It Even Reaches London
Lance Leipolds visit to Wembley Stadium was part of the early groundwork for a trip that will ask Kansas football to think well beyond the field. The Jayhawks are headed to London for the Union Jack Classic in Week 3 against Arizona State, and even before the matchup arrives, the staff is working through the kind of details that can shape an international week: passports, accommodations and all the other moving parts that come with taking a college team overseas.
Michael Painter has been doing much of the heavy lifting on the logistics side, helping coordinate a trip that is still months away but already requires careful planning. Kansas expects to leave for London on Tuesday before the game, and the international stage will be followed by a bye week, giving the Jayhawks a little breathing room after what should be one of the most unusual road trips in program history. [Read more 🡒]