Kansas University didn’t have a football player among the 262 athletes selected during the seven-round, two-day NFL draft.
But at least three Jayhawk seniors — Justin Sands, Byron Gasaway and Greg Cole — will get their shot in the pro league as undrafted free agents.
“I’m disappointed I didn’t get drafted, but I’m happy I’m going somewhere,” said Sands, an offensive lineman who agreed to terms Sunday with the Buffalo Bills.
Once the draft progressed into the late rounds, there were advantages to being a free-agent, Sands said. Players sought by multiple teams could pick among their suitors, rather than being a draft pick bound to one franchise.
Sands said he had offers “from six or seven teams.”
“I felt comfortable with my chances to make the team, and I felt like they wanted me more than anyone else so I went there,” Sands said in a telephone interview while en route to Lawrence from his parents’ home in Lawton, Iowa.
The 6-foot-7, 300-pound senior started his KU career at defensive end and started 11 games as a red-shirt freshman. He moved to the offensive line as a sophomore and started 23 straight games at left tackle during his final two seasons.
Former KU assistant coach Pat Ruel will be Sands’ position coach with the Bills. Sands said he expected to sign his contract today and report to mini-camp Thursday in Buffalo. An intern in KU’s weight room this semester, Sands will graduate next month with a degree in exercise science.
Wide receiver Byron Gasaway, who agreed to terms with the Eagles, won’t have to worry about missing any classes when he attends mini-camp this week in Philadelphia. The communications major graduated in December.
Gasaway (6-3, 210) led KU with 39 receptions for 490 yards and five touchdowns last season. After a slow start, he finished strong with at least one TD in four of KU’s last five games. He had a career-best six catches for 63 yards and two TDs Oct. 19 against Texas A&M and topped that a week later with six catches for 101 yards and a TD at Missouri.
“I’m pretty happy,” he said from his parents’ home in Grandview, Mo. “It’s a start. I’ll do what I can to make the team.”
Linebacker Greg Cole will go from one coast to the other after spending the weekend at his parents’ home in Miami. KU’s leading tackler agreed to terms with San Diego.
“I came to Kansas; it’s not a problem,” Cole said of the move west. “I’m living a dream. I was more concerned with making an NFL team than with where I went. I thought I’d go in the middle of the sixth round, but I’ll take the free-agent contract.”
Cole (6-2, 225) ranked third in the Big 12 Conference with 21 tackles for loss. He’ll go to mini-camp this weekend in San Diego.
“I feel like that’s a good opportunity for me to make the team and show people it was a mistake not to pick me,” said Cole, who plans to walk down the hill May 18 during commencement and complete his crime and delinquency degree during the summer session.
David Hurst did not have any contract offers Sunday, but the lineman accepted an invitation to the Chiefs’ mini-camp May 9 in Kansas City, Mo.
Hurst (6-3, 270) said he might have been hurt by the fact that he switched from tight end to left guard three games into his senior year.
“I had a good season, but nobody knows about it,” Hurst said from his parents’ home in Austin, Texas. “I’ll have to go out there and prove myself.”
Hurst said that if he can’t find a team he’ll attend summer school and complete the two classes he needs to fulfill his communications degree.
