Bundy

Naccarto quickly became the ILB in Minnesota in 2022, so identifying him as a key contributor in FA is such a major get for early Carolina.

We've only just begun the early days of spring practices, but the Kansas Jayhawks have already been putting in noticeable work as they prepare for the 2024 season. Quarterback ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tyler Summers (JR) Scrambler Weaver HS, Weaver, AL Returning production: 15 starts, 136/272 (50%), 1,737 yards (6.38 yards/att), 8 TD, 20 INT; 165 carries, 960 yards (5.82 avg), 3 TD Tyler Summers has had a roller coaster-like career at Kansas. He was a member of Kansas' inaugural team in 2021, but was redshirted as the staff went with the older Ian Morgan and Jeff Maeda to guide them through 2021, where the team had some success, but finished 5-7 with no bowl game. Summers beat out Maeda to start the 2022 season, but through 3 starts, had thrown 0 TDs and looked turnover prone, and the team went back to Maeda, who guided the Jayhawks to their first bowl victory in program history. In 2023, Summers was again given the starting nod, before being benched for the Oklahoma game - in which SR athlete Aaron Diaz, who had returned punts in 2021 and was used as the Jayhawks RB2 in 2023, had an abysmal performance, seeing Summers given the starting role for the rest of the year. This year, there is little competition for the QB1 role. Summers is by far the most experienced of the group, and with the simNCAA opening up more play calling flexibility, there's opportunity for the Jayhawks coaching staff - who has had a rocky relationship with Summers - to adapt more towards Summers style. That said, with less than 2,700 combined yards to date, Summers will need to find his groove quickly, or Kansas will find someone else to move the ball downfield. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Joseph Perkins (FR) Balanced Berrien HS, Nashville, GA Perkins was an underrecruited QB during the 2022 recruiting cycle, who got a late offer to Kansas and committed quickly. He took a redshirt year during the 2023 campaign, but there's many in the Jayhawks booster base who view his style of play as the future of Kansas football - "if you want to compete for Big 12 titles and beyond, and not just bowl games, you need to pass the ball." Kansas has shown no hesitancy in starting younger QBs in the past, with Jeff Maeda starting the 2021 season opener as a true junior, and Summers starting 2022 as a redshirt FR. With plans to involve their many blue chip TE recruits into the offense, there's a possibility Kansas turns to Perkins if Summers falters early in the year. ⭐⭐⭐Dustin Benintendi (SO) Scrambler Pensacola Catholic, Pensacola, FL Returning production: 1/3 (33%), 10 yards (3.33 yards/att), 0 TD, 0 INT; 3 carries, 10 yards (3.33 avg), 1 TD Benintendi was the first QB to be recruited by this coaching staff, coming from the 2021 cycle. The sturdiest of the Kansas QBs, weighing in at 234lbs, he's taken minimal reps as a depth RB, while also playing some special teams and saw a few plays of action at QB when Summers was briefly injured during a 2023 game. It's likely his Kansas career will be restricted to being a depth player barring injuries. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jeffrey Eagle FR Pocket Enterprise HS, Enterprise, AL Eagle was another underrecruited QB coming out of SEC country, who saw Kansas' interest (and connection to Summers' Alabama statehood) as a potential place to make a name for himself. Eagle is all but destined to see the 2024 season as a redshirt player, and is one of a few incoming freshmen to not enroll early. With Kansas striking both he and Perkins, there is again a notion that Kansas may be looking to abandon their niche offense in favor of a more dominant downfield passing offense. Other QBs: ⭐⭐⭐ William Abshire (FR) Scrambler Kimberly, Kimberly WI; ⭐⭐⭐ Robert Lemberger (FR) Scrambler St. Mary's Springs, Fond du Lac, WI; ⭐⭐⭐ Michael Ryan FR Scrambler Sterling, Sterling IL Running Backs ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Cody Casspi (SR) Speed Fairfield, Fairfield, TX Returning production: 398 carries, 2,292 yards (5.76 yards/att), 19 TD; 34 catches/51 targets, 377 yards (11.09 yards/rec), 3 TD Casspi raced into the Kansas record books this past season, passing fan favorite Bene' Humber for the school mark in season and career rushing yards and touchdowns. After taking over the RB1 role midway through his (SO) season, he hasn't looked back, and it's almost certain the KU offense will again be Casspi-centric. He's been no slouch in the receiving game, needing 17 receptions and 21 yards to pass Humber in these marks as well, with Humber doing it in largely a much more passing focused offense, especially in 2021. ⭐⭐⭐ Jacob Flores SR Receiving West Ranch, Valencia, CA Returning production: 27 carries, 112 yards (4.15 yards/att), 0 TD; 1 catch/1 target, 7 yards (7.00 yards/rec), 0 TD Flores has been a consistent practice level player for the Jayhawks, seeing minimal reps over the years as RB3/4, with occasional special teams work. Many media insiders this offseason have been reporting that, should Summers remain the starting QB, Flores is in line to play the "Aaron Diaz" RB2 role, coming in to spell Casspi as needed. Through 3 seasons, Flores has managed to accumulate about one game's worth of stats, so expectations aren't high, but he's also developed into a FBS caliber RB, who could at the least be a capable fill in. ⭐⭐⭐ Kamaleli Lowe (SO) Balanced Cascade Christian, Medford, OR Lowe, a 2021 committ, came to Kansas after receiving an offer at the same camp that fellow Oregonian Steel Blue was at. Lowe hasn't screamed "RB1 potential" at any point to date, but Kansas views him as a potential multi-year RB2 going into 2025, and are likely to play him at times throughout the 2024 season. To date, Kansas has largely followed a 2RB philosophy, so Lowe could easily vulture some reps from Jacob Flores at times. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nathaniel Rudebacher FR Speed Taravella, Coral Springs, FL Kansas swung hard on multiple 5-star options during the 2023 recruiting cycle, and lost out on all of them. While it is no doubt that eventual Tulane committ Frank Jolliffe would have factored into the RB2 role at the very least as a true freshman, Kansas pivoted and signed Rudebacher as their eventual Casspi heir. Rudy has already stepped foot into the Kansas training room despite being destined for a 2024 redshirt. Expectations are high for the Florida freshman. ⭐⭐⭐ Alonzo Wilson SO Power St. Albans, Washington, D.C. During the 2022 cycle, Kansas went to the Nation's capitol, bagging Alonzo Wilson as a potential Smash back in a theoretical Smash n Dash style of offense. Wilson surprisingly didn't take a redshirt year as a true freshman, and while the option remains during the 2024 season, it appears much more likely he could be destined to a RB4 role early in his career. Other RBs: ⭐⭐ Miles Street SR Balanced Sharpsville, Sharpsville PA; ⭐⭐⭐ Kevin Force SO Speed Windermere Prep, Windermere, FL; ⭐Jay Ludden FR Speed Father Ryan, Nashville, TN Fullbacks ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alfred Schneider (FR) Balanced Coldwater, Coldwater, OH Kansas graduated Marcell Maysonet to the pros, so they have 0 returning presence at the fullback position. Fear not, because Schneider is a potential 4-year starter who the coaching staff wants to get, and keep, involved early and often. There's thought that Schneider could even play some RB2 if they design their offense to be less FB-featured. ⭐⭐⭐ Alex Takahashi JR Rushing Neenah, Neenah, WI Takahashi was actually a high school Power RB, tearing up the Fox River Area Conference and leading Neenah deep into the WIAA playoffs all four years of his high school career. Unfortunately, the "speed" he displayed against the WIAA is not "speed" when it comes to collegiate football, and he's been relegated to being a fullback recruit/college fullback. At 6' 221, his size has allowed him to get involved on Kansas' special teams unit, but he hasn't yet had an impact on the offense, and got recruited over with the addition of Schneider. Kansas still might get Takahashi involved. ⭐⭐⭐ Austin Girodo (SO) Receiving Goddard, Goddard, KS Girodo, a Kansas native, came to Lawrence in the same class that Takahashi did, but even with a redshirt year, remains behind the ball when it comes to earning reps. For now, he's a body that Kansas high school coaches can point to and say "if you work hard enough, you can make it to the FBS and play close to home." Other FBs: ⭐ Ivan Leon FR Tri-Valley, Downs, IL Receivers That's right, no wide receivers or tight ends in this breakdown, just one large hodge podge of guys who "think they have hands." ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Steel Blue JR Receiving Sheldon, Eugene, OR Returning production: 36 catches/87 targets, 310 yards (8.61 yards/rec), 0 TD Steel Blue elevates to the likely TE1 role with Alex Atkins' departure for the NFL. Unfortunately, Blue, the once-highest rated recruit in Jayhawks history, has shown little consistency in producing. Atkins, as a true sophomore, put up 1,187 yards. Blue, in two years as TE2, has put up barely 15 yards per game. Physically, Blue is by far the best receiving option on the Jayhawks roster. 2024 will show if he can put his traits together on the field. ⭐⭐⭐ Tanner Bradley (JR) Possession Ottawa-Glandorf, Ottawa, OH Returning production: 10 catches/23 targets, 96 yards (9.60 yards/rec), 0 TD Bradley found himself earning WR reps late in the 2023 season, and has been proving in camp that he's the best "natural WR" of a very inexperienced, undertalented bunch. The 21 year old is confident but humble, knowing he's likely a depth receiver at most other "competitive" schools in the country. We've seen multiple Kansas receivers turn pro in the past - (The Ogbah who shall not be named), Trenton Adam - so these next two years will look to be Bradley's to lose, barring a transfer in or shift to heavy TE usage. ⭐⭐⭐ Nate Lucas (SR) Possession Mayfair, Lakewood, CA Returning production: 3 catches/5 targets, 19 yards (6.33 yards/rec), 1 TD Nate Lucas returns to Kansas for his 4th year of the program, with his only stats coming as a true sophomore way back in 2021. Still, he returns Kansas' only receiving TD from the receiving group of players (Cody Casspi's 3 receiving TDs as a RB lead the team in returning production). This roster is very raw and unknown when it comes to guys beyond the tackle box, which is why it's the perfect opportunity for Lucas, 22, to make himself a name. Many view Bradley as the "WR1" of this bunch, but that means Lucas has a chance to line up against CB2s and slot corners depending on formation. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Travis Siegrist (SO) Blocking Mansfield Legacy, Mansfield, TX Siegrist, while grouped with the receivers here, is more known for his ability to lay a smackdown on an opposing linebacker than to lead a team in receiving. Despite being 6'4", he only weighs in at 246, making him much too small to play a pulling guard position in high level CFB, which is the position he played for three years in Texas before converting to TE his senior season. Siegrist has been working on his hands during his first years on campus, and while he's not a lethal threat, he could catch the occasional pass if needed. Look for him to be heavily involved in 2 TE sets this season. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Travis Campbell (FR) Receiving Western Boone, Thorntown, IN With Siegrist locking down TE2 honors, Kansas may struggle to get their other blue chip TEs on the field. Last year, there were times where Steel Blue or Alex Atkins would line up out wide in the WR2 or slot WR roles, and that could be something Kansas does again with Blue, Campbell, or their next receiver on the list after Campbell. Campbell, just as sturdy as Siegrist, is more of a traditional TE, which could be the factor in deciding if Blue is the one pushing to a WR role. Campbell doesn't have blazing speed by any means, but many expect him to just see reps - both on offense and special teams - as a way for him to flourish. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Frank Greco (FR) Vertical Threat New Hanover, Wilmington, NC Greco came to Kansas in the same class as Campbell, but at 6'3", 221, is undersized for a traditional TE role. Greco struggles in blocking roles, but Kansas - which we mentioned in Campbell's write up - is likely to get him and some of the other "TEs" involved in the passing game in other ways. Look for Greco to join Campbell on the special teams unit as well. ⭐⭐⭐ Bryan David SR Blocking Glendora, Glendora, CA Returning production: 3 catches/7 targets, 29 yards (9.66 yards/rec), 0 TD The transfer portal will arrive too late for Bryan David to show his stuff as a TE1 anywhere, but the 6'6", 250 veteran has featured all over the Kansas offense, from backup TE duties, to sub fullback, to an occasional hybrid H-back role. Other Receivers of note: ⭐⭐⭐Ifeadi Barea JR, ⭐⭐⭐ Larry Gaziano FR, ⭐⭐⭐ Robert Bernal FR, ⭐⭐⭐ John Denney SO, ⭐⭐⭐ Dylan LaFromboise (SO) Left Tackle ⭐⭐⭐ Drew Solano SR Pass Blocking Sterling Heights Stevenson, Sterling Heights, MI Returning production: 15 starts, 1 sack allowed Solano returns as the most experienced Kansas offensive lineman, with 3 starts at LT and 12 starts at RT on his resume. ⭐⭐⭐ Jason Seay SO Pass Blocking Lexington, Lexington, SC ⭐⭐⭐ Kenny Morrison SO Pass Blocking Vanguard, Ocala, FL Seay and Morrison both came to Kansas during the 2022 cycle, and Seay currently has the jump on Morrison for depth LT roles. It is highly likely that Kansas redshirts one of these left tackle prospects so that there's a little more continuity potential post-Solano. Right Tackle ⭐⭐⭐ Austin Smith (JR) Balanced Westfield, Westfield, IN Through early camp, Smith has taken the bulk of the RT1 reps, but has no prior playing experience of note. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Wallace Brooks FR Run Blocking Grapevine Faith Christian, Grapevine, TX Wallace Brooks was a major target for Kansas in 2023 recruiting, and there is an outside shot he lines up at RT from day one. The concern for Brooks is that he hasn't hit a collegiate level weight regimen until the past few weeks, and a year in the weight room would do him good before giving him a true chance to compete with Smith/FBS caliber DEs in 2025. ⭐⭐⭐ Drew Nunnally JR Run Blocking South Lake, Groveland, FL Nunnally came during Kansas' initial recruiting class, but hasn't made the strides the coaching staff expected of him and looks to be a career depth piece while in Lawrence. Other OTs of note: ⭐⭐Zac Griffin (SR), ⭐⭐⭐ Tim Jarvis (SO), ⭐⭐⭐ Michael Morrison FR Interior OL ⭐⭐⭐⭐ David Hager SO Pass Blocking Jefferson, Bloomington, MN Returning production: 13 starts, 1 sack allowed Hager committed to Kansas over staying in the Twin Cities with Minnesota due to connections KU coach @Bundy had with the Bloomington area/Jeffs from his semipro playing days. Hager was rewarded with a starting role as a true freshman, which could open the door for Wallace Brooks to also start as a true FR. Despite Kansas' struggles in the passing game, Hager was far from a liability, with 1 start at LG and 12 starts at RG during 2023. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jesus Hernandes (FR) Balanced Shabazz, Newark, NJ With the northeast of the USA going largely underrecruited during the 2022 cycle, Kansas struck hard on landing interior linemen, and Jesus Hernandes committed, redshirted under multi-year starter Pete Blythe last year, and now seems in line to land the starting C role. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Enrique Guerra (FR) Run Blocking Spencer, Spencer, IA Guerra, a center by trade to this point, projects as Kansas' RG going into 2024 and beyond. Kansas could lock up 3 years of consistent OL in their interior with Hager-Hernades-Guerra, and they don't seem to be afraid to try the trio out early. ⭐⭐⭐ Logan Makita (SR) Line Captain Peach County, Fort Valley, GA Makita actually saw starting center reps way back in 2021, but took a back seat to Pete Blythe the past two years. He, along with some of the OTs, projects as the main interior depth for 2024. Defense Defensive Ends Kansas has shifted their DEs around based on matchups for years at this point, so there's no point in labeling a "LE" or "RE" before kickoff. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eli Reyes SR Speed Rusher Banks, Banks, OR Returning production: 72 tackles, 12 TFL, 10.0 sacks Reyes earned reps in 2021 over Zack Luke, then Luke beat him out in 2022 for a starting role, and Reyes returned as a JR in 2023 to his starting spot. An injury caused him to miss the final 2 games of the 2023 season, but he's back and hungry as ever, needing 6.0 sacks to set the school career record. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Robert Wims (SO) Speed Rusher Brookfield Central, Brookfield, WI Returning production: 13 tackles Wims redshirted in 2022, then became the primary depth DE in 2023, earning 2 starts across from Randal Holmes once Reyes went down for the year. Like Reyes, Kansas is looking for Wims to become a 3-year starter and wreak havoc on opposing passers (and then join Marvin Machado, Zack Luke, likely Holmes as NFL draft selections). ⭐⭐⭐ Tim Barrios (JR) Run Stopper Patterson, Patterson, LA Barrios was hoping to have a Chris Barretto-like conversion to interior DL this year, but unfortunately for him, he's stuck in a DE role on a team that focuses more on edge rushers than guys who shut down the outside run. Still, there's a chance he ends up a starting DE in 2025, so his DE3 role is uber important in 2024. ⭐⭐⭐ Kevon Jeter JR Balanced Mukwonago, Mukwonago, WI Returning production: 5 tackles Jeter was part of the Wisconsin-heavy 2021 recruiting class, and he managed 5, mostly special teams tackles in 2023. Jeter might edge Barrios out for the 2025 starting role, but both of them will be competing daily with each other for the next two years to see who can win it. ⭐⭐⭐ Brian James (FR) Speed Rusher Lemont, Lemont, IL Brian James is a darkhorse to contribute on defense this year, but with heavy special teams reps, could challenge Barrios and Jeter for the 2025 starting role. James seemed like an afterthought to many in 2022 recruiting, but he earned a Kansas scholarship late in the cycle, and will work towards becoming a Big 12 contributor. Other DEs: ⭐⭐⭐ Mark Depot FR, ⭐⭐⭐ Michael Beddoe FR, ⭐⭐⭐ Gary Yates FR, ⭐⭐⭐ Lew Duggar JR [OLB] Defensive Tackles Kansas has cycled out Daniel Dekker, Mike Brantly, Dante Gates, and Chris Barreto from their starting DT roles over the first 3 seasons, and Robert Wims had played backup interior DL for much of 2023 as well, so Kansas' DT roles will be largely fresh for 2024. ⭐⭐⭐ Adrian Morris (JR) Balanced Mansfield Legacy, Mansfield, TX Adrian Morris' presence helped Kansas recruit Mansfield Legacy's Travis Siegrist to their 2021 recruiting class, and now Morris gets his shot on the starting DL. ⭐⭐⭐ Johnathan Putkonen (SO) Nose Tackle Pensacola, Pensacola, FL Putkonen also came in the 2021 recruiting class with high hopes, but the last two years he's been largely invisible in the program. Kansas recruited multiple blue chip DTs in the 2023 class, so Putkonen will have to use his 2024 opportunity to lock down a future starting role. ⭐⭐⭐ Cesar Westerman JR Balanced Edgar, Edgar, WI Westerman was an ironman in Wisconsin's lower level, playing center and defensive tackle as Edgar made it deep in the playoffs, faltering to his now Kansas teammate QB Robert Lemberger's St. Mary's Springs. Westerman has been a JAG to this point in Lawrence, but could push Putkonen for reps throughout 2024. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Steve McAllister FR Pass Rusher Bishop Kelley, Tulsa, OK ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Richard Fulkerson FR Balanced Fishers, Fishers, IN The future isn't quite now, but it's coming. McAllister has potential to challenge for a starting role as early as this season, and the spring games will help decide if he can beat out Putkonen or Westerman for a starting role. Fulkerson will undoubtedly receive a redshirt this year even though he could place as high as DT3 on the 2024 depth chart, but his focus is training to compete for a role in 2025. No matter what happens this year, Kansas' interior will be led by these two 2023 blue chippers. Other IDL of note: ⭐⭐⭐ John Johnson SO Linebackers Much of Kansas' history on defense has been running a base 4-2-5 defense, and with the simNCAA opening up defensive gameplanning as well, it's likely little will change for Kansas, at least for 2024. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sung Franzese SO Speed Lourdes, Rochester, MN Returning production: 90 tackles, 3 TFL, 0.5 sacks The Big 12's 2023 Defensive Freshman of the Year and 1st-Team All-Big 12 Franzese returns to KU with 3 more years of eligibility, and with a "down to earth" season of just 43 tackles this year, could become Kansas' all time leading tackler. Sung has already been voted as Kansas' defensive captain for 2024. ⭐⭐⭐⭐Michael Koehn (SO) Speed Cypress Ranch, Houston, TX Returning production: 20 tackles Koehn performed as Kansas' LOLB in their 4-3 sets last year, and is set to take Aaron Freeman's ROLB spot in all sets this year. ⭐⭐⭐ John Heller (JR) Run Stopper Richmond, Rockingham, NC Heller has been a depth LB for years at this point, and will likely remain relegated to depth/ST work. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ David Minson FR Run Stopper Maret, Washington, D.C. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Brian Bartels FR Run Stopper Montgomery, Semmes, AL Minson and Bartels continued Kansas' front 7 lockdown during the 2023 recruiting cycle, with the team focusing big on stopping opposing rushers. Both are likely headed for redshirt seasons. Other LBs of note: ⭐⭐⭐ Daniel Allison (FR), ⭐⭐⭐ Alex Boggs (SO), ⭐⭐⭐ Bryce Bourque JR, ⭐⭐⭐ Lavonte Murray (SO) Cornerbacks If there's one thing Kansas has done well, it's cycling cornerbacks but still maintaining starters on the outside. We'll see if that remains for 2024. ⭐⭐⭐ Tim Keller (SR) Zone Coverage Hutto, Hutto, TX Returning production: 42 tackles Keller has primarily been a depth CB in a team running heavy man concepts, but this year the team flips to ZC and he'll slot in at CB1. He hasn't shown much in the way of "playing the ball" yet, but was buried behind Man CBs James Davidson and Ryan Gilliam to date. ⭐⭐⭐ Chaz Tuivailala SR Ball Hawk Vela, Edinburg, TX Returning production: 115 tackles, 1 TFL, 21 INT Tuivailala has been one of the most dominant ball hawk's in CFB history, and is about to become one of the first ever 4-year starters, as a true senior to boot. Kansas occasionally slides him into the nickel role, but he's primarily played CB2 in his career, taking away many 2nd options in team's passing games. ⭐⭐⭐Ryan Parmelee (JR) Zone Coverage Prince Avenue Christian, Athens, GA Returning production: 1 tackle Parmelee played sparingly in the 2022 season (where he recorded his 1 tackle), then rode the bench much of 2023 as the Jayhawks were running Man concepts all year. Parmelee could see some starts on the outside, but is much more likely to be playing nickel/dime back throughout the season. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ross Patton (SO) Ball Hawk Paul VI, Fairfax, VA Returning production: 27 tackles, FF, 2 INT Patton made an impact last year primarily in the NB role, although he had some occasional starts towards the end of the year as CB2. Patton will primarily be competing with Parmelee again for the NB role, though it wouldn't be a surprise if he sees CB2 work with Tuivailala moving to NB against any pass heavy teams. There's a solid chance Patton comes into 2025 as the #1 CB on the Kansas depth chart. ⭐⭐⭐ Thon Russell (SO) Ball Hawk Pleasant Grove, Texarkana, TX Returning production: 3 tackles ⭐⭐⭐ Warwick Hollins (SO) Ball Hawk Staley, Kansas City, MO Returning production: 9 tackles Thon Russell and Warwick Hollins came into the 2021 Kansas class with expectations of seeing the field on defense one day, and 2024 might be where we start to see them get involved. The duo are remarkably similar to each other thus far, with local fans loving Hollins' involvement, and Texas area supporters loving Thon Russell like he's the 2nd coming of Tuivailala. 2025 and beyond might be years we see them get majorly involved, but they could be ones to watch during midseason adjustments. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Elbert Jackson FR Ball Hawk Neville, Monroe, LA Jackson co-headlined the 2023 recruiting class with OT Wallace Brooks, and he's a major get for a Kansas secondary that will look to replace Tuivailala in the near future. Jackson is 100% going to take a redshirt year in 2024, and should rocket up the depth chart once 2025 comes around. Safeties ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Eric Gaherty SO Ball Hawk New Deal, New Deal, TX Returning production: 36 tackles, 2 INT Gaherty came in from the 2022 recruiting class and immediately took starting reps at free safety. He's considered a "low ceiling" prospect, but Kansas hasn't been afraid to let the blue chip prospect get on the field and show off what he's made of. He's still relatively raw, but by the time hes a JR, could be a potent threat as a centerfielder in Kansas' defense that looks to stop the pass and get takeaways. ⭐⭐⭐ Pedro Murphy SR Run Stopper Ragsdale, Jamestown, NC Returning production: 40 tackles, 1 INT Murphy is a natural FS who has played SS in recent years. He earned a starting role in 2023, and looks to keep that position another year. ⭐⭐⭐ Mike Jamerson JR Ball Hawk Rockhurst, Kansas City, MO Jamerson spent his FR season as depth to Kevin Suarez at FS, and maintained his position last year after losing a spring battle to Eric Gaherty. ⭐⭐ Chance Johnson (SR) Ball Hawk Allendale, Allendale, MI Returning production: 38 tackles, 1 INT Johnson beat out Lashard Jones early in the 2022 season for the SS role, but has been shuffled aside for Pedro Murphy (and Mike Jamerson) in recent years. There's still a chance he appears in games as the most talented natural SS on roster, but he seems more likely to be completing his grad degree than making a true impact on the gridiron. Other S of note: ⭐⭐⭐ Kevin Fuentes SO, ⭐⭐⭐ Blake Godfrey SO, ⭐⭐⭐ James Penta (FR) Specialists Kansas has become one of the known ST recruiting factories in all of CFB. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jake Ramirez JR Balanced Havelock, Havelock, NC Returning production: 43/55 FG (78.18%), 57 Long; 68/69 XP (98.55%); 197 total points scored Ramirez was one of the top kickers of the 2021 recruiting class, and will enter his 3rd season as Kansas' kicker. Kansas has consistently trotted him out there for deep, "unheard of at the college level" attempts, and his success beyond 40 yards has been up there, though its also where the majority of his misses have come from. Ramirez' goal from day one has been to become a professional kicker, and he appears well on his way to his goal. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Craig Lonergan SO Power Racine Horlick, Racine, WI Returning production: 64 punts, 28 inside 20 (43.75%) Lonergan was another big special teams recruit that decided to come to Kansas after seeing Ramirez get reps early. Lonergan turned down going to Minnesota, despite his family's desires he stay in the Big Ten so that they could see him on TV more often. Lonergan prepares for his 2nd of 4 seasons as Kansas' long term punter. ⭐⭐⭐ George Jones SR Accuracy KIPP College Prep, Washington, D.C. Returning production: 14/29 FG (48.28%), 46 Long; 29/29 XP (100%); 71 total points scored Jones was Kansas' kicker as a true freshman in 2021, where he spawned the following tweet noted in this article: Following Kansas' first few games of that year, George Jones (and really, the entire KU team) fell apart, struggling to a 5-7 record. His on field performance led the Jayhawks to target Ramirez early in 2021 recruiting, and if a transfer portal had opened at any point, Jones likely would have tested himself at a new school. Instead, he'll remain the backup K heading into his SR season. ⭐⭐⭐ Victor Weigel JR Accuracy Webb City, Webb City, MO Returning production: 78 punts, 35 inside 20 (44.87%) Weigel became one of the first KU-local recruits ever to see the field, but his okay showing his FR season was quickly forgotten by the arrival of Craig Longergan. It's not too late for Weigel to hope a transfer portal opens for 2025, though for the time being, he remains the backup punter. ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Jon Allen FR Accuracy Blue Valley North, Overland Park, KS Allen, a Kansas local recruit, is going to redshirt his freshman season, which is a hard thing to do for another near top-of-class kicking recruit, who would almost certainly be a P5 day one true FR kicker. He wanted to remain close to home, and will get to learn for 2 years behind Ramirez and then get the reigns to Kansas' kicking position for another 3 years. "I have a lot of respect for Jake, his ability to come in and be THE guy from day one really makes me feel driven," noted Allen during National Signing Day. "I don't know if I can knock him out of the starting role while he's at Kansas, but I want to try to as early as possible - but really, I want to learn from him. He's poised with the media, he's poised on the field, he welcomes my competition." Other ST of note: ⭐⭐⭐ Steve Arena FR Spring Preview Kansas returns 4 full-time offensive starters (QB Tyler Summers, RB Cody Casspi, OT Drew Solano, OG David Hager) as well as a few guys who saw starting action throughout last year (WR Tanner Bradley, TE Steel Blue). Defensively, they return 5 full-time starters (DE Eli Reyes, LB Sung Franzese, CB Chaz Tuivailala, FS Eric Gaherty, S Pedro Murphy), with DE Robert Wims and LB Michael Koehn, and CB Ross Patton also having seen decent reps on the field. And of course, their two special team standouts, K Jake Ramirez and P Craig Lonergan. It's not "official" official until the simNCAA starts printing tickets, but Kansas has three spring games lined up to test their new-look team. Week 1: at Wisconsin Week 2: vs Western Michigan Week 3: vs Washington State Kansas has not been shy about facing off with Big Ten opponents, facing Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska in regular season matchups in recent years, with Iowa next on the docket. A return trip to Madison, who they last played in Week 10 of 2022, was easily predictable, as its the closest major college football program to where KU coach @Bundy grew up, with his dad being a UW alum. "It means a lot that we get to go to Camp Randall - we have a lot of Wisconsin and nearby players on our roster, and its a chance for those guys to play close to home, have their family watch another game in person." Of course, the last time the teams squared off, Badgers' coach @kwheele wasn't quite entrenched in the program yet, and the Jayhawks came away with a big 33-17 victory behind 107 yards from Bene' Humber. "It will be a major test for our young offensive line - Denver Litton is going to be a big name on Sundays here soon, and (other DT) Dante Williams is no slouch either. And then their DE (Matt Matthews) is a formidable threat as well. I think it will be a good look at seeing what we'd be playing against with the likes of the Houstons and Baylors of our conference." Wisconsin will be without QB Lance Enright, who has quarterbacked the team in 2022 and 2023 and has entered the NFL Draft, for the first time since current Vikings QB Austin Bishop threw for over 5k with the Badgers in 2021. Western Michigan coming to Lawrence will be a big look for the former title contenders and their coach @Jieret, who looks to settle his QB position in the spring and rebound to postseason success. "We're not above playing the MAC," says Bundy. "We played a close game with Ball State in the regular season in 2021, and they've got some up and comers mixed in with their WMUs and Bowling Greens, and their conference could easily be the 5th player in the new-look, post-PAC Power 5." Western Michigan's front 7 also poses the ability to be a nightmare, which could again be a major early test for Kansas to see what their young OL can do. Washington State lost much of their conference to realignment, but their receivers could give a solid showing to Kansas' secondary. "Coach @TuscanSota landed THE punting recruit in David Ross, so it will be a good week to see what our special teamers can do as well. If they're coaching up Ross to be a lethal punting THREAT, what can our guys learn that week?" For Washington State, it's a chance to see what CB Hoby Watt can do, and where he ranks compared to a near-entire Ball Hawk secondary in Kansas. "It's hard to recruit up there locally, but they've got guys from the Midwest on their roster, so it's a chance for them to show out for their families, and show Midwest recruits that they can go to the PNW and still have pro potentials, play major games and have success doing it."

Bundy Kansas

Vikings trade 2024 3rd (WAS) 2024 4th (MIN) 2024 5th (LV) 2024 6th (LV) 2024 6th (NYG) DE Mitch Rivers WR Ty Mizzell CB Darnell Hale OT Esmil Bertolet Buccaneers trade 2025 3rd CB Adam Ijalana OLB J.C. Curry DE Randy Mccarthy @Ape @Dakotagreer

Well now I have to since I will not conform 😡

To Minnesota WR Trenton Adam ILB Gordon Wilburn SS Daniel Ortiz DE Philip Calhoun 2024 2nd (44th overall) To Detroit ILB Ryan Hicks RB Cooper McGough RB Tanner Lake DE Trea Taumoepenu TE Carl White WR Oswaldo Urrutia SS Juan Goldberg 2024 3rd (80th) 2025 3rd (from NYJ) 2025 4th (from NYJ) 2025 4th 2025 5th Vikings confirm. @Jmjacobs

👀 Vikings confirm

Croot Sterling Stelter WR Possession 6'3" 217 Tonganoxie Tonganoxie KS Croot Raiin Russell CB Ball Hawk 6'1" 183 Tonganoxie Tonganoxie KS

Can I get the Texans 2025 2nd Round pick assigned to Minnesota on the Interface, this was a trade during the 2023 draft (think the Texans took OG Jacob Grant with the pick), I had submitted in on interface but it never got accepted by HOU and now a year has passed and the trade offer on the interface looks wonky because it isn't accounting for 2023 picks anymore. link to trade announcement:

I think that rather than implementing a new rule (at least on its own) in FA that requires "some sort of salary in each year" to combat the following scenario: TEAM A signs PLAYER to a contract with only guaranteed money, then trades him, and TEAM B now essentially pays him $0 ...we should institute IRL cap rules related to dead money, and the June 1st rule that the IRL NFL has. The IRL dead money rules require the team that signed the contract with the player, to pay the player the GTD money they signed across ALL years of the contract, and the new team only takes on the salary of each remaining year. The June 1 rule can be summed up as follows: "June 1 A very important date in the NFL calendar when it comes to dealing with dead money is June 1. If a player is cut or traded after June 1, the remaining dead money can be spread over two seasons instead of one as long as that player‘s contract was set to go this distance or beyond. If the player has multiple years left on their contract, only their prorated bonus for that season will count in the first year and all the remaining prorated bonuses added together would count for the next year. For example, if a player had three years left on their contract with $2 million in prorated bonus each season, they would count $2 million for the upcoming season in dead money and $4 million the following season in dead money if they were released after June 1. One example of this comes from Stephon Tuitt’s retirement last year which occurred on June 1. By waiting until this date, the remaining dead money for Tuitt was able to be spread out across the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Using the earlier example of Anthony McFarland, this is why he still has a dead money hit with the Steelers for 2023. Because he was released at the end of August before being signed to the practice squad, his dead money hit was spread out over 2022 in 2023. This is why he still has a $180k dead money hit for the season." This could go hand in hand with this new "salary to FAs" rule, could replace it somehow, etc. Would just feel more formal to go/include this route which seems more combative to the potential issue of teams paying $0. We could make "June 1" a specified date, the start of the draft, etc. This could also open up things like "contract restructures" (converting non-GTD money into GTD money spread out over the remaining years of the deal, lowering the cap hit in the immediate season),

blanked out some numbers for competitive reasons here, but even including salary in my initial fully GTD years does not fix the Rule 6 issue and I can not submit a corrected offer.

In a deal to be finalized in the coming weeks, the Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms and filed paperwork with the simNFLPA regarding 2x Pro Bowl TE Michael Vega, who has spent his career with the Arizona Cardinals. Over the past two seasons, the Vikings have struggled to implement TEs into their offense, starting John Hendrickson for a few games of 2022 before trading him to Tennessee and turning the role over to UDFA D.J. Neverauskas; last year the team signed street FA vet Carl White who earned the bulk of the TE1 reps (going 25/332/1), though at times Cleveland castoff Marquis Rudolph (37/312/0) fought for some. 2023 4th Round pick Connor Pence (7/79/0) was largely inactive until the very end of the season. The Vikings aren't expecting Vega to be the single upgrade to make their offense click, but after seeing what he's done in Arizona, there will certainly be some lofty expectations. Last year, he caught 89 passes for 1273 yards and 11 TDs, and was tied for top Pro Bowl vote getter in the NFC at the position. "He's getting up there in age, but he's still performing at a top level" said a Vikings source. "He could be the key to pushing for the playoffs, the Division." The Vikings managed to scrape a 1,003 yard season out of Alex Williams III, the teams' top choice in the 2022 Draft, but it's clear Williams and QB Christian Sinnock needed some sort of help to take some of the extra coverage off. Vega should bring a new wrinkle to the Vikings offense. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vega's agreement isn't the Vikings only one due in the coming weeks, as two other players announced via social media that they will be joining him and already signed QB Brandon Smith as Vikings additions. WR Joseph Jones, who played with the Jets, put together 71 receptions for 901 yards and 3 TDs last year. Jones isn't expected to be a major contributor to the team, but has shown he can at least put up counting stats in a pass heavy offense, and the 27 year old is looking to sign a "prove it" deal with the Vikings in order to show he's more than just a garbage time monster. There's potential for him to compete for another solid role this year with the Vikings having traded vet WR Dwaine Pitchford to Carolina, though the Vikings appear more interested in developing 3rd year WR Adrian Daniels, who they received in the Paul Gurule trade. (Daniels finished the year with 530 yards and 2 TDs). Rigoberto Pascual was a Steelers lineman last year, earning some favoritism from fans because, while his 15 tackles were pedestrian, he managed 4.0 sacks, two interceptions, and a TD in black and yellow. Pascual will come to Minnesota as a rotational defensive tackle, likely competing for reps with 2023 6th round selection Brent Lopez behind entrenched vet Neil Henry and 2023 1st rounder Marcus Sirles.

Minnesota sends CB Ralph Cornelius WR Dwaine Pitchford Carolina sends FS Erik Jackson chirp 👀 Vikings confirm

The last time the Minnesota Vikings signed a QB in the early stages of free agency, they wrangled in now-Franchise QB Christian Sinnock in the 2021 Dispersal Free Agency. Sinnock has of course had ups and downs, but has grown into one of the rising passers of tomorrow, with room still for development. The Vikings have signed several QBs in "free agency" since - including 2021 CFB dominant passer Austin Bishop in 2022 UDFA, the quarterback of Vikings 1st ever draft selectee Alex Williams III while at Wisconsin (and first ever UDFA to start a game at QB), as well as short-term offseason camp arms like John Saffold (UDFA, Texas) and Randy Madson (UDFA 2023, Northwestern). Now, Bishop's roster status is unclear, as the Vikings have come to terms with another signal caller. Last year, they drafted Penn State's uber-accurate Derrick Marshall in the 7th round, and the two beat out Vegas Raiders castoff Jeffrey Gingerich for the backup jobs. Marshall often dressed as the #2 QB, with Bishop relegated to a practice squad role, though the two were on the roster during the 2023 season's final weeks, and both acted as the team's QB2 interchangeably during practices. This year, the Vikings splashed early in free agency, and while they haven't put pen to paper just yet, it's quarterback Brandon Smith who is coming to Minnesota. Smith will once again wear purple during his football career, having been the Kansas State quarterback during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, where he put up the 15th most yards as a junior (4,566, with 34 TDs to 14 INTs on 55.4% passing) and 41st most as a senior (3,457, with 23 TDs to 11 INTs on 61.9% passing). Smith worked out well during the predraft process during 2023, and ended up as a 4th round selection by the New York Jets during last years' draft, the 4th QB off the board. "Our roster really breeds competition at this point," quipped Vikings CEO @Bundy. "We've built the core, now the challenge begins. We really like the steps Brandon took from his junior to senior seasons" Of course, there's a reason Smith wasn't on a roster despite being drafted less than a year ago. Smith saw some playing time as a rookie, completing just 40 of his 93 passes for 528 yards, 1 TD, and 6 INT, taking 6 sacks in the process. The Jets were also "a mess" per one AFC scout, especially prior to new leadership midseason, and the Jets have also moved up in the upcoming 2024 Draft, presumably to select a quarterback more to their liking. The Vikings and Smith will reportedly officialize a 3 year deal worth upwards of $2M, with the 23 year old likely to slot in as the projected backup to Sinnock. No other free agents have yet come to terms with prospective teams this year, making Smith the first free agent to announce his 2024 plans.

NFL Related, but could apply to other pro sims 1. should make the asking price for guys with no offers go down as FA goes on What does this accomplish? -brings more importance to pre-draft FA. Currently you can bank on a lot of the (2024) FAs going to post-draft FA. Example: the top 9 FA WRs in 2024 by rating have 0 combined offers, and are all over age 30. Shows there is currently no major market to give them ~$7M-$10M/year of GTD money with the current salary cap, but by the midpoint of predraft FA, if they'd drop their numbers, Im sure many teams might pay them $4M-$6M GTD per year for multiple years (with additional salary adding additional value) -rather than a player, especially a 30+ aged player, wanting an absurd contract (evidenced by 2024 Round 1 FA, where ~15ish teams are active and a majority of top players at each position have 0 offers), they might realize their actual value and maximize GTD money while they can during pre-draft (whereas, they might get significantly less post-draft with significantly less or no GTD. Especially at their age, they don't want "prove-it" deals, they want given $) -makes better use of the lengthy (10 IRL weeks) predraft FA period in terms of strategy/time invested. Most of the FA "work" is done prior to R1 right now, with mostly hand-sitting until players enter negotiating phases 2. players with single team offers who have entered the negotiating phase should just auto-sign (team would be sole team during the spin, if multiple teams on when the spin occurs, remains in negotiating until the sign phase/until there's only 1 team on during the spin) What does this accomplish? -the player can not negotiate further, so no sense in holding out for them -prevents teams from gaming/spamming FA offers as contingencies, and makes them actually think about their offers they're submitting

Construction Season, Deer Hunting, -25*F Below, and uhhhh 3 days of spring? 👀

👀

March 1, 2024 It's been a rough few seasons for the Kansas Jayhawks quarterbacks room, particularly the initially-widely-hyped Tyler Summers. Summers, a redshirt junior who has been on campus the past three years, spent his first season adding that redshirt to his class year name. The 4-star QB spent much of the year in a polo or sweatshirt on the sideline, watching Kansas juggle between Ian Morgan and Jeff Maeda at QB, in a season that ended at 5-7. For 2022, Summers came in as the starting QB, excelling in one spring game and looking horrendous in another, though that was brushed off by the media as "freshman jitters." And then three, touchdown-less games, with more than a handful of turnovers, came and went. And Summers found himself benched, with the Jayhawks eventually going 9-4 and winning a bowl game. ...it's all downhill from here. And then 2023 happened. Summers was again penciled in as the starter at the beginning of the year, with no real on-roster competition for the starting role. But there was growing unrest in the KU fanbase, as the three games, with ZERO touchdowns, the season prior had soured many faithful, and confidence level in the QB room was at an all-time low. Summers played "okay", he wasn't winning games on his arms or legs, but he wasn't losing them, either, at least at the beginning of the year. But as the season continued on, the lack of downfield passing frustrated the first actual star player in KU history, TE Alex Atkins, though things with Atkins remained behind closed doors. But things between Summers and Kansas head coach @Bundy were not so private. The Jayhawks have a very tight control on media access to their program. So when the Jayhawks beat riders began to publicly dismantle Summers' performances, ability, etc, it could only come from the top. Coach Bundy is notorious for his love of tight ends, and the lack of getting Atkins, or then-highest rated recruit in KU history Steel Blue, involved, clearly rubbed the coach the wrong way. Things continued to fall apart, with the coach turning to SR ex-PR/then-RB2 Aaron Diaz as QB against the Oklahoma Sooners, in what many considered a pivotal game for the Jayhawks. And Diaz was a miserable disaster. Kansas didn't even make their coaching staff available after the game, perhaps suggesting that the QB switch came from boosters rather than just being up the the head coach. Summers was inserted back into the lineup afterwards, and helped lead the team to a 7-5 season with wins over Kansas State and Missouri, satisfying any boosters enough to prevent the coach from being outright fired, and the QB from retiring from football. The team followed it up with a bowl win to close the year. These b*tches want Nikes... As the NIL and transfer portal gain notoriety, things are quiet in Lawrence. There's growing buzz that coach @Bundy needs to develop a passing-minded game, especially with the bevy of tight ends he's brought to Lawrence through recruiting. With the Big 12's expansion, it's become increasingly important that the team stay relevant and on the radar. Texas and Oklahoma are gone - there's no longer an "excusable" loss to many who follow Kansas football. So there's a waiting game on whether to financially support this coaching staff, or spending the cash to bring in a rising coach from a less prominent conference, perhaps an @Ewade of Utah State, or an @Ape from NIU. The seat is on the burner, to say the least. For Summers, he always dreamed of signing that "big deal" as a kid. A multisport athlete in Weaver, Alabama, Summers played basketball, baseball, and of course, football growing up, and daydreamed of signing a 10 year/$701M contract, signing the endorsement deals, etc. "The fame, the glory, the girls," he notably quipped to a local news reporter following a playoff win during his junior season of high school basketball. You ain't a kid no more... we'll never be those kids again. Summer's not as long as it used to be... But this season's benching was a massive blow to Summers' confidence. He no longer walked through the halls or training rooms with a cocky swagger, he came with sunken eyes and clear despair. "Getting benched for a second time, it was eye opening. I had to be solemn and support Aaron through the week and my other teammates, but it was the start of some massive soul searching." "I broke up with my girlfriend - errr, I think she broke up with me. She said something about taking a break, but 'if things were meant to be, we'd end up back together', or something. It didn't console me one bit, and I got hammered and sent a bunch of texts I didn't mean, although I guess if I was repressing those thoughts, perhaps I did actually mean them." Summers had been with his girlfriend since his senior year of high school. "I think I was jaded. It seemed like everything was coming together for me, I was excelling in sports, I was going to Kansas to play football, she came into my life, and her family had welcomed me like I was their own, which was a struggle for me in my own home life. Everyone - my classmates, my teachers, her - kept saying I was going to accomplish 'big things', that you can't 'dream too big.'" Every night f*cks every day up. Every day patches the night up. "'The sun still rises every morning - it hasn't failed to yet.' That's what he told me," Summers says of his breaking the news to perhaps the unlikeliest of comforts: coach Bundy. "I said I wanted to quit football, I wanted to go back home and try to work things out with her, and he made me sit down in his office. He stopped watching practice film, turned it off even, and told me such a relatable story of his own experiences." "I swear the man hated my guts, I mean this was literally the week after he'd benched me for the Oklahoma game, and here I was, breaking down and bawling my eyes out to him since I had no one else. He didn't pressure me to tell him anything else, he said I could even take some time away from the program if I needed to, but he thought that quitting for the reasons I was, was going to end up hurting me personally long term." "It hurts still now, but he told me 'scars will heal but were meant to bleed.' But I could do more damage to myself psychologically, and for my future, if I just gave up on what I ended up figuring out was truly important to me." "He sat there in his office with me through the night, we talked over all sorts of things, he showed me a bunch of programs through the university, and otherwise, I could get myself into if I needed them, and we ended up just listening to music for hours without saying much." "I don't think I went back to my dorm until 7AM. The sun was coming up, but I didn't go to bed right away, even though I just wanted to crash. Instead I listened to this album he showed me from a long time ago, and it was healing and I just listened to it over and over until sleep finally took me." Be yourself and know that's good enough. Rely and trust on your own decisions, your own beliefs. Is Tyler Summers just another college-aged kid who has "discovered enlightenment" while at university, or has he actually turned a new leaf? "My whole life, I feel like it's always been a rush of emotions, and I've never had time to just, think. I always thought I was going to get whatever I desired, and I think that was a red flag about me. I thought this was a fairytale, that life was just a fairytale and I don't know that I applied myself like I should." "I don't want to classify my ex as 'the one that got away', because if she was the one who wanted to 'take a break', or whatever, she was clearly doing it to better things for herself, not for us. I think I was caught up. 'I was gonna make the pros", "I was gonna have this happy closing credits ending and get married' and whatnot, but there have been better players, even in just the Kansas program, like Bene' (Humber), or Ziggy (Ezekiel Sands), who I thought were gonna be all pro NFL stars while playing with, and instead they barely sniff a practice squad. They're much better players than I. Better men have lost their relationships as well. And here I was, not putting my 100% into myself." Time will tell if Summers has improved his game enough to eventually make the pros, and there's certainly added heat in the QB room with the addition of hand-selected, pure passing recruits of Joseph Perkins (2022 ⭐⭐⭐⭐) and Jeffrey Eagle ('23 ⭐⭐⭐⭐). But it seems that Summers has mended his relationship with the coaching staff, at least for now, through adversity, and with Kansas mainstays like Alex Atkins, Marcell Maysonet, and Jose Moustakas leaving the offense to try to make it in the NFL, this could very well be his chance to make it his team. The next steps will come with the lead in to spring practices and the spring game.

Only thing I disagree with is 49ers going QB that late. I think they should see how Lattimer does in perhaps a tailored offense this year and then go QB next year, or draft some mid round guy this year (spending the 1st on another offensive weapon) and if Lattimer sucks, roll with that guy until next offseason. If Lattimer sucks that much, next year you enter perhaps the Savage Sweepstakes, which would be better than rolling with some mid QB who we didn't hear much about CFBwise

6. Frank Jolliffe Fr - Speed (B) Joliffe desperately trying to open the transfer portal (through texts)

Minnesota approved of their reworked contracts for CB Charles Kling and K Antonio Frank

We're a little more than 1/5th through the 2023-24 season, and the Kansas Jayhawks sit at a an undefeated 6-0. Kansas opened the year playing against UCLA in Los Angeles, one of the toughest environments in basketball, and came away with a 67-64 W. Highly touted freshman Dallas Marshall led the way with 32 minutes played, but it was Joseph Wingard (7/12 from 3, 21 points) and Jimmie Coleman (6/10 from 3, 20 points) who really took the game over, becoming the ones to know when it comes to Kansas, and therefore, the world of, basketball. Later that week they played in the CBS Sports Classic in Indianapolis, against a highly regarded Kentucky team. Coleman was again electric from 3 point land (5/7, 20 total points), but it was Kevin Lukacs stepping up with 22 points, none behind the arc, who helped Kansas storm away with an 86-68 win. In Week 2, we saw Kansas go to Athens, Georgia, where they defeated the Bulldogs 83-76 behind 23 points from Wingard (5/14 from 3) and 17 from Coleman (also 5/14). Week 2 also saw the first home game in the Phog, with Kansas hosting local University of Missouri-Kansas City, with the Jayhawks dominating in an 83-51 drubbing. The Roos leading scorers only managed 10 points a piece, while Kansas had Coleman (21, 5/7) and Lukacs (20) dominating the game. In Week 3, Kansas again showed they weren't afraid to take on noteworthy opponents and coaches, adding Utah and SageBow to their resume. They also showed off some gameplan alterations, with Wingard (26 pts, 8/10) and Coleman (21 pts, 7/16) continuing to be the dominant scorers, but Joe Allen joining with an impressive 21 points on 7/16 shooting himself. Allen recorded an impressive 5 steals, as Kansas won at home against a P6 opponent, 90-72. Kansas wrapped up this portion of the season with another home game against Wichita State, with the Shockers first half struggles setting the tone for the game. Wichita and Kansas actually matched blows in the 2nd half, with both teams scoring 37, but Kansas' big 55 point first half was too much to overcome. Wingard dropped an outlandish 30 points (8/17), while Coleman had his 5th 20+ point game of the season. Louis Carter notched the first double double of the KU campaign, scoring 12 points with 11 boards on 27 minutes, split between the 3 and the 4. Kansas has gone 6-0 to start the year, but has slipped from preseason #1 in the polls to as low as 6th in Week 3, and now up to 5th, despite playing blue bloods UCLA and Kentucky, and notable schools Utah and Georgia, with 3 of these big match ups on the road. Kansas travels to Milwaukee in a homecoming for coach @Bundy as they play in Fiserv Forum against Marquette (3-3, losses to UW-Green Bay, Central Michigan, and Eastern Michigan, with a "signature" win against Rutgers), before opening conference at play later in the week against Oklahoma State (4-2, Arkansas-Pine Bluff and a blowout loss to LSU, with a "notable W" against Tulsa in the opener). Look for Coleman and Wingard to continue to take the majority of shots, beyond the arc, while Allen, Lukacs, and Carter will look to be key contributors.

In this way too early mock, we look at the potential picks of the teams selecting with 2024's first 10 picks. 1. Carolina Panthers (from Indianapolis) The Panthers still have a long way to go to reach greatness, but the foundation they've built thus far is truly admirable, and they're still reaping the rewards of their trades from seasons past. I would bet massively that they trade out of this pick for future 1sts, with the Jets, Texans, and Falcons as the likeliest of bidders (with extended cost to the Falcons for trading in-division). We know it takes a bit for young QBs to contribute properly, so Panthers might not actually mind trading with Atlanta, in order to send Hiram Maronde to his future home. The Colts shipped this pick to Carolina for Rashaan Lyons, who has yet to look close to his potential. They can first hand tell the tale of "risking it all" might not pay off. But Lyons still has time to put it together, which is why I think a team, especially like Atlanta, would feel comfortable moving up. Unfortunately, I'm not mocking trades at this point, so I have to find a different future Panthstar. WR Paul Canha, Alabama Canha hasn't quite been able to play to his pedigree just yet, but initial scouting shows that he has the makings of a future star in this league. I still believe in Dekoda Link, and the Panthers should too. They traded for Russell Barnes with Chicago last year, but their current next true WR by ability is return specialist Jose Maldonado, along with 2023 #32 overall pick Marco Thompson. Making Don Scott a true TE1 instead of a hybrid receiver, along with adding Canha's speed, could elevate this team from "competing for the lowly NFCS title", to competing into the Divisional and Conference Rounds within the next 1-2 seasons. 2. Miami Dolphins (from San Francisco) The Dolphins landed this pick by trading out of the teens last year, where the Niners took Tulane stud Fernando Thomas, who underwhelmed as a rookie due to atrocious QB play. If the Panthers for some reason don't trade out of #1, the Dolphins most certainly will trade #2 to someone who wants to jump the Jets for Maronde. I think Detroit could join the suitors if Mironde truly falls to #2, reuniting @Jmjacobs with his elite collegiate talent. Again, no trades in this mock yet, so Miami goes instead with a position they missed out on last year. Defensive tackle was absolutely filthily loaded in 2023, and the Dolphins have a roster littered with middling veteran lower 60s overall DTs. DT Logan Lopez, Houston Lopez beat up on the conference as Houston joined the Big 12, and with the Bills rocking Yusei and the Jets looking for their QB of the future, adding an interior do-it-all all-star is a safe, sure thing. 3. New York Jets The Jets rush to turn their card in, grabbing QB Hiram Mironde, UCLA as fast as possible. I think the Jets are more than a QB away from competing, but unless they go after Washington QB Jose Padilla, or Giants QB Jan Miles, I think its a safer bet for them to take Mironde and build around him than to chase a vet from a different team. 4. New York Giants The Giants could be a darkhorse in the Mironde chase, but I think they end up trying to bring back either Miles or Padilla and focus their draft elsewhere. Wilfredo Joseph was obviously not the option in current scheming, but with a roster lacking young and long-term talent on offense, I think the big play is to find offensive weapons. RB Clayton McGee, Florida State If there's one position that can show up from day one, it's RB. McGee surprisingly declared early for the draft, but unsurprisingly is a top tier player out of the gate. Current RBs Joseph Cale (5YE, 74) and Paul Mcguire (8, 56) are set to hit free agency, and rather than pay top dollar to an already peaked running back, they can build for the future with a veteran QB on a bridge deal, a chance for Wilfredo to develop into something a year after being the 51st overall pick, and give the Giants a RB to be reckoned with for at least 4-5 years. 5. Carolina Panthers Panthers are picking Top 5 here again, so no need to say much about them. Vikings castoff Michael Naccarrato was their star linebacker this season (which doesn't say much talent wise), and rookie ILBs showed they can play early last year, so it makes logical sense for them to switch their gaze to defense with this pick. ILB Kenny Daniel, Wake Forest In a division the Buccaneers won by running the ball a lot, and with the Falcons who also want to involved Devonta Doyle into the ground game a lot, nabbing the top Run Stopper is just logical. Daniel gets to play pro ball not far from where he played college ball, and local fans hungry for more than "potential" now have a local name to follow. 6. New Orleans Saints The Saints feel like the most forgotten NFCS team to me. They could be in play for landing Clayton McGee, but I'm going to go with potentially my first "shocking" pick, and with good reason. SS Garrett Smith, Baylor Smith has shown he can be a dominant box safety, with a name known around the nation. The Saints don't currently need a strong safety, with 81 overall Daryl Lee signed through 2025, but Smith could plug in at OLB in base defenses, has coverage ability to work in at nickel back, and in general, the defense beyond the DL is getting older. Smith can play all over while he's young, and then could be primed to drop back to a more natural SS spot once Lee's contract is up. Right now, the Saints need household names that strike fear into opponents, and he is certainly that and more. 7. Houston Texans Jerome Morrison is young but hasn't looked good. which is why I think the Texans front office could be big on looking into a move for Mironde. Their offensive line is extremely young, which only makes Ryan Johnson's successes more impressive, but their defensive line depth seems to be in the same boat, and it makes it hard to say "we're going to draft a non-sexy OT or DT" at this pick when those aren't necessarily the teams' biggest needs. WR Logan Njoku, Kentucky The Texans also have a young receiving corps, but they don't have a true star who can challenge opposing defensive backs. Njoku at the least gives them a respectable option who could help take pressure off of John Fernandez, and the duo could one day be a legitimate threat down the line. 8. Atlanta Falcons Atlanta's QBs were young last year but looked terrible, but they miss out on Mironde, Canha, and Njoku in this mock. It's likely too early to grab USC WR Trevor Wood at this point in draft season, but they could have used another young talent to pair with last year's Richie Igwebuke. With Carolina making offensive moves thus far, Atlanta counters by taking top cornerback CB Rashard Hilliard, Georgia State who gets to stay in Georgia. Hilliard excels in Man, which is a scheme mismatch from CB1 Gregory Williams, but with Carolina being such an offensive nightmare on the horizon, the Falcons can match Hilliard with current 2YE CBs Adonis President and Nathan McKinney to have at least some sort of coverage for the Don Scotts and Paul Canhas of the NFCS. 9. Seattle Seahawks Seattle and Toucan picked 1st overall last year, taking stud Alejandro Rua with 2023's premier pick. Kemoko Allard looked competent as a mid round rookie QB, so I think he gets another year as QB1, especially with Seattle not wanting to move up the capital for #1 again. I know I just said Trevor Wood might be a reach at #8, but he could be a legitimate fit with the Seahawks, who have a bunch of aging WRs to go with 2023 4th rounder Austin Duvernay-Tardif. Instead, Seattle sets Rua up for success with a bookend DE, DE Whit Wilson, Oklahoma State who also went to school with ADT. Wilson wasn't someone who caused chaos throughout his collegiate career, seeing non-existent playing time in 2021, and posting just 2.5 sacks in 2022. But his athletic prowess is off the charts, and with the Rams having an elite passing attack, it wouldn't be a terrible idea to stock up on premium defensive linemen to make Philip Avila's life a little bit harder. Seattle only got 7.0 and 6.0 sacks out of their starting DEs last year, and neither of them is inspiring long-term. 10. Los Angeles Chargers The Chargers have quietly slipped into obscurity, and haven't offered any extensions that I've seen, so I'm not sure how active their FO has been/will be in early offseason. The team lacks a rushing identity, but still has veteran QB Miguel Aguilera, so adding a threat for both their ground game and receiving room is a priority. They can knock both out with this single pick RB Richard Bianchi, Hawaii In this mock, a LOT of defensive tackles are falling through the board, but this draft seems a lot sexier at the top in terms of position diversity than last years. Bianchi might not be known to everyone just yet, but as an A+ caliber prospect, grabbing a skill player at #10 is massive.

Somewhere in a parallel universe, cries of distress ring out. "Noooo, don't do it" shrieks one Edina cakeeater. "Julius Thomas! Lawrence Pritchett! Chester Henson! That strong safety I don't remember the name of! Vardyyyyyyyyyy" But alas, destiny must prevail, and said universe fades into obscurity, lost to the sands of time, etch-a-sketched from all relevant minds. Meanwhile, in this current reality, the Minnesota Vikings have exciting front office news. For the first time since @Jieret and the Las Vegas Raiders decided to have a(n unresolved, likely forever) tampering cased opened upon them for stealing previous Vikings valued FO member @cultur3, the Minnesota Vikings have made an addition to their staff, and it will no longer just be the (totally not unhinged) @Bundy running the show solely. The Minnesota Vikings announce @Bellwood as new Director of Sanity, truly the Sorcerer of All Knowing master of this regime. [Editor's note: this is Bellwood's chance to run while he can Belichick style] Jerry "Bundy" Jones will continue to run the Vikings as COO, CEO, GM, and "head coach", if you can call it "coaching", but the new addition will be a prodigy and is not being hired just to serve as future Raiders-theft bait for the current legal action.