Multiple Kansas football players representing Jayhawks on Week 1 NFL rosters

Unlike the school's prolific basketball team, Kansas football is not synonymous with producing much professional talent. The Jayhawks had struggled to put a respectable product on the field until head coach Lance Leipold came to town in 2021. Since then, KU has sent some solid players to the next level, but the decade-long period of embarrassing football still took a toll on the program.

The local Kansas City Chiefs begin the season tonight against the Baltimore Ravens, and the conference unveiled the number of active players each school has sent to the league. Of the 16 teams in the Big 12, Kansas has the fewest formers players beginning NFL Week 1 on a roster.

Seven former Kansas Jayhawks listed on opening week rosters

The four active Jayhawks on Week 1 rosters are Dorance Armstrong of the Washington Commanders, Dominick Puni of the San Francisco 49ers, Austin Booker of the Chicago Bears, and Steven Sims of the Houston Texans. Meanwhile, Hakeem Adeniji, Earl Bostick Jr., and Jason Bean are currently signed to practice squads and might be brought up at some point in the season.

Fans around the league wanted Bean to land a spot on the 53-man roster after he was one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL Preseason. The Indianapolis Colts selected former Texas Longhorn signal-caller Sam Ehlinger over Bean despite a poor performance in game action last month.

If you count Chicago Bears running back Khalil Herbert — which many Kansas supporters would prefer not to — the program has eight active players in the NFL. However, he transferred to Virginia Tech and had a career year in his senior campaign due to the emergence of former star tailback Pooka Williams.

Seven (or eight) players in the NFL is not a very high number, but there is reason to believe that number will climb as Leipold continues to grow this squad. Devin Neal and Cobee Bryant are sure-fire Day 1 or 2 picks in the upcoming NFL Draft in 2025.