Kansas football’s defensive line should benefit from Zion Debose

Virginia Tech graduate transfer Zion Debose has switched his commitment to Kansas football after previously settling on Buffalo, following the previous Bulls’ head coach.

Debose will be entering the 2021-22 season with two years of remaining eligibility, including valuable experience from the ACC. Missing the 2019 season due to an injury, the defensive lineman would reappear in the 2020 season for three games.

Coach Leipold has been regaining some strength following the slight offseason turnover seen by the Jayhawks following former head coach Les Miles’ departure.

Finding experienced players like Debose could prove beneficial for Kansas, considering their knowledge of the college level and extended eligibility. However, these kinds of additions have their downsides.

Replacing younger players on this roster with a veteran fix isn’t always the right solution, as it limits growth from younger names. Although, in Debose’s case, there are a couple of years to develop and help put this defense in a position to thrive.

Kansas isn’t stripped of development though, as players like junior wide receiver Jamahl Horne has been making strong impressions this spring and may make quite an impact during the upcoming season.

Let’s hope to expect the same from Debose, who has been playing at the college level since redshirting with Virginia Tech in 2017. Kansas’ defensive line will need all the help it can get following the disappointing numbers posted in 2020.

Jayhawks defensive coordinator Kwahn Drake is returning for his third season in Lawrence, and will continue bringing up young talent. The addition of Debose should, hopefully, help Drake’s product on the field this coming season.

Interesting finds, such as Debose, will continue to give fans flashes of optimism before fall arrives. Still, there will be quite a bit of work to do if Coach Leipold wants to prove the worth of his initial offseason decisions.