Kansas football may have finished the 2024 season with a disappointing 5-7 record, but the Jayhawks had one of the most talented rosters in recent school history. Up to six alumni have a realistic opportunity to be selected in the NFL Draft this week.
With draft day looming, more and more mock drafts are being released. NFL.com analyst Chad Reuter recently wrote up a seven-round mock, and four Jayhawks were taken. However, the first KU player off the board may come as a surprise. Reuter has offensive lineman Bryce Cabeldue going to the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round at pick No. 136.
Bryce Cabeldue sneaking up NFL mock draft boards
One of the most underrated linemen in the draft, Cabeldue did not garner much outside attention until his impressive showing at the Big 12 Pro Day. He finished with an elite composite speed and explosion grade, according to the Relative Athletic Score (RAS), making him incredibly athletic.
Cabeldue was a four-year starter at Kansas, bouncing between left and right tackle. However, most scouts project him to make the transition to the interior as a guard at the next level. He would arguably be the most athletic guard in this draft class.
The mock draft has him taken by the Ravens with their compensatory pick in the fourth round. He was the first of four KU players selected in Reuter's mock. Following suit was fellow offensive lineman Logan Brown (No. 153 to the Cincinnati Bengals), Cobee Bryant (No. 161 to the Philadelphia Eagles), and Devin Neal (No. 182 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
With Cabeldue and Brown expected to hear their names called at the podium sometime this week, they would become the second and third Jayhawk offensive linemen to be selected in the draft under Lance Leipold. Former KU star Dominick Puni ranked among the league's best rookies in the trenches in 2024 for the San Francisco 49ers.