Kansas Jayhawks land QB Chance Thomas over Auburn and Utah

Head coach Lance Leipold. Jesse Bruner/Special to The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Kansas Jayhawks land QB Chance Thomas over Auburn and Utah

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated May 11, 2026 10:15 PM ET

The Kansas Jayhawks are known for their dominance on the basketball court, but head coach Lance Leipold is trying to do something special on the gridiron as well.

It's worth noting that it's completely possible, too. Heck, the Indiana Hoosiers just won the national championship ... in football.

If Indiana can win it all in the NIL and transfer portal era, the Jayhawks certainly have a chance.

Just like with anything, though, recruiting the right players is certainly important, and Leipold and the Jayhawks seem to have gotten a good one on Monday.

That would be 3-star quarterback Chance Thomas from Anaheim, California.

He committed to Kansas on Monday over the Auburn Tigers and Utah Utes.

BREAKING: 3-star QB Chance Thomas has committed to Kansas.

Thomas is the No. 2 QB in the state of California pic.twitter.com/Cf89uCLJyd
— 247Sports (@247Sports) May 11, 2026

KU got in the game early with Thomas, and that proactiveness from the Jayhawks paid off.

“They’re one of the first schools to offer me, and yeah, it’s just been home from the beginning,” Thomas said on the livestream in which he announced his commitment (h/t kusports.com)

Kansas picks up intriguing 3-star QB Chance Thomas

Thomas is ranked as the No. 27 quarterback in the country, according to 247Sports.

Checking in at 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, he's an elite athlete who could be a very intriguing college quarterback prospect if the Jayhawks can keep him in Lawrence. He's got the type of high upside as a quarterback that could make him very intriguing to "bigger schools" in the transer portal.

As a junior, Thomas threw for 3,327 yards and 33 touchdowns compared to seven interceptions for Western High School. He also rushed 94 times for 734 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging 7.8 yards per carry.

"Projects as a potential multi-year starter in a wide-open attack that wants to let him create," wrote 247Sports Director of Scouting Andrew Irvins.

Thomas seems to agree with that assessment.

“I can pretty much do it all and I can’t wait to get to Lawrence and show them I can do it for real,” he said.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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