A cavalcade of Kansas University football recruits and commitments watched Saturday’s spring game at Memorial Stadium, and before the big weekend concluded for the Jayhawks, one of those undecided high school players in attendance told KU’s coaches he plans to make Lawrence his future home.
A 6-foot wide receiver from Mansfield Timberview High in Arlington, Texas, Braylon Royal told JayhawkSlant.com he met with KU assistant coaches Kenny Perry (co-defensive coordinator) and Klint Kubiak (wide receivers) before the scrimmage and decided to commit to Kansas after making his first trip to campus.
Royal’s high school teammate, Shaquille Richmond, a defensive back who committed to KU shortly after David Beaty took over as head coach, also attended the spring game. Royal already had heard good things about the staff and program from Richmond before reaching a decision.
“He told me that I would really like it and that it was a good atmosphere,” Royal told Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com. “The weather wasn’t that great, but the fans still showed up and they were supporting them. He was right about the atmosphere.”
Unlike Richmond, a member of KU’s 2015 recruiting class, Royal still has one season of prep football left to play, and won’t arrive on campus until 2016.
Perry began recruiting the receiver early this year.
“Coach Perry is a really funny guy but he can also be straight to the point,” Royal told Kirby. “He talked about how they will turn the program around and I want to be part of something like that.”
In 2014, Royal caught 20 passes for 577 yards and 10 touchdowns. Getting clocked in the 4.4-seconds range while running the 40-yard dash helped the unheralded prospect land an offer.
“One thing they told me is they liked my speed and how I can blow by defenders,” Royal related.