Former celebrated recruit transfers from Kansas after one season with Jayhawks

Lance Leipold and Kansas football made a splash on the recruiting trail over the offseason. The Jayhawks secured their best recruiting class in program history in the rankings era, earning commitments from multiple top 500 players across the country.

While the class as a whole was impressive, a player that stood out from the rest was defensive end DJ Warner. The Goodyear, Arizona native was ranked within the top 100 for several months and finished his high school career as KU's highest-rated signee ever. He was expected to be an integral part of the Jayhawks' future.

Unfortunately, the relationship between Warner and KU was short-lived. He announced his intentions to transfer from the university on Thursday, becoming the first significant loss of the offseason.

Warner played sparingly in his freshman year, totaling two tackles. He appeared in all 12 contests and was on the field for 202 snaps, meaning he was unable to utilize a redshirt. However, he has decided to spend the next three years of his college career elsewhere.

Many fans expected Warner to weigh his options once Jordan Peterson, the Jayhawks' top recruiter in the Southwest region, left KU to become the co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach at Texas A&M. Kansas also fended off premier programs like Ohio State and Michigan following Warner's commitment. Those schools pursued Warner heavily once his recruitment picked up.

Kansas' defensive ends with remaining eligibility include Dean Miller, Dylan Brooks, Dak Brinkley, and Bai Jobe.

More Kansas football transfer portal news

Other transfer portal news has struck since the season came to a close. The Jayhawks earned a commitment from Leshon Williams, a running back from Iowa who could replace Devin Neal. He has 1,323 career rushing yards with the Hawkeyes. Meanwhile, sophomore defensive backs Brian Dilworth and Kaleb Purdy both entered the transfer portal over the past few days in search for a new home.