The Kansas football team plays its first game of the 2025 season in week zero against Fresno State at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium this Saturday, August 23, at 5:30 CDT.
There are a lot of question marks with the roster as head coach Lance Leipold has to replace a bevy of productive players lost to graduation. The tight end and wide receiver positions, in particular, were hit hard, and there are several transfers at these positions and others.
While many of these transfers will have varying impacts on the team, there are three specific offensive newcomers to watch against the Bulldogs.
Which Kansas football transfers to watch against Fresno State
No. 3: LeShon Williams, RB
Williams is a redshirt senior transfer from Iowa, where he accumulated 1,323 rushing yards and another 172 receiving yards. He brings experience and production to the Jayhawks' running game.
It will be interesting to see if holdover veteran KU running back Daniel Hishaw gets the nod at RB1 or if Williams can nudge him aside. Most likely, Hishaw will be the top back, but he will get plenty of downs off due to his long history of injuries.
Hishaw has a nose for the endzone, proven by his 18 rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. Williams doesn’t have that same history, as he’s found the endzone just four times total - three on the ground and one through the air.
Williams and Hishaw should be an effective tandem, but it remains to be seen who will get the most work.
No. 2: Boden Groen, TE
Groen is the only one of two tight ends on the Kansas football roster with a reception. Although he is new to the program, he brings experience from his time with Rice.
At Rice, Groen hauled in 60 throws for 556 yards and three touchdowns. While he played in just four games last year due to injury, he still has far more experience and production than anyone else in the tight end room.
It seems likely that Groen may share snaps with Iowa State transfer DeShawn Hanika, who has 17 catches for 244 yards at Iowa State.
The tight end position may be the biggest question mark on the offense because of the overall lack of experience. Groen isn’t a shoo-in, but it would be surprising if he doesn’t get a lot of opportunities early in the season.
Will his experience at Rice transfer to a bigger program? Can he set himself apart? The first game should tell us a lot about how Groen will be used.
No. 1: Emmanuel Henderson Jr., WR
Leipold brought in several wide receivers from smaller programs, but the most intriguing newcomer is Henderson. The wideout spent three seasons at Alabama, one of the biggest programs in the country.
Henderson didn’t get many opportunities with the Crimson Tide, catching one pass as a freshman and four last year as a junior. That isn’t a lot of receptions, but one stat stands out - yards per catch.
Last year, on his four catches, he averaged 20.5 yards. That is a small sample size, but a substantial average. It is not realistic to expect such a high average with more receptions, but he might have the ability to stretch a defense.
Henry Greenstein, of KUSports.com reported via X that Henderson is the fastest KU player since Leipold’s arrival.
Gildersleeve said Emmanuel Henderson Jr. is the only guy they've had who has ever run a faster velocity than what Jason Bean hit.
— Henry Greenstein (@HenryGreenstein) July 24, 2025
Even though Henderson didn’t accumulate many stats while at Alabama, he was going against some of the best secondary players in the country. Four Tide defensive backs who practiced against Henderson were drafted to the NFL, including 2024 first-round pick Terrion Arnold. Working out against players of that caliber should have sharpened Henderson’s skills.
He could be the most significant addition to this offense. It will be fun to see how the Jayhawks use him and how often they throw the ball his direction.
It’s essential that the Kansas football team get off to a fast start in 2025. Fans are excited by a renovated stadium and a new season, and these three newcomers could play a big part in the team’s success.