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LAWRENCE — Following Kansas football’s pro day this past week in Lawrence, coach Lance Leipold and some participants discussed how that event went and the team’s offseason as a whole.
Regarding the pro day specifically, Leipold called it a great day for the program as departing players had the chance to continue to work toward their dream of playing at the next level. Whether they were at KU for the entirety of their college careers, or just a short stint, he was proud of them. That so many NFL scouts turned up ahead of the draft in April, in Leipold’s mind, says a lot about the potential of those players.
RELATED: What NFL teams could be getting in Kansas football QB Jalon Daniels
Here are some more takeaways from the pro day and offseason as a whole for Kansas football.
KU quarterback Jalon Daniels, wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. and offensive lineman Enrique Cruz Jr. weren’t the only ones involved in NFL combine-related activities. As a KU release from February would detail, kicker Laith Marjan was picked to be a part of the NFL Combine Specialist Showcase. And Leipold thinks that was great exposure for Marjan.
Although Marjan didn’t end the season as well as he or Kansas would have hoped, he was an asset throughout the majority of the season for the Jayhawks. He never missed an extra point and finished the season 14-for-17 on field goals without missing one through the first nine games. Leipold considers him someone who deserves a shot in an NFL team’s training camp.
Henderson spent one season at Kansas after transferring in from Alabama and made the most of his opportunity with the Jayhawks. His heightened role saw him produce and earn All-Big 12 Conference recognition. He called the decision to choose KU one that changed his life.
Henderson noted pro day wasn’t all that nerve-racking, considering he got those feelings out of the way at the NFL combine. He thought he did well at the combine and has received interest through the conversions he’s had. His speed is a significant factor in his skillset.
Kansas is waiting until after spring break to get started on spring ball practices, and Leipold detailed it comes as they’ve analyzed how they can improve things as a team moving forward. Although Leipold has liked getting started early in the past because it gives the team more time to get guys back and healthy if they have to deal with injuries, operating this way is giving their players eight weeks of training before it that aid in their speed and strength development.
That Kansas has so many newcomers, including transfers, certainly played into that decision. Leipold allowed they’ll see how this strategy plays out, but as of now the indicators are things are going well. The reports from director of sports performance Matt Gildersleeve, with all the data they collect, have been positive.
Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football offseason update going into 2026 spring practices
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Regarding the pro day specifically, Leipold called it a great day for the program as departing players had the chance to continue to work toward their dream of playing at the next level. Whether they were at KU for the entirety of their college careers, or just a short stint, he was proud of them. That so many NFL scouts turned up ahead of the draft in April, in Leipold’s mind, says a lot about the potential of those players.
RELATED: What NFL teams could be getting in Kansas football QB Jalon Daniels
Here are some more takeaways from the pro day and offseason as a whole for Kansas football.
The importance of Laith Marjan’s inclusion in the NFL Combine Specialist Showcase
KU quarterback Jalon Daniels, wide receiver Emmanuel Henderson Jr. and offensive lineman Enrique Cruz Jr. weren’t the only ones involved in NFL combine-related activities. As a KU release from February would detail, kicker Laith Marjan was picked to be a part of the NFL Combine Specialist Showcase. And Leipold thinks that was great exposure for Marjan.
Although Marjan didn’t end the season as well as he or Kansas would have hoped, he was an asset throughout the majority of the season for the Jayhawks. He never missed an extra point and finished the season 14-for-17 on field goals without missing one through the first nine games. Leipold considers him someone who deserves a shot in an NFL team’s training camp.
How Emmanuel Henderson Jr.’s pre-draft process is unfolding
Henderson spent one season at Kansas after transferring in from Alabama and made the most of his opportunity with the Jayhawks. His heightened role saw him produce and earn All-Big 12 Conference recognition. He called the decision to choose KU one that changed his life.
Henderson noted pro day wasn’t all that nerve-racking, considering he got those feelings out of the way at the NFL combine. He thought he did well at the combine and has received interest through the conversions he’s had. His speed is a significant factor in his skillset.
Lance Leipold explains Kansas’ spring ball scheduling philosophy
Kansas is waiting until after spring break to get started on spring ball practices, and Leipold detailed it comes as they’ve analyzed how they can improve things as a team moving forward. Although Leipold has liked getting started early in the past because it gives the team more time to get guys back and healthy if they have to deal with injuries, operating this way is giving their players eight weeks of training before it that aid in their speed and strength development.
That Kansas has so many newcomers, including transfers, certainly played into that decision. Leipold allowed they’ll see how this strategy plays out, but as of now the indicators are things are going well. The reports from director of sports performance Matt Gildersleeve, with all the data they collect, have been positive.
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Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Kansas football offseason update going into 2026 spring practices
Continue reading...
