Not only has the Kansas football program made much progress in winning games, but it is also starting to develop more players for the NFL.
This season, six former Jayhawks made NFL rosters. Devin Neal, the all-time leading rusher in KU history, was placed on the New Orleans Saints' season-ending Injured Reserve list.
Five of the six play positions that are in the trenches; all are either offensive or defensive linemen. The other shocked everyone by making a team and securing a surprise role on his team.
Six former Kansas players to make NFL rosters in 2026
Dorance Armstrong: Washington Commanders
Armstrong is starting his ninth season in the NFL. He played for the Cowboys for six years and is now in his third season with the Commanders.
In his career, Armstrong has 137 solo tackles and 232 total stops, 37 of which are tackles for loss. He's also accumulated 34 sacks, including a career-high 8.5 in 2022. He's been a strong rotational player on the edge for most of his career.
Unfortunately, he will miss the first game of the season due to a suspension for violation of the league's personal conduct policy.
Austin Booker: Chicago Bears
Booker is starting his third season with the Bears. He suffered a knee injury during the 2025 season and missed most of the first half and is hoping to take the next step in his development.
In his 27-game NFL career, Booker has produced 33 solo tackles and 56 total. He has eight tackles for loss and six sacks so far. He is part of a strong defensive line rotation in Chicago, and if he stays healthy, he will have a big impact on the defense.
Dominick Puni: San Francisco 49ers
Like Booker, Puni is ready for his third season with the 49ers. Puni has started all 34 games of his career, which is quite an accomplishment for any player.
According to a Google search, Puni ranked as the sixth-best guard in his rookie year with a Pro Football Focus rating of 80.5. He slipped a bit last year, dropping to 70.5, the 25th-best mark among guards. He also was moved around a little last year, thanks to his versatility, and that might have hurt his overall score.
Puni has become a staple along the San Francisco line and should continue to be very productive for years to come.
Enrique Cruz Jr.: San Francisco 49ers
Puni will be joined in San Francisco by another former Jayhawk lineman in Cruz. The latter is one of three players from last season's Kansas football team to make a roster.
Cruz will serve as offensive tackle depth this season for the 49ers. Hopefully, he can improve his game to make an even bigger impact in the future.
Bryce Cabeldue: Seattle Seahawks
Like his former teammate at Kansas, Cabeldue will bring depth along the offensive line for the Seahawks this season. He is listed second on Seattle's depth chart at left guard.
Like Cruz, Cabeldue needs to work to strengthen his overall skill set so if he's called to duty, he will be prepared to make an impact as a reserve. No one knows yet how many snaps he will get, so he can use the time to improve and develop.
Jalon Daniels: Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The biggest surprise on this list is Daniels, who went undrafted in the 2026 NFL Draft. At one point in his career at Kansas, he was the preseason choice for the Big 12 Player of the Year. Injuries and uneven performances saw those expectations fade away. He had a terrific college career, and he has a strong arm and is a good runner, so there is plenty of talent to work with.
After the draft, Daniels was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Usually, if a quarterback is undrafted, the best he can hope for is to make the practice squad. Daniels, however, played well in the preseason games and must have made enough of an impression on the Bucs' staff to keep him on.
Not only did Tampa keep Daniels, but they also made him Baker Mayfield's backup, releasing John Browning in the process. It is highly unusual for any team to trust their backup quarterback role to an untested, undrafted free agent.
Daniels has a chance to make a significant impact with the Buccaneers, especially if Mayfield gets injured. It will be interesting to see what Daniels makes of this opportunity.
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