Kansas Football Transfers: What to Expect When the Portal Opens

A total of 18 players on the Kansas football roster have announced their intention to enter the transfer portal once the official window opens on Jan. 2, 2026. That leaves Lance Leipold and his coaching staff with a lot of faces to replace heading into the upcoming campaign.

Now that the transfer cycle is limited to just one 15-day period in the winter, all players who leave in the next two weeks will be the only Jayhawks to enter the portal, barring a head coaching change. With the calendar year flipping in just a few days, here is what to expect when the open market officially opens.

Nov 22, 2025; Ames, Iowa, USA; Kansas Jayhawks head coach Lance Leipold walks off the field after losing to the Iowa State Cyclones at Jack Trice Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

What to Expect from Kansas in the Transfer Portal

One of the first things that should happen is having all 18 departing Jayhawks officially enter the portal. They have until Jan. 16 to do so, and more names could arise until that date.

While there will certainly be commitments throughout the sport during this period, most of them will come after all players have entered the portal. There will also be the occasional late entry that does not become public until after the Jan. 16 closing date, as the NCAA often takes a few days to officially process the news. By that point, Leipold and Co. will know which positions and players they must prioritize.

Transfer Decisions to Watch

In addition to learning who is transferring, fans will also find out which players are staying with the program. There will likely be multiple reports of Jayhawks negotiating new deals with KU, a term that has arisen since NIL became prominent. Certain outlets may even refer to this as "re-signing."

Key sophomores and juniors with important decisions to make include wide receiver Cam Pickett, quarterback Isaiah Marshall, defensive ends Leroy Harris III and Dak Brinkley, among others.

Despite losing a lot of talent to graduation this offseason, KU still has a solid core it can retain, though player retention has been a challenge for the program for the first time under Leipold.

Biggest Positions of Need

KU's position targets will largely depend on which players decide to stay or leave. However, the Jayhawks have significant work to do on the offensive side of the ball.

They do not have a clear running back option now that Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Leshon Williams have graduated, a void the coaching staff must absolutely fill. With the loss of true freshman quarterback David McComb, the program may also opt to add another quarterback to compete for the backup role or potentially serve as a spot starter.

RELATED: Kansas Loses David McComb to Transfer Portal: Impact on Jayhawks' QB Room

Defensively, the line is mostly set, but the Jayhawks will need to address linebacker depth following the graduation of Bangally Kamara. The defensive backfield could also use attention after safety Lyrik Rawls' transfer and the pending decisions of Jalen Todd and Austin Alexander, both of whom struggled at times as inexperienced starters in 2025.