Lyrik Rawls Transfers From Kansas Football: How It Affects the Jayhawks

Up until Thursday, the Kansas football team had not lost any significant contributors to the transfer portal. Most of the players who departed from the program were backups or reserve pieces who had never seen the field much.

However, the Jayhawks received their first major transfer blow when safety Lyrik Rawls announced his intention to transfer. The Texas native will enter the portal with one year of eligibility remaining.

BREAKING: Kansas starting Safety Lyrik Rawls plans to enter the @TransferPortal, his agent tells @On3Sports⁰⁰The 6’1 205 S totaled 72 tackles (56 solo), 7 PBU, and 1 INT this season

He’ll have 1 year of eligibility left⁰⁰Repped by @coachzwill⁰⁰https://t.co/RlUbB6Fk7q pic.twitter.com/Jpc0frU0WQ
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 11, 2025

Rawls transferred from Oklahoma State last offseason and was one of the few bright spots on the Jayhawks' defense. He finished second on the team with 73 combined tackles (57 solo), along with an interception and seven pass breakups.

He recorded three games with 10 or more tackles and started all 12 contests for the Jayhawks. While he was listed as a redshirt senior on the roster and was once believed to be playing his final season at Kansas, he was granted a medical redshirt from his 2023 campaign in Stillwater, giving him one more year of collegiate eligibility.

How Lyrik Rawls' Transfer Affects Kansas Football

This is a move that wasn't widely expected due to his expected role in 2026. For the first time this offseason, KU fans might be panicking a bit.

Rawls was going to be penciled in as a starter next season after an exceptional first year in Lawrence. He covered a ton of ground in the defensive backfield and was likely the second-best open-field tackler on the team behind Trey Lathan.

KU is already losing a lot of its safety depth, including brothers Devin and Jalen Dye, who both saw action this season. The only returning safeties on the roster are Taylor Davis and Mason Ellis, who often plays the HAWK position and isn't a true strong safety like Rawls.

Furthermore, the Jayhawks have already lost another safety to the portal this offseason in Damani Maxson, a former highly touted recruit out of high school. That means Lance Leipold and his coaching staff will have to prioritize adding a versatile safety in the portal.

Unless D.K. McDonald does not return as defensive coordinator and someone else takes over the unit, he will direly need someone who can play in the box or in deep-zone coverage like Rawls. It will be difficult to find a player who can replicate what he brought to the table, making it even more imperative that KU focuses on its defense in the portal this year.