Kansas Jayhawks land commitment from four-star, dual-sport athlete Jaden Nickens

The Kansas Jayhawks landed a big commitment on Thursday from one of the top athletes in the country in the 2025 class.

Two-sport athlete Jaden Nickens from Chatsworth, California – who will play both football and basketball at Kansas – picked the Jayhawks over offers from Georgia, Texas A&M, Cal and others according to Rivals.com. Nickens is expected to play wide receiver in football and is listed as a small forward in basketball.

Rated as a four-star prospect and the fifth best athlete in the country, the 6-foot-3 Nickens was previously committed to Oklahoma until March of this year. He opened up his commitment and that is when Kansas basketball assistant Kurtis Townsend reached out.

“On the basketball end, coach (Kurtis) Townsend called me and basically they started recruiting me,” Nickens said. “They got football on board and once basketball and football talked and they talked to my family and my mom they threw the offer to me.”

Nickens’ commitment is especially huge for KU football as the Jayhawks are set to lose the talents of senior wide receivers Luke Grimm, Lawrence Arnold, and Quentin Skinner this offseason to graduation.

Nickens easily becomes the highest rated recruit for head coach Lance Leipold in the 2025 recruiting class. He is the 16th prospect to pledge his talents for the Jayhawks in class that is now ranked as the No. 62 class in the country and the No. 12 class in the Big 12.

In basketball, Nickens’ commitment brings KU’s 2025 class to three which is currently ranked No. 14 in the country and No. 2 in the Big 12.

“I won state championships in basketball so to go play for the No. 1 basketball team in the country is great but also for me to go help Kansas football take the step forward to go to a bowl game and the playoffs and a natty is what I’m trying to do.”