Amid a flurry of movement in the early days of the transfer window, a handful of Kansas players took to social media on Saturday night to post official KU football graphics suggesting they are “locked in” for next season.
The group of returnees included defensive ends Alex Bray, Dakyus Brinkley and Leroy Harris III; defensive tackle Blake Herold; quarterbacks Cole Ballard and Isaiah Marshall; safety Darrion Jones; and wide receiver Keaton Kubecka.
The posts come as a variety of football programs have started putting out official notices that their key players have re-signed, providing some clarity when it comes to returning production in an era of increased player movement.
Bray, Brinkley and Harris all played rotational roles in 2025 and should be in line for greater action next season at what is now one of KU’s position groups with the highest quantity of returning production.
Bray, who will be a senior, is by far KU’s most experienced option at strong-side defensive end after he backed up Justice Finkley there and played 311 defensive snaps in 2025, according to Pro Football Focus. Brinkley, a highly regarded recruit in the class of 2024, took advantage of sparse playing time, including when he was involved in sacks on consecutive plays in KU’s game at Arizona in November. Harris was one of the Jayhawks’ breakout players of the season, as he transferred in from Chattanooga and as a true sophomore led KU in sacks and pass breakups.
Herold will be the Jayhawks’ top returning player on the interior line after the graduations of longtime contributors like Tommy Dunn Jr., D.J. Withers and Kenean Caldwell. Herold has put together a pair of solid seasons at tackle and still has two more left to play.
Ballard and Marshall will compete for KU’s starting quarterback role in 2026 after Jalon Daniels exhausted his eligibility. Ballard has served as the Jayhawks’ primary backup for more than two seasons and in 2025 went 10-for-22 for 108 yards with a touchdown and an interception while carrying the ball 15 times for 92 yards with a fumble. Marshall completed all three of his passes in one game for 28 yards, but KU deployed him extensively in designed runs over the course of the year, and he rushed 15 times for 160 yards.
Jones was a three-star safety from Fort Myers, Florida, in the class of 2025 who redshirted and did not see the field during his freshman season.
Kubecka was a secondary return man on punts and kicks and caught at least one pass as a second-string receiver in 10 of KU’s 12 games; in total he tallied 17 receptions for 157 yards, with a touchdown in the season opener. He could compete for a starting role in 2026 depending on what KU acquires from the portal.
This is, of course, not an exhaustive list of returning talent for the Jayhawks for next season. For example, the agency SetVision Management announced in mid-December that its clients Austin Alexander, Taylor Davis and Jahlil Hurley had re-signed with the Jayhawks, and Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com recently reported that KU has inked Amir Herring and Jalen Todd for 2026.
In the meantime, the portal is in full swing and KU is attempting to fill out its roster and replace more than 20 outgoing transfers, with a host of players headed to Lawrence for visits.
