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Kansas Football Now Ranked in Top 10 in 2026 Recruiting Rankings

Originally posted on Heartland College Sports
By Bryan Clinton | Last updated May 13, 2025 12:32 PM ET

Kansas football continues its recruiting surge with the commitment of one of its most sought-after defensive targets, 2026 linebacker Joseph Credit.

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound standout from Pearland, Texas, chose the Jayhawks over several other programs, including Ole Miss, TCU, and Texas Tech.

With Credit’s decision, Kansas has jumped into the national spotlight, boosting its 2026 recruiting class inside the top 10 rankings, all the way up to No. 8 according to Rivals’ latest rankings.

After Joseph Credit's commitment the Jayhawks are sitting at #8 in the country and leading the Big 12 football recruiting rankings. #kufball pic.twitter.com/7PUYYYDWvc
— JayhawkSlant (@JayhawkSlant) May 13, 2025

Before Lance Leipold took over the program in Lawrence, seeing something like this was almost unheard of for KU. Now, after proving that he can win and build strong relationships with recruits, Leipold is turning Kansas into a place were players want to come.

“The camaraderie that the team has is one of many things that stand out to me,” Credit said, highlighting the culture Leipold has cultivated over the past few seasons.

With Credit’s addition, Kansas not only gains a versatile defensive talent but also sends a message to the rest of the Big 12: the Jayhawks are serious contenders on the recruiting trail and will only continue to get better there as long as Leipold is around.

This article first appeared on Heartland College Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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