Kansas has found a difference-maker up front, and the early numbers are hard to ignore. Through the opening stretch of the 2026 season, the Jayhawks’ defense sits No. 1 in the Big 12 and No. 8 nationally in total defense, giving up just 244.8 yards per game.
At the center of that surge is junior defensive end Leroy Harris III, who has quickly turned into one of the most disruptive players in the country. According to Pro Football Focus, Harris is the No. 1 ranked defensive lineman among all Power 4 defenders and the No. 2 ranked defensive lineman in college football overall. He’s posted a 94.2 run defense grade and a 93.5 overall grade.
The production matches the reputation. Harris has already piled up 18 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, one sack and one blocked kick.
That kind of start follows a strong sophomore year in 2025, when Harris appeared in all 12 games and led Kansas in sacks with 4.5 and pass breakups with eight after transferring in from Chattanooga. He also finished that season with 31 tackles, including 23 solo stops and eight assisted tackles, along with 6.5 tackles for loss and another blocked kick. Those efforts earned him Honorable Mention All-Big 12 recognition.
Now, with his third year of college football moving in a much bigger direction than his second, Harris is putting himself in position for more conference honors and a possible shot at the 2027 NFL Draft.
He’s also bringing plenty of edge with the production. When asked about his early-season success, Harris didn’t hold back.
“They can’t block me,” said Harris during a recent interview. “But I’d love to see someone try to prove me wrong.”
Kansas is going to need that attitude in a hurry. The Jayhawks are heading into their toughest four-game run of the season, starting with a road trip to No.
12 Utah (4-0) on Saturday. From there, they go to Manhattan to face Kansas State (3-1), then return home to take on Baylor (4-1) for homecoming on Oct. 24 before finishing the stretch on the road at TCU (2-3) on Halloween.
KU is expected to be an underdog in all four games, and if the Jayhawks want to steal one and stay on track for the six wins needed to reach a bowl game, Harris will have to keep wrecking game plans the way he has so far.
In Other News...
Kansas Just Landed A Late Roster Win That Changes Everything
Kansas picked up a significant late roster boost for the 2026-27 season with Melvin Council Jr. set to return after a legal ruling in his eligibility case. For a program that always has to balance talent, experience and continuity, keeping a productive guard in the fold matters, especially one who already knows the system and fits into what the Jayhawks want to do on both ends.
Council gave Kansas reliable production last season and quickly became a meaningful piece of the rotation, bringing the kind of backcourt stability that is hard to replace this late in the process. His presence gives the Jayhawks added depth and another proven option as they shape the roster, even if the final chapter on his eligibility situation still leaves one part of the story worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Former Jayhawk Kevin McCullar Faces A Crowded Knicks Opportunity
Kevin McCullar Jr. is sticking with the Knicks for another go, part of a familiar uphill climb for a former Jayhawk trying to carve out a role in New York. The wing has spent time with both the Knicks and their G League affiliate in Westchester, and last season he got into 21 NBA games after landing in New York on draft night in a deal that sent him there after being selected by Phoenix in 2024.
Now the opportunity is there again, but so is the congestion. McCullar is back on a two-way deal and enters his third season in the organization with little margin for error, especially with another former Kansas wing in the mix as the Knicks sort through the back end of the roster and the competition for one of those final spots. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas Makes A Key O-Line Change Before Huge Utah Test
Kansas is making a notable shuffle up front as it prepares for a tough Utah matchup, with Lance Leipold adjusting the interior of the offensive line to try to settle things down. The move gives Amir Herring a bigger role after he had already been pressed into duty in another spot when injury thinned the depth chart, a sign of how much the Jayhawks have had to lean on versatility to keep the line intact.
Herrings expanded responsibility comes with the kind of week-to-week pressure that can shape an offense against a physical opponent, while Tavake Tuikolovatu is set to remain in the mix as a rotational option. For Kansas, the change is about finding the right combination before a game that could demand a clean pocket and a steadier run game than the Jayhawks have had at times. [Read more 🡒]