Kansas football lands commitment from 2025 RB to improve Jayhawks backfield

The Kansas football program assembled one of its best recruiting classes in program history this past year. After finishing 9-4 on the season with a bowl victory, the Jayhawks' future looks brighter than it has in quite some time under fourth-year HC Lance Leipold.

Spring practices recently came to a close in Lawrence, and the coaching staff has pivoted to the recruiting trail. Leipold and Co. have hosted several high school prospects and transfers on visits in the past few weeks. After a quiet month of recruiting, the Jayhawks received the second commitment in the past week.

Kansas football receives fourth pledge in 2025 recruiting class

The Jayhawks' newest commit is RB John Kelly, a 6-foot, 185-pound tailback in the Class of 2025 from Texas. He decided Kansas was the right school for him after taking an unofficial visit to campus in March. Kelly plays at Cypress Christian School, where he also runs track.

Kelly is the 796th-ranked player overall, 61st-ranked RB, and 130th-ranked player out of Texas in 247 Sports' Composite rankings for the upcoming graduating year. He is an explosive back who hits gaps hard and runs with power. The Lone Star State native reportedly chose KU over schools such as Arizona, Missouri, Washington State, Duke, and Texas Tech, among others.

This past week, OL Anderson Kopp announced his intentions to play at Kansas. The two newest Jayhawks make up a four-man class that also consists of QB David McComb and LB Malachi Curvey. According to 247 Sports, Leipold's 2025 class ranks 54th in the nation and 10th in the Big 12, though those rankings should change once more players begin to commit.

Considering the departure of incoming freshman RB Red Martel to the spring transfer portal window, Kelly could be an under-the-radar get for the coaching staff. Kansas must search for its Devin Neal successor after the star ball-carrier graduates and heads off to the NFL after the 2024 campaign.