Former Syracuse offensive tackle Enrique Cruz Jr. has committed to Kansas, he announced on Friday afternoon.
Cruz, a fifth-year senior who started at left tackle for the Orange in 2023 but played sparingly during his fourth season, brings immediate experience to an offensive line looking to replace two NFL-bound tackles.
He is a 6-foot-6, 319-pound native of Chicago who attended Willowbrook High School, where he was a four-star prospect.
Cruz redshirted his freshman year but debuted and played often in 2022 as Syracuse’s first reserve on the offensive line, including five starts across both tackle spots. He gave up just one sack in 205 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
The next year he allowed zero sacks and three quarterback hits in 803 snaps as the Orange’s starting left tackle.
After a coaching change from Dino Babers to Fran Brown, Cruz barely played in 2024, including not at all following the month of September.
He will have an opportunity to play early and often at KU. The Jayhawks have three surefire starters in center Bryce Foster, right guard Kobe Baynes and still-young left tackle Calvin Clements, but they were relying on longtime backups James Livingston and Nolan Gorczyca to fill voids at left guard and right tackle, respectively, during the spring.
Tulsa transfer Jack Tanner, a rising sophomore, then took Gorczyca’s place after Gorczyca had finger surgery. UCLA transfer Tavake Tuikolovatu is also in the mix and has played both guard and tackle in the past.
Cruz could compete right away to start at right tackle. He is KU’s third transfer addition in the spring window after Chattanooga defensive end Leroy Harris III and Georgia Tech defensive back Syeed Gibbs.
