Kansas football isn’t normally a captivating spectacle. Nevertheless, the Jayhawks may be trending up under Lance Leipold, and they have some legitimate 2023 NFL Draft prospects worth keeping an eye on.
Kansas prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft
There are two prospects that stand out above the rest for Kansas — one on offense, and one on defense. Those two will be relied upon to represent the team on draft night next April. But outside of those two, there are a dozen other players to keep tabs on.
Jason Bean, QB
The Jayhawks may split time at quarterback between Jason Bean and junior Jalon Daniels. But Bean is the one with 2023 NFL Draft aspirations. Bean has flashed decent arm strength in the past, but a position switch could ultimately be in his future at the professional level. Bean has legit high-end speed and explosiveness at 6’3″, 189 pounds, and he’s flipped games over with his ability to glide and destroy angles in space.
Luke Grimm, WR
Luke Grimm won’t have a ton of buzz heading into the 2022 season, mostly on account of his production. Through two seasons at Kansas, he has just 41 catches for 604 yards and five touchdowns. But within that small sample, Grimm has flashed definite potential.
Grimm’s a lean athlete at 6’0″, 176 pounds, but he’s an underrated contested-catch threat with his ball-tracking ability, body control, and vertical athleticism. He’s also shown he can separate by using tempo in his routes. Now a junior, Grimm might just have an NFL future.
Mason Fairchild, TE
Mason Fairchild experienced a brief wave of fame after an impressive one-handed catch against South Dakota in September last season. But aside from that, he’s largely flown under the radar as an incoming 2023 NFL Draft prospect.
Now a senior, Fairchild doesn’t have much production to his name. And watching his tape, he’s a bit of a lumbering athlete in space. That said, he does flash solid body control to go along with a tall 6’5″, 261-pound frame. Those traits could be enough to earn a camp invite.
Earl Bostick Jr., OT
There are two prospects on Kansas’ roster in contention to be the most coveted of the group in the 2023 NFL Draft cycle. One of those two contenders is offensive tackle Earl Bostick Jr.
Bostick is an intriguing physical talent with a long 6’6″, 315-pound frame. He can improve his anchor strength and be more consistent with his pad level, but Bostick has legitimate upside. He’s a good athlete in space with a long wingspan and has also flashed independent hand usage. Bostick could potentially challenge for a draft selection.
Mike Novitsky, C
He’s listed at a lean 6’5″, 295 pounds, but Mike Novitsky might be a player worth keeping an eye on at the center position. Novitsky started all 12 games for Kansas across the 2021 campaign and didn’t allow a sack or commit a penalty. As an NFL draft prospect, he could stand to add weight and get stronger. But Novitsky’s shown to have passable athleticism, as well as good awareness against stunts.
Caleb Sampson, DT
Chief among Kansas’ interior defensive linemen is Caleb Sampson, a former Missouri commit who transferred to Kansas ahead of the 2019 season. Sampson logged reps on defense immediately upon arriving at Kansas and had a career year in 2021, with 24 tackles, 3½ tackles for loss, and a sack. Now a super senior, the 6’3″, 292-pound veteran will be relied upon as a defensive leader and could generate some PFA appeal with a good year.
Lonnie Phelps, EDGE
The big-ticket acquisition for Kansas this past offseason was Lonnie Phelps, a transfer from Miami-Ohio. Phelps accrued 13½ tackles for loss and 8½ sacks in 2021. Now, the 6’3″, 242-pound edge rusher takes his talents to Kansas.
Although undersized, Phelps flashes good strength and functional athleticism, and he can beat tackles with deception as well. His teammate Dominique Robinson was drafted in Round 5 of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Bears. Likewise, Phelps could also work his way into the Day 3 conversation with a good year.
Zion DeBose, EDGE
Phelps projects to be the Jayhawks’ top edge rusher, but Zion DeBose could potentially see an uptick in production in 2022. DeBose is a former Virginia Tech commit. But after spending three seasons with the Hokies, one of which he missed due to an injury, DeBose came to Kansas in 2021. There, he logged 1½ sacks and 2½ tackles for loss in rotational action. DeBose is undersized at 6’1″, 257 pounds, but has a hot motor in pursuit.
Gavin Potter, LB
The Jayhawks have a few linebackers who could take up real estate in the 2023 NFL Draft class. Gavin Potter is one of the first names that comes to mind in that conversation.
The 6’2″, 225-pound LB has been a consistent contributor at Kansas, but 2021 was his best campaign yet. Last season, Potter put up 78 tackles, five tackles for loss, a sack, a pick-six, and a pass deflection. He’s a sturdy tackler who’s not afraid to levy big hits, but he can also drop back in coverage, follow the quarterback’s eyes, and make plays on the ball.
Rich Miller, LB
Alongside Potter, Rich Miller broke out as a viable LB starter for the Jayhawks last season. Miller edged out Potter with 79 tackles, and also added five tackles for loss, a sack, two pass deflections, and a forced fumble among his other totals. Now listed at 6’1″, 235 pounds, Miller has steadily been adding mass to his frame. He returns as a consistent tackling threat for Kansas in 2022.
Eriq Gilyard, LB
The Jayhawks are returning their two leading tacklers at linebacker from 2021. But another player who aims to factor into that rotation is UCF transfer Eriq Gilyard.
Gilyard transferred to Kansas for just that reason — to be a starter again. That was the role he had but lost with UCF, after starting the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Gilyard has a dense, compact frame, and has shown he can get depth and make plays in coverage. Perhaps he can find new paths forward in Lawrence.
Craig Young, LB
One of the more intriguing transfers on Kansas’ roster is linebacker Craig Young. Young, now a redshirt junior, played at Ohio State from 2019 to 2021. He came out as a three-star linebacker recruit with blazing speed — having ran a 10.7 100-meter dash at 6-foot-3.
Last year, Young saw some time at defense for the Buckeyes and picked up 14 tackles, a half-tackle for loss, and two picks, including a pick-six. At 228 pounds, he could stick at off-ball linebacker or take more EDGE reps for Kansas. Either way, he has upside.
Kalon Gervin, CB
Yet another interesting transfer acquisition for Kansas is cornerback Kalon Gervin. Gervin was a four-star recruit in the 2018 cycle and had offers from teams like Alabama, LSU, and Notre Dame.
Gervin registered a 4.41 40-yard dash and a near-35″ vertical jump. He ultimately signed with Michigan State, where he’d max out with four deflections as a sophomore in 2020. Gervin wasn’t able to sustain a starting role with the Spartans, but he has the athletic tools to potentially make a resurgence with the Jayhawks.
Kenny Logan Jr., S
Naturally saving the best for last, we’ve arrived at Kenny Logan Jr. In an uncertain safety class, there’s an opening for Logan to emerge and be selected next April.
Logan led the Jayhawks in tackles with 110 takedowns and four tackles for loss last year. He also added an interception, six pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Logan has a dense frame at 210 pounds, but he has the range to run down players in pursuit. At the catch point, Logan has truly superb ball skills and ball-tracking ability. As a bonus, he brings return experience — but Logan may have a future on the defensive side of the ball in the NFL.