Kansas Football: Dean Miller looks to lead revamped Jayhawks defense

The Kansas Jayhawks will roll out an almost entirely new defense in 2025. After losing nine starters from the 2024 team, the unit will need to find its identity all over again. A crucial piece to doing so will be edge rusher Dean Miller, who will be the most productive Kansas defender returning to school by a good margin.

Kansas Football: Who is Dean Miller?

Miller was a virtual unknown coming out of Cathedral High School in Los Angeles. He committed to play at the Junior College level for College of the Canyons in nearby Santa Clarita. During his freshman season, he collected six sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss in just eight games. That was enough for some major Division 1 teams to take notice, as Oregon State and Indiana joined Kansas in offering him a scholarship. After nearly a month of deliberation, Miller gave his commitment to the Jayhawks and was on campus just a couple weeks later.

Learning Behind Veteran Producers

Both of Miller’s first two seasons saw little production on the field. During the 2022 and 2023 seasons, he collected just four total tackles and spent most of the year on special teams. He used this time to learn from veterans like Lonnie Phelps and Austin Booker, both of which are both playing professional football.

Along with learning from the older players, Miller also had a huge transformation in the weight room. He put on about 25 pounds last offseason, which brought his total collegiate weight gain to nearly 50 pounds. He transformed himself from a thinly-framed outside linebacker into a well-built, hand in the dirt defensive end ready to take the next step in his game.

2024 Breakout Campaign

All of the learning and hard work paid off in a big way in 2024. Miller led the Jayhawks with six sacks and led all defensive lineman with 32 tackles and three passes defensed (second-most among all non-secondary players).

Miller’s efforts earned him a spot on the All-Big 12 Second Team, alongside a trio of Jayhawk offensive linemen. He joined the dynamic cornerback duo of Cobee Bryant and Mello Dotson as the only Jayhawk defensive players to make an All-Conference team (JB Brown and Jereme Robinson were named Honorable Mentions as well). Bryce Foster and Miller are the only players from that list who are returning in 2025, so a lot of weight will be put on both of their shoulders.

Leading The Way In 2025

Not only are the best players from last year’s defense gone, but so too are a majority of the other starters. Miller is joined by D.J. Withers and Tommy Dunn as the only starters from last season to still be on the team in 2025. According to Ourlads, there are seven incoming transfers projected to be starters on the defensive side of the ball.

The two other returners from last season are Jalen Todd (nine total tackles and a pair of passes defensed) and Taylor Davis (33 total tackles and a pass defensed). Davis got a good amount of playing time in 2024, but Todd was just a freshman and took a backseat to one of the better cornerback duos in the entire country.

Luckily for Miller and the rest of Jayhawk Nation, the incoming transfers have plenty of experience and pedigree. Four have multiple years of major contributions for a Power Conference team, one is a former All-MAC First Team player, and one is a former four-star recruit. There will be no shortage of talent surrounding Miller in 2025.

However, Miller will be one of just a few players that has experience playing in the Kansas system. He has a chance to step into a role that can truly be a launching pad for success, not just this season, but potentially even further. Be on the look out for Miller to make a big impact for the Jayhawks in 2025.