73 Days: Previewing the Kansas Jayhawks 2025 Recruiting Class

Recruiting has picked up for the Jayhawks, as they have twice the number of recruits as they did at this point last season.

Nov 11, 2023; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; The Kansas Jayhawks mascot performs before a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Under Lance Leipold, the recruiting efforts for the Kansas Jayhawks have gotten consistently better each season. From improvements in overall class rankings to higher-rated individual recruits, Kansas has taken some very real strides in each season. Nowhere is that more evident than in the high school recruiting class.

1. David McComb
2. Malachi Curvey
3. Anderson Kopp
4. John Kelly
5. JuJu Marks
6. Joeseph Skipworth
7. Garrett Martin
8. Adrian Holley
9. Kenyon Rivera
10. Josiah Hammond
11. Brandon Schmelzle
12. Overall Thoughts

At this point last summer, only five players had committed to be part of the 2024 recruiting class. This year, a flurry of commitments in the last week have pushed the overall class to 11 high school recruits, with some exciting prospects eyeing a spot in Lawrence next year.

David McComb

The 6'3", 208 lb quarterback from Memorial High School in Edmond, OK was the first recruit to commit in the 2025 class. Kansas was his only Power Five offer, but he committed so early in the process (July 2023) that there wasn't really an opportunity for many to get involved.

Last season, he threw for over 3000 yards with 29 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He also rushed for 520 yards at a clip of 9.8 yards per carry.

Malachi Curvey

The 6'3", 218-lb athlete from Ankeny Centennial High School in Waukee, IA projects as a linebacker on the Jayhawks squad. He has the ability to play multiple positions, but he fits the best in the Kansas system in the middle of the defense. He picked the Jayhawks over multiple Power Five offers, including Iowa State, Kansas State, Iowa and Missouri.

Anderson Kopp

The 6'3", 275-lb offensive lineman from Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, AZ has the versatility to play across the line. However, he projects as an interior lineman, with many expecting him to have a legitimate shot at starting as a center during his career. He picked Kansas over 7 other schools, with Iowa State being the only other major conference school to offer him.

John Kelly

A 6'0", 185-lb running back out of Cypress Christian School in Cypress, TX, Kelly also runs track. He averaged 7.4 yards per carry with 8 touchdowns as a sophomore and expects to add to running back room that will lose some big performers this offseason. Kelly picked the Jayhawks over multiple other Power Five offers, including Arizona, Duke, Houston and Missouri.

JuJu Marks

The 6'6", 260-lb offensive tackle out of Olathe South High School in Olathe, KS picked the hometown Jayhawks out of a total of 35 Power Five offers. He played on both sids of the ball at St. Thomas Aquinas during the last season before moving to Olathe South for the upcoming season. He is expected to be one of the top options for the tackle positions in the Fall of 2025

Joeseph Skipworth

A 6'5", 220-lb tight end out of Pace High School in Milton, FL, the multi-sport athlete also has seen success in the return game as well. He picked Kansas over Boston College, Cincinnati, Illinois, Mississippi State, Pittsburgh and SMU among others. He will join a tight end room that should still be pretty full next season, even after losing multiple contributors who run out of eligibility this season.

Garrett Martin

The 6'4", 245-lb edge rusher out of Saguaro High School in Scottsdale, AZ was one of five players to commit to the Jayhawks this weekend. He is the 7th-rated player in the state of Arizona and received offers from 13 total Power Five programs. He was a priority target for the Jayhawks in this class, and the expectation is that he can have an immediate impact.

Adrian Holley

The 6'6", 225-lb edge rusher our of Michigan City High School in Michigan City, IN is the 16th rated player out of Indiana, picking the Jayhawks thanks to his relationship with Jim Panagos off the Kansas staff. He ended his junior year with 41 tackles, including 15.5 for a loss and 7 sacks. He has drawn a lot of recent attention on the recruiting scene, and he picked Kansas over 7 other Power Five offers.

Kenyon Rivera

The 6'1" 195-lb linebacker out of Buford High School in Buford, GA is coming off of a successful junior season. He tallied 36 tackles, 3 sacks, 2 quarterback hits and 2 forced fumbles. He picked Kansas over 26 other offers, including 17 from other Power Five schools.

Josiah Hammond

A 6'3", 250-lb defensive lineman out of Union High School in Tulsa, OK, Hammond committed to Kansas during his official visit this weekend. He picked Kansas over Arizona, Houston, Iowa State, Utah, Washington and eight other schools. He amassed 44 tackles last season, including 9 for a loss and 2 sacks. He projected as a defensive tackle at Kansas.

Brandon Schmelzle

A two-way player out of Axtell High School in Axtell, KS, the 6'2" 195-lb couldn't leave campus this weekend without announcing his commitment to the Jayhawks. He projects as a safety in the Kansas defense, and he credits his discussions with defensive coordinator Brian Borland with the main reason for his decision.

Overall Thoughts

It's a great start to the 2025 class, with both in-state recruits and plenty of depth at positions of need that should help the Jayhawks break out of the cycle of relying on the transfer portal every single season. The defense is especially represented well here, and it's hard not to be excited about what is to come in Lawrence.