After months of dread for the Kansas football program, the team has finally turned its season around and given fans hope for the future. Today's contest between the Jayhawks and Baylor Bears will go a long way toward the success of the coming years.
While the focus is on the product at hand right now, the Jayhawks and head coach Lance Leipold continue to build a bright future in Lawrence, recently landing a commitment from 2026 cornerback Lennie Brown.
COMMITTED!🔵🔴@KU_Football @CoachLeipold @DKMcDonald1 @CoachBshelb @CoachBorland @KUCoachZ @CoachSvarczkopf @LB_1212 @adaina_brown @lancebrown_0 @CHawk_4 @_groundzer0 @JayhawkSlant #Committed #RCJH #KU #KUAthletics #Jayhawks #RockChalk #ROCKCHALKJAYHAWK pic.twitter.com/kx41PoeU9H
— Lennie “Trey” Brown (@4treybrown) November 28, 2024
Kansas football earns second commitment of 2026 recruiting class
Brown, a 6-foot, 165-pound prospect from Tustin, California, became the second player to pledge to Kansas football’s 2026 recruiting class, announcing his decision Thursday. He plays both sides of the ball but was recruited to KU as a cornerback who can play on the outside and nickel.
He is ranked No. 561 nationally by 247 Sports Composite rankings. The website also lists him as the 45th-best cornerback in the country and the 67th-ranked player in California. His composite grade of 0.8650 makes him the highest-rated prospect to commit to Kansas early in the cycle.
The decision came less than a week after Brown’s unofficial visit to Lawrence, which began on Nov. 23. Three recruiting analysts posted crystal ball projections for Kansas days before his announcement. Brown praised the connection he felt with Leipold and other coaches during his visit in an interview.
"I'm excited to be committed and was at a loss for words," Brown said. "The staff was excited for me too — we dapped up and talked for a long time and the vibe was through the roof."
Brown joins Jaylen Mason, a 6-foot-2 dual-threat quarterback, as the only players currently committed to the 2026 class. Mason, who committed in late October, is ranked as Rivals.com’s ninth-best player in the state and is one of the most athletic signal-callers in his class.
KU’s recruiting efforts have gained momentum under Leipold, with the 2026 class now ranked 49th nationally. While still early, the coaching staff staff is scouting additional high schoolers to bolster the program’s future. Several players remain on the radar for additional commitments in the coming months as Kansas looks to sustain its recent recruiting growth.