Kansas football: 5 highest-rated Jayhawks in first half of season, according to PFF
![Sep 30, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks linebacker Cornell Wheeler (44) runs after catching an interception during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports Sep 30, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; Kansas Jayhawks linebacker Cornell Wheeler (44) runs after catching an interception during the first half against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/5249d0ca26558b5403adfec6862366c707ed2893dfca5f0bcdef86690fd69caf.jpg)
According to PFF, these five Jayhawks have been the most effective Kansas football players at their respective positions.
Today marks the homecoming game for the Kansas Jayhawks (5-2, 2-2 Big 12), who look to shock the world on FOX against the No. 6 Oklahoma Sooners (7-0, 4-0 Big 12).
There were ups and downs from the first seven weeks of 2023 for Kansas football. Players have been banged up after a seven-week-long stretch without any rest, so a much-needed bye should have reenergized the Jayhawks roster.
Even though things haven’t been perfect, some players have stood out from the rest. If you aren’t a fan of the eye test and prefer the analytical approach, Pro Football Focus grades are a great way to look at the good and not-so-good performances each week.
According to the website, a grade of 85 or higher is NFL-caliber, while a grade between 84-79 is considered “very good.” Anything ranging from 78-68 is “above average,” and 67-60 is “average.” Finally, 59-50 is thought to be “below average,” whereas less than 50 is flat-out bad.
To make it fair for everyone, for a player to qualify, they will need to have averaged 20 snaps per Kansas football game, meaning a minimum of 140 snaps is required even for Jayhawks who were inactive at one point. (My apologies in advance to Cornell Wheeler, who would have been second on this list if he had played enough snaps!)
With that out of the way, let’s jump into it!