Can Lance Leipold Convince Any Kansas Transfers To Stay In Lawrence?

Since the transfer portal officially opened at the beginning of January, Lance Leipold and his coaching staff have gotten off to a strong start. They have added proven weapons on both sides of the ball to significantly bolster each unit after losing a large amount of talent to graduation.

While there is still work to be done at certain position groups, the Jayhawks could also retain a few players who were previously on the roster and entered their names into the portal. That possibility could hinge on a ruling the NCAA makes regarding JUCO eligibility.

As Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and others across the country continue to pursue extra eligibility, several former KU players could benefit if a ruling passes. Kansas could even potentially bring back a package duo in Jalen and Devin Dye.

The defensive back tandem, who spent the past two seasons at KU (Jalen spent four), began their careers at Palomar College, a junior college in California. They entered the portal with hopes that a ruling would pass, and 247 Sports analyst Michael Swain revealed that a return to Lawrence remains a strong possibility.

Defensive backs Jalen Dye and Devin Dye have entered the transfer portal, per a source.

Both players exhausted their eligibility with KU in 2025 and went through senior day. Their JUCO experience could yield an extra year if a waiver is passed for former JUCO players. But…
— Michael Swain (@MSwain247) January 7, 2026

If that plan falls through, the Jayhawks could still look to bring back longtime defensive end Dean Miller. He officially entered the transfer portal on Sunday despite having technically exhausted his NCAA eligibility.

Miller began his career at College of the Canyons, another JUCO program, before transferring to KU, making him a potential beneficiary of the same ruling. Although an injury-riddled 2025 campaign limited him to just one sack, he recorded 6.0 sacks and tied for the team lead with 9.5 tackles for loss the year prior. Miller has strong potential along the front four and could form a dynamic duo with Leroy Harris III if he returns to his form from two seasons ago.

Kansas EDGE Dean Miller plans to enter the transfer portal, his reps @opt1mal_sports tell @On3sports.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound pass rusher has 13.5 career TFLs and 7 sacks. Miller is waiting on the court's JUCO decision, which could give him a final year of eligibility.… pic.twitter.com/pox4wH4zKL
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) January 10, 2026

Aside from former JUCO players, there are still several Jayhawks who remain uncommitted in the transfer portal. There were rumors that quarterback David McComb could return to Lawrence, but he has since committed to Miami (OH).

One name to monitor is linebacker Trey Lathan, who has one year of eligibility remaining and has yet to announce his next destination. He led the team in total tackles this past season and could still provide a major boost to the linebacker corps. Lathan remains the most valuable player left on the market that Leipold and his staff could realistically bring back.