The 2026 football recruiting class is nearly all said and done. As it stands, the Jayhawks have compiled the 38th-best recruiting class, which is pipped by the additions of four-star cornerback JJ Dunnigan and offensive lineman Kaden Snyder, along with 17 three-stars to follow suit.
While a lot of Kansas eyes will deservedly be on Dunnigan, who is rated as the 98th-best player in the class, and the 2nd-best player out of Kansas. ESPN wants to point the direction elsewhere when discussing who may be a more impactful player for the Jayhawks.
“At long last, the Jayhawks will have a new quarterback in 2026 with Jalon Daniels finally exhausting his eligibility. The good news for Kansas fans? Whoever calls the shots behind center will have a potential cornerstone offensive tackle arriving in Lawrence to protect him. Snyder could make the leap to four-star status this fall if he continues to add more bulk. The basketball and track standout has great feet and length and polished pass-protection skills to continue developing once he gets to school.”
Now, there may be confusion as 247Sports has Snyder ranked as a four-star yet doesn’t have a ranking. Craig Haubert and Billy Tucker of ESPN list Snyder as unranked, yet each touts Snyder as a potential star. The 247Sports Composite, which evaluates every recruiting database to give a consensus rating, tags Snyder as the No. 299 player in the nation, the 28th-best offensive tackle in the land, and the 3rd-ranked player in the state.
Regardless of where Snyder may be put on a rankings chart, He will be under the tutelage of Darryl Agpalsa, who is one of the nation’s best quarterback protectors. Under Agpalsa last season, Kansas allowed just .83 sacks per game (10 total), which were the fewest allowed in the Big 12 and fourth fewest nationally. Kansas’ 10 sacks allowed are the fewest by a Jayhawk team since at least 1996.
While this season, the Kansas run game was stomped by a ferocious Missouri front, the early-season alignments are common throughout the nation, and will hopefully be able to open up more offensive routes for the Jayhawks as the season wears on.