Some surprise players have joined the Jayhawks in time for the 2016 season.
KU’s 2017 recruiting class just got a little weaker, but not because of a decommit. Remember that four-star CB recruit we got two months ago? Turns out he just couldn’t wait to become a Jayhawk and has reclassified to the Class of 2016.
Michael Lee, the four-star and top-rated athlete in the state of Louisiana per Rivals, is on campus and listed on the official KU Football roster. He chose the Jayhawks over an impressive list of offers that included Texas, Georgia, Texas A&M, Tennessee, Missouruh, Miami FL, and several Pac-12 schools. No doubt Lee came to campus early expecting to compete for a playing spot this year. (I for one love the confidence.)
Likewise, Denzell Evans, the RB graduate transfer from Arkansas, is also in camp and listed on the official roster. Evans was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, choosing Arkansas over Arizona State, Colorado, Kansas State, Michigan State, Minnesota, and others.
According to Benton Smith over at KUSports.com, neither Lee nor Evans has been officially cleared by the NCAA, but they are both expected to be eligible for the 2016 campaign.
Evans should slide right into the #2 RB spot behind Ke’aun Kinner, while Lee will compete with Brandon Stewart, Derrick Neal, Marnez Ogletree and fellow incoming freshman Kyle Mayberry (who, if you’ll recall, was featured here on RCT as the top-rated CB in Oklahoma after signing day). In case you were wondering, KU looks pretty set at Safety this fall with Fish Smithson, Bazie Bates, and Tevin Shaw and returning upperclassmen.
This is great news for a Kansas football program that has been short on bodies ever since Beaty took over. Whether or not these guys can make significant contributions (especially when Big 12 play rolls around) remains to be seen, but I say it’s a step in the right direction.