Kansas football will return one of the most vital components of its defense next season in Mello Dotson.
The outlook of the 2024 campaign for the Kansas football team just got a whole lot brighter. In addition to returning Preseason Big 12 Player of the Year Jalon Daniels, cornerback Mello Dotson will use his final year of eligibility with the Jayhawks in 2024.
Here is the video that he released on his X (formerly Twitter) account to confirm the news:
Back for revenge. pic.twitter.com/Wz4GpY05RN
— Mello Dotson (@MelloDotson) December 11, 2023
Dotson, a Daytona Beach, Florida native, was a big-play machine in the regular season. He caught a team-high four interceptions, two of which he returned for a touchdown, and recorded 44 total tackles and nine passes defended. His pick-6 in KU’s stunning upset over Oklahoma is among the most memorable moments of this Jayhawk team, and he followed it up with another in the following week against Iowa State.
Bringing back Dotson is huge for a team devoid of defensive back depth. Third and fourth-string corners Kalon Gervin and Kwinton Lassiter have run out of eligibility, and Kansas might need to rely on LSU transfer Damarius McGhee or redshirt freshman Jameel Croft to anchor the position. Therefore, returning a player of Dotson’s caliber is exactly what Brian Borland’s unit needed.
Now, the Kansas football coaching staff will continue to pull for star corner Cobee Bryant to return to Lawrence alongside Dotson. He is very talented and is likely receiving looks from top-notch programs, but Lance Leipold and Co. have been exceptional in terms of retention rate with his players.
While we await the decisions of Devin Neal, Austin Booker, and Bryant, learning that Dotson will return should excite fans even more for the upcoming season. Kansas is entering year four of the Leipold era and could become a Big 12 title contender if all goes according to plan.