Kansas football gets 20th commit for class of ’21 from Shad Dabney

Kansas football’s 2021 class is growing by the week and its newest member Shad Dabney could find a way onto the field in his freshman season.

Kansas football head coach Les Miles and his staff have done an excellent job on this 2021 recruiting class. They brought in their 20th commit today, Shad Dabney of Riverside Military Academy in Georgia. Dabney is listed as an athlete according to recruiting sites like 247Sports and Rivals, so his versatility could really help the Jayhawks.

Dabney chose Kansas over a number of other schools, including Arizona State, Syracuse, Air Force, Army, Navy, Yale, Princeton, and many others. Many of his offers come from schools that have prestigious academic programs, and Dabey’s coach has commented on how Dabney’s more than just a great athlete:

"“But the bigger picture, and the substance that makes up Shad Dabney, is he’s very cerebral. He’s very intellectual. He’s insanely intelligent. That’s why he competes in the classroom with a 4.0. He’s a leader here in classes, in the hallways. He’s a leader in the community.”"

Kansas does boast a great academic program, not on the level of the Ivy League schools, but it does make sense why Dabney chose the Jayhawks considering he put a lot of stock into academics.

Dabney stands at five-foot-eleven, and on the football field, he can pretty much do it all. His junior season highlights feature him throwing passes, catching passes, taking direct snaps, and playing safety. Dabney commented on his versatility and how it’s impacting his recruitment:

"“A lot of coaches are offering me as an athlete. A lot are offering as a DB and a lot are offering as a receiver. I just think my versatility and my abilities on the field on offense, defense, special teams, that’s caught a lot of people’s eyes.”"

Dabney’s status as an athlete should help him to find a role with the Jayhawks sooner rather than later, maybe even getting some significant playing time as a freshman. He’ll certainly have the opportunity to at multiple positions.

With Dabney’s commitment, Kansas football is still holding strong with a top-five recruiting class in the Big 12 according to both Rivals and 247. If Miles and his staff can keep this up, the Jayhawks are going to have one of their best classes in a decade.