With Ben Heeney and Jake Love both no longer in the KU lineup, the Jayhawks are looking for someone to step up at linebacker.
Courtney Arnick returns as the most solid and accomplished backer of the bunch, and Schyler Miles and Kyron Watson also return with experience. But both have question marks of their own entering 2015, which leaves the door open for any number of other linebackers to play their way into a serious role in the middle of the KU defense.
One such guy who could fit that mold falls in at No. 17 on our list. Here’s a look:
17. Marcquis Roberts, 6-foot-1, 216-pound Jr. Linebacker
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The South Carolina graduate transfer missed his first two seasons of college football because of injuries (shoulder surgery; torn acl) and encountered mixed results in the two years he played for the Gamecocks. He started nine games in his first season and six in his second.
At 6-foot-1 and 216 pounds, Roberts is on the small side for a linebacker but compensates with solid speed.
Given the Jayhawks’ serious lack of depth at linebacker, a big season from Roberts could be just the boost that position group needs.
A native of Powder Springs, Georgia, likely will be granted a sixth year of eligibility after this season because both of his red-shirts were of the medical variety.
A three-star linebacker in the Class of 2011 according to Rivals.com, Roberts also received offers from Mississippi State, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Cincinnati and others before choosing South Carolina.
**Most Crucial Jayhawks 2015:**
