The Kansas football team released its first depth chart of the 2026 season on Monday morning.
This year’s initial release, in advance of Friday night’s season opener in Lawrence against FCS foe Long Island, didn’t leave a lot of room for uncertainty. The biggest question had already been answered on Thursday when KU named Isaiah Marshall its starting quarterback, and it wasn’t much of a shock to see Tavake Tuikolovatu win out at right guard, nor to see big nose tackle Eamon Smalls earn a starting job or Dylan Edwards and Yasin Willis listed as co-starters at running back.
But there were still some intriguing elements to Monday’s two-deep, particularly on defense, where some players earned more prominent roles than were perhaps expected.
Here are some of the biggest takeaways from the season-opening depth chart.
Surprise starter: Elijah Cannon, a cornerback transfer from Mississippi State with five career tackles in two seasons, was one of KU’s quieter additions last winter. His name didn’t come up all that much in the spring either, as he missed it due to an offseason surgery.
But on Monday KU penciled him in as the sole starter at its “Hawk” position, which puts him in line to serve as its fifth defensive back, or nickel back, in 4-2-5 looks beginning with Friday’s opener. He slots in ahead of safety Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman, another player who battled offseason injuries, in the role. (KU may also choose to use Jibreel Al-Amin or Malachi Curvey as a third linebacker in some situations.)
Head coach Lance Leipold described him as an extremely coachable player committed to self-improvement who has impressed Duane Akina, the venerable defensive backs coach now helping out with KU’s nickels as a senior analyst.
“We really didn’t know what we had, and then we started to mainly use him at corner, but then we got really thin through camp multiple times at the Hawk position,” Leipold said, “and he went in there when it was really natural, and he really fit in, (it) fit into his skill set really well.”
Defensive coordinator D.K. McDonald called Cannon, originally from Coconut Creek, Florida, “a dog that likes to bite.”
“He really loves the mental part of this game, which is awesome,” he added. “And so it was easy for him just to kind of go in there. He learned it rather quickly. And then the big thing you want to see is will those guys stick their nose in there when it’s time to hit, and he’s not afraid to do that.”
Secondary shuffle: Safety Mason Ellis was KU’s top choice at the nickel position to open the 2025 season, but primarily played back as a true safety after returning from the latest in a series of injuries that have affected his trajectory.
This time around, he showed up in an unlikely place: connected with Louisville transfer Corey Gordon via an “or” atop the depth chart at strong safety. Gordon and Georgia Tech transfer Christian Pritchett had received much of the attention at that spot during fall camp, but Leipold said that KU wants to get Ellis settled in and playing consistently at safety this year, “and of course, if needed, he’s also a guy that has rotated and played at the other position.”
“Mason’s been very knowledgeable,” Leipold added. “He knows our defense, he’s retained information, he’s one of the guys that’s really well thought of and respected because of what he’s been through in our program and the time that he’s been in our program. But as we know, the biggest thing that probably Mason has struggled with is staying available on a consistent basis.”
McDonald said he feels the spot is “still up in the air” between the top two and noted that Pritchett is improving after being banged up during camp.
Even split: Redshirt junior defensive end David Santiago, a transfer from Michigan State, was McDonald’s pick for one of the top performers of fall camp. So it was noteworthy to see him still come in behind senior Alex Bray, a returning contributor from the 2025 season (when he backed up Justice Finkley), at the strong-side spot.
However, Leipold said he expects the division of reps between the two players to be “pretty 50/50.” McDonald described both ends as “great technicians.”
“For Bray, he really works hard, and he plays harder for longer than a lot of guys, and that’s what I really appreciate about him,” McDonald said. “His leadership is really good. He’s a strong guy, he’s able to handle those tackles and get in there, he spills, and then he really improved in his pass rush.”
He said that Santiago, as a pass rusher, will help supplement the capabilities in that area of weak-side ends Leroy Harris III and Dak Brinkley.
“And he’s a physical guy, too,” McDonald added. “And the great thing about David, now that he’s getting comfortable, being a guy who was at a former military school (Air Force), you can see those leadership abilities starting to come out of him.”
McDonald said KU could rotate as many as five or six defensive ends. The fifth on the depth chart besides Bray, Brinkley, Harris and Santiago is redshirt freshman Garrett Martin, the third-string weak-side end and another offseason standout.
Top two: KU showed a lot of restraint in its use of the word “or” this fall, unlike in some previous seasons. But the depth chart does not separate Middle Tennessee transfer Nahzae Cox and returning former reserve Keaton Kubecka at one of its three wide receiver spots.
Kubecka had impressed position coach Terrence Samuel with the confidence he displayed in fall camp. Cox has more overall experience as a regular contributor in his time with the Blue Raiders.
They should both figure in alongside Nik McMillan and Cam Pickett (when healthy).
“All those guys are going to play,” associate head coach Andy Kotelnicki said when asked about Cox and Kubecka’s position. “You’re going to see them all on the field in some capacity. Like I’ve told the individuals, I said, ‘Listen, I don’t see a world where you’re not playing, but I also don’t see a world where those other guys aren’t playing.'”
The new starting quarterback Marshall said he’s been impressed by his receivers in recent days.
“I’m seeing very explosive plays from them, making big plays, making me look good all the time,” he said. “So just as long as I give them guys a chance, I know they’re going to come down with the ball every time.”
