A look at Kansas football’s 2023 recruiting class ahead of signing day

One of the most important weeks of the year has arrived for the Kansas football coaching staff as the early signing period opens Wednesday, Dec. 21, through Friday, Dec. 23.

During this time, high school recruits that have committed to Kansas can sign their National Letter of Intent with the university.

It’s a big deal for head coach Lance Leipold and his staff to be able to lock in the players they’ve been recruiting for months. These are players that are building blocks for the future of the program.

And until the players do sign their letters of intent, their “commitment” is simply a verbal intention – nothing more.

Here’s a look at the 13 high school prospects who have committed to KU thus far, according to JayhawkSlant of rivals.com. (All the players currently have a three-star rating.)

·       Defensive back Jameel Croft

·       Tight end Jaden Hamm

·       Wide receiver Surahz Buncom

·       Wide receiver Jarred Sample

·       Defensive end Tony Terry Jr

·       Wide receiver Keaton Kubecka

·       Offensive lineman Calvin Clements

·       Defensive back Taylor Davis

·       Defensive back Logan Brantley

·       Defensive end Blake Herold

·       Defensive tackle Marcus Calvin

·       Quarterback Kasen Weisman

·       Running back Johnny Thompson Jr

It’s a very small high school class (currently ranked last in the Big 12 and No. 66 in the country), but that’s likely by design.

This coaching staff has and will continue to prioritize the transfer portal to address a number of the open positions year in and year out.

Many of the transfer players have three or four years of eligibility remaining so you’re not at risk of jeopardizing your roster numbers. Plus, you get the bonus of adding a player with college experience.

KU currently has one transfer prospect committed and that is former Wisconsin offensive lineman Logan Brown. The transfer window is open until mid-January so expect the staff to be aggressive in adding more transfer players in the weeks ahead.

In the meantime, KU fans should applaud the staff for the high school class they’ve put together.

There are some really talented players with an impressive list of offers. And the fact that KU has landed two of the top eight players in the state of Kansas is a big momentum boost for their local recruiting efforts going forward.

Having Lance Leipold and his assistants locked in for the foreseeable future doesn’t hurt either.

But the biggest boost they can get will come from winning. If that continues to increase, so will their success on their recruiting trail.