Kansas Jayhawks Football: Key Transfer Portal Additions for 2025

The Jayhawks are set to lose a ton of production this offseason. While star quarterback Jalon Daniels announced his return, there will be plenty of holes to fill from the 2024 team. Both sides of the ball featured seven seniors in the starting lineup, while others may choose to go the NFL route one year early. Luckily, the Kansas Jayhawks have done a tremendous job of adding talent to their football team from the transfer portal.

Fortunately for Kansas, the Jayhawks haven’t lost much in the way of previous production. They did, however, lose their top recruit from last year’s class.

DJ Warner, former four-star recruit and top-70 player in the 2024 class, has committed to SMU after seeing very limited playing time as a freshman. The incoming players, however, far outweigh the losses. According to 247 Sports, the Jayhawks currently have the 27th-ranked transfer portal class in the entire country and are fourth in the Big 12.

Key Transfer Portal Additions for the Kansas Jayhawks

The Kansas Jayhawks have looked to make serious additions through the transfer portal in order to come back in a major way in 2025.

Keyan Burnett, Tight End – Arizona

As of writing this, the highest ranked player to join the Jayhawks via the transfer portal is tight end Keyan Burnett, who is just shy of earning a four-star grade from 247 Sports.

The former Arizona Wildcat showed flashes during his junior season, grabbing multiple passes in five of his eight games in 2024. His breakout performance came against Utah, where he caught five passes for 76 yards and a touchdown. That was the start of a four-game stretch where he averaged nearly four catches and over forty yards per game.

Burnett should compete with DeShawn Hanika for the starting tight end spot in 2025. The duo should be a significant increase in athleticism at the position.

The next highest ranked players all received 87 grades (high three-star) from 247 Sports, and they all play positions that need replaced.

Bangally Kamara, Linebacker – South Carolina

Bangally Kamara was a significant contributor for Pitt in 2023. However, he played just four games for South Carolina last season. The former four-star prospect can make an impact all over the field, as evidenced by his five sacks and eight passes defensed for the Panthers.

Emmanuel Henderson, Wide Receiver – Alabama

Emmanuel Henderson was vastly overlooked during his time at Alabama. Another former four-star recruit and top-60 player in his class, Henderson was actually scouted as a running back before making the switch to wide receiver. That could be a factor in how the Jayhawks deploy him.

Bryson Canty, Wide Receiver – Columbia

Bryson Canty has been very productive during his career at Columbia. Outside of an injury-shortened 2023 season, Canty has more than shown his worth on the field. In his two healthy seasons, he collected 96 receptions, 1,504 yards, and 15 touchdowns. Canty has massive big play potential, having a catch of 30-plus yards in 12 of 19 games during those two seasons. With Jalon Daniels’ ability to push the ball downfield, he could be a huge player for the Jayhawks in 2025.

Jahlil Hurley, Cornerback – Alabama

Jahlil Hurley continues the trend of former four-star recruits joining the Jayhawks. He also joins Henderson as former Crimson Tide players to make the trip north to Lawrence. Considering the Jayhawks are losing two of the best cornerbacks in the Big 12 (and maybe even the country), Hurley has a chance to make an immediate impact on the 2025 defense.

Other Key Transfer Portal Additions for Kansas

With slightly lower 247 rankings, there are plenty more incoming transfers who made impacts at their previous programs.

Trey Lathan, Linebacker – West Virginia

Trey Lathan compiled 79 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and a pair of sacks in 2024 as a West Virginia Mountaineer. Alongside Kamara and Joseph Sipp (more on him later), the Jayhawks have done a tremendous job of filling the linebacker room with production.

Levi Wentz, Wide Receiver – Albany

Levi Wentz put together a 40 catch season that resulted in 621 yards and a touchdown last year for Albany. Wentz is another big play threat for new offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski to utilize.

D.J. Graham, Cornerback – Utah State

D.J. Graham has produced at both Oklahoma and Utah State. The cornerback is famously known for this ridiculous interception a couple years ago.

THE BEST INTERCEPTION YOU’LL EVER SEE FROM DJ GRAHAM 😳😱

(📼 @CFBONFOX)
pic.twitter.com/CQgtVy96Yt

— The Ringer (@ringer) September 18, 2021

Cam Pickett, Wide Receiver – Ball State

Cam Pickett had a sophomore season similar to the aforementioned Wentz (49/528/2). However, Pickett is more of a possession receiver than a deep threat. He could complement Wentz and Canty well.

Leshon Williams, Running Back – Iowa

Williams was Iowa’s leading rusher in 2023, but gave way to Kaleb Johnson (who would lead the Big Ten in rushing) in 2024. He is a power runner who could form a destructive duo with Daniel Hishaw.

Joseph Sipp, Linebacker – Bowling Green

Joseph Sipp has accumulated 152 tackles over the past two seasons and had an impressive seven sacks in 2024 for Bowling Green. He could be a much needed addition to the pass rush group for the Jayhawks in 2025.

Laith Marjan, Kicker – South Alabama

Laith Marjan had an incredible 2024 season. The former South Alabama Jaguar converted on 16 of 17 field goals and 42 of 44 extra points. His 94.1-percent field goal rate led the Sun Belt, was fifth best in the country, and was 14-percent higher than Tabor Allen had for the Jayhawks this season.

There is one more notable player that will be a Jayhawk in 2025, and it’s someone that will be familiar to some Kansas fans. Gage Keys joined the Kansas program after transferring in from Minnesota. Unfortunately, he saw limited success in his first season. He transferred to Auburn following the 2023 season, but saw even less playing time there. He is back in Lawrence for his second stint as a Jayhawk.

Other Notable Transfer Portal Additions for the Kansas Jayhawks

• Jack Tanner is a three-star transfer from Tulsa and will only be a sophomore in 2025. He started multiple games as a true freshman at offensive tackle, and could be a future starter for the Jayhawks.
• DeAndre Harper was an unranked prospect turned three-star transfer after spending just one season with Northwest Missouri State. Harper started as a true freshman for the Bearcats and while there will likely be a transition period coming from the Division II level, he could become a stalwart on the offensive line in the future.
• Tavake Tuikolovatu, on the other hand, could compete for a spot on the starting offensive line right away. The former three-star recruit spent his first two years at UCLA and could fill the void left by either Bryce Cabeldue or Logan Brown.
• Tyler Mercer started a handful of games and got valuable reps as a true freshman for North Texas in 2024. Replacing Bryce Foster won’t be easy, but Mercer could be the frontrunner to do so in 2025.
• Caleb Redd was a target for Kansas as a recruit last year. After spending his freshman season at Kentucky, the Jayhawks were able to bring him in via the transfer portal. While he played just two games for the Wildcats, he got a year of experience under his belt and could compete for a role on the defensive line in 2025.

It’s always tough to predict how incoming players will gel and perform on a new team, especially when they are asked to take on a big role right away. Unfortunately, a number of these players will likely be asked to try and do just that. Given how many players are likely on their way out due to graduation, the Jayhawks will need both their transfer and freshman classes to contribute in 2025.

With that being said, this has been an extremely successful transfer portal window for Coach Leipold and his staff.