Kansas football could bolster O-line if Jayhawks receive commitment from SEC transfer

This would be a massive addition for Kansas in the trenches

Oct 7, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive linemen Andrew Chamblee (72)
Oct 7, 2023; Oxford, Mississippi, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks offensive linemen Andrew Chamblee (72) / Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
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When the college football spring transfer portal window opens on Apr. 16, hundreds of players across the country are expected to hit the open market. One of those players is Arkansas offensive tackle Andrew Chamblee, who is no longer with the Razorbacks after spending two seasons in Fayetteville.

A 6-foot-6, 310-pound tackle who was a top-200 recruit out of high school, Chamblee made the All-SEC Freshman Team after starting eight games and playing 405 snaps as a redshirt freshman. According to Pro Football Focus, he had a 40.9 pass-blocking grade and a 55.9 run-blocking grade.

Several schools are expected to pursue the young, talented offensive tackle. Pete Nakos from On3 Sports revealed that the Kansas Jayhawks would be one of the top contenders to land him, which makes sense given a recent injury update for KU's offensive line.

Kansas football could land Arkansas OT in spring transfer portal window

With redshirt freshman and presumed starting left tackle Calvin Clements undergoing lower leg surgery, KU's interest in Chamblee might suggest that the Lawrence native could miss some time. Lance Leipold must reinforce depth in the trenches after losing starters Dominick Puni and Mike Novitsky to graduation.

Clements played sparingly as a freshman but was able to maintain his redshirt while starting in the Guaranteed Rate Bowl for the Jayhawks. While the coaching staff is very high on him, Chamblee is one of the best young linemen in the country and still has three years of eligibility remaining.

During the offseason, Kansas added Division II transfer Shane Bumgardner to take over starting center duties. Starting linemen Michael Ford Jr. and Bryce Cabeldue are back in Lawrence for one more season, while OG Kobe Baynes should shift to right guard now that Ar'maj Reed-Adams transferred away from the program.

SEC rules restrict Chamblee from transferring to another university in the conference, which rules out a number of local teams. Seeing as Chamblee has shown interest in three Big 12 schools in the Midwest, Kansas will definitely be one of the top competitors to monitor.

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