Kansas continued to bolster its defensive line on Tuesday night with the addition of Michigan State transfer edge rusher David Santiago, who announced his commitment to the Jayhawks in a post on X.
Santiago was a rotational defender for the Spartans in 2025, playing as a pass-rush end on the defensive line with 245 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and a strong 72.8 grade. On the season, he recorded 24 tackles with 1.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
His most extensive playing time had come a year earlier at a different school. Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, out of Millbrook High School, the 6-foot-4, 253-pound Santiago started his career at Air Force, where he was listed as a linebacker. He redshirted and did not appear in 2023, then saw 521 snaps as a redshirt freshman and started all 10 games he played in, recording 38 tackles with five for loss and 3.5 sacks.
At KU, he will be a redshirt junior with two seasons left to play. He chose the Jayhawks over reported opportunities at Virginia and N.C. State.
Santiago is KU’s first transfer commitment at defensive end, fourth on the defensive line and 10th in total. He fills one of the spots vacated by the offseason departures of Dylan Brooks and Caleb Redd. His past pass-rush focus suggests he may fit best at the Jayhawks’ weak-side defensive end spot, although their greater need at the moment may be on the strong side, where they lost Justice Finkley to graduation and have last year’s second-stringer Alex Bray returning. The weak side, meanwhile, already has Leroy Harris III and Dakyus Brinkley in the fold.
KU also has younger players in Adrian Holley and Garrett Martin, who were on the roster in 2025, and Hunter Higgins and Draeden Punt, who will join as 2026 signees.
