After Kansas lost Devin Neal to graduation a year ago, the Jayhawks severely missed his contributions in 2025. KU finished in the bottom half of the Big 12 in rushing yards per game, which was uncharacteristic for a Lance Leipold-coached squad since he arrived in Lawrence five years ago.
With Devin Neal’s departure to the NFL, that spot on the depth chart required an immediate replacement who could at least approach the consistency Neal showed over the last two seasons.