Lance Leipold Praises Kansas Football’s Wide Receiver Room

The Kansas Jayhawks saw 39 seniors graduate last season, leaving Lance Leipold with plenty to address through the transfer portal and on the recruiting trail.

There are a lot of new players on both sides of the ball, especially on the offensive end. Devin Neal, the program’s all-time leading rusher, is gone, along with the top three wideouts and two key offensive linemen now in the NFL.

Andrew Lind, the Sports Director at WIBW, spoke with Leipold briefly at the Topeka Jayhawk Club on Tuesday to discuss the outlook of KU's roster.

“We’ve still got some of the same names from a year ago,” Leipold said. “Jalon Daniels, a healthy Daniel Hishaw, Bryce Foster and Kobe Baynes have a chance to be all-conference offensive linemen.”

Then, Leipold named a position group that he believes could be especially impressive.

“But I really like the new receivers that have come in,” he continued. “Emmanuel Henderson, Cam Pickett, Levi Wentz, are three players I think can be impactful for us.”

There is a lot of turnover in the wide receiving corps, with Luke Grimm, Lawrence Arnold, and Quentin Skinner all pursuing professional opportunities.

However, Leipold made a splash in the portal by adding the trio of wideouts he mentioned. Each of those players should have significant roles in KU's offense.

Henderson, who transferred over from Alabama, is the presumed WR1. While he did not play a major part in the Crimson Tide's offense, he is expected to receive plenty of targets at KU.

Coaches and players have been taken aback by Henderson's incredible athleticism and speed, with strength and conditioning coach Matt Gildersleeve even saying that Henderson could be the fastest Jayhawk on the team since Jason Bean.

Pickett is a former Ball State wideout who excels in the short game. He has been compared to Grimm and will primarily play out of the slot.

Finally, Wentz brings a different skill set as a 6-foot-2 physical receiver out of Albany who uses his strength to overpower defenders.

Other potential targets for Daniels include red-zone threat Bryson Canty (Columbia) and gadget receiver Jaidyn Doss (Nebraska). Returning players Doug Emilien and Keaton Kubecka are also in the mix for snaps.

Canty's biggest competition in the wide receiver room is Wentz, so Leipold naming the Albany transfer first could signify that he is in line for more playing time.

Either way, Jayhawk fans have plenty to look forward to as the season nears, especially with a reloaded and promising pass-catching unit.