Two Kansas football players to represent Jayhawks at NFL Scouting Combine

The Kansas Jayhawks football program could see multiple players selected in the 2024 NFL Draft despite having no representatives from the team last year. A pair of Jayhawk standouts will represent KU in the NFL Scouting Combine after accepting their invitations yesterday.

Left tackle Dominick Puni and defensive end Austin Booker will be the Kansas players participating in the combine. While both players are expected to be picked between Days 2 and 3 of the draft, Puni will likely be the first off the board.

Puni committed to KU after spending four years at the University of Central Missouri, a Division II football school. He immediately took over starting left guard duties for Kansas head coach Lance Leipold and shifted over to left tackle for the 2023 season.

A versatile player who can play on the inside or outside, Puni garnered All-Big 12 First Team honors following the conclusion of the regular season. He skyrocketed up the draft rankings over the course of the year and is now considered one of the highest-upside linemen in this year's class.

Booker transferred in after a short stint with Minnesota last offseason. The 6-foot-6, 240-pound athletic freak quickly made a name for himself at Kansas, recording 56 total tackles, eight sacks, 12 tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles this year.

While some fans viewed his departure as premature, Booker is clearly on the right path with an invite to the combine. His size and athleticism are terrific for his size, and he could be a project for teams willing to spend time on him as a player.

Last year, Kansas had two players of the same position invited to the combine, them being offensive tackle Earl Bostick Jr. and defensive end Lonnie Phelps. However, neither of them was selected in the draft, so Puni and Booker hope to have better fortunes than them. Other Jayhawks who could hear their names on draft night include tight end Mason Fairchild and safety Kenny Logan Jr.