Predicting Kansas football's depth chart for season opener against Lindenwood

LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s 2024 season opener is drawing closer, and that means the release of the Jayhawks’ first depth chart is near.

Head coach Lance Leipold’s squad has a number of position battles that have been ongoing through fall camp. The team is looking to build off of back-to-back bowl appearances, and a bowl win, for the first time in more than a decade. It’s a reality that’s helped foster more competition than there’s been in the past few years of Leipold’s tenure.

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Here’s a projection of how Kansas’ first depth chart could look, before it kicks off Thursday at 7 p.m. (CT) against Lindenwood at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas:

Offense

Quarterback

The starter: Jalon Daniels (redshirt junior)

Key reserves: Cole Ballard (redshirt freshman); Isaiah Marshall (freshman)

This is Jalon Daniels’ team again this year, it’s just a matter of how far he can take them.

Running back

The starter: Devin Neal (senior)

Key reserves: Daniel Hishaw Jr. (redshirt junior); Sevion Morrison (redshirt junior); Harry Stewart III (freshman)

Devin Neal and Daniel Hishaw Jr. provide Kansas with one of the best running back duos in the Big 12 Conference, if not the best running back duo.

Wide receiver

The starters: SLOT — Luke Grimm (senior); X — Lawrence Arnold (senior); Z — Quentin Skinner (senior)

Key reserves: Keaton Kubecka (redshirt freshman); Doug Emilien (redshirt junior); Trevor Wilson (redshirt senior)

Kansas has a veteran trio back in Luke Grimm, Lawrence Arnold and Quentin Skinner, who can all help make this a formidable offense in their own ways.

Tight end

The starter: Trevor Kardell (senior)

Key reserves: Jared Casey (senior); Leyton Cure (redshirt junior)

This is the season for Trevor Kardell to step up, and the room certainly has the potential to be impressive.

Offensive line

The starters: LT — Bryce Cabeldue (senior); LG — Michael Ford Jr. (senior); C — Bryce Foster (redshirt junior); RG — Kobe Baynes (redshirt junior); Logan Brown (redshirt junior)

Key reserves: Shane Bumgardner (redshirt senior); Darrell Simmons Jr. (redshirt senior); Nolan Gorczyca (redshirt junior); Dre Doiron (redshirt junior); Calvin Clements (redshirt freshman)

It could take some time for this group to develop the desired chemistry, but the experience and talent is there.

Defense

Defensive line

The starters: DE — Jereme Robinson (senior); DT — D.J. Withers (redshirt junior); DT — Tommy Dunn Jr. (redshirt junior); DE — Dean Miller (redshirt junior)

Key reserves: DJ Warner (freshman defensive end); Bai Jobe (redshirt freshman defensive end); Dakyus Brinkley (freshman defensive end); Dylan Wudke (redshirt senior defensive end); Caleb Taylor (senior defensive tackle); Javier Derritt (redshirt senior defensive tackle); Kenean Caldwell (redshirt junior defensive tackle); Ronald McGee (redshirt senior defensive lineman)

There’s a lot of potential in this group, the players just have to realize that over the course of the season.

Linebacker

The starters: HAWK — Jayson Gilliom (redshirt junior); LB — Cornell Wheeler (redshirt senior); LB — JB Brown (senior)

Key reserves: Logan Brantley (redshirt freshman); Taiwan Berryhill Jr. (senior); Alex Raich (redshirt senior)

Cornell Wheeler is in prime position to be a breakout player for Kansas this fall.

Cornerback

The starters: Mello Dotson (senior); Cobee Bryant (senior)

Key reserves: Damarius McGhee (redshirt junior); Brian Dilworth (redshirt sophomore); Jalen Todd (freshman)

Mello Dotson and Cobee Bryant, together, give Kansas arguably the best cornerback duo in the Big 12.

Safety

The starters: Marvin Grant (redshirt senior); O.J. Burroughs (senior)

Key reserves: Devin Dye (redshirt junior); Jalen Dye (redshirt junior); Mason Ellis (redshirt sophomore)

Marvin Grant is stepping into a leadership role this season.

Special teams

The starters: Kickoff — Tabor Allen (senior); Place-kicker — Charlie Weinrich (redshirt sophomore); Punter — Damon Greaves (sophomore); Long snapper — Luke Hosford (redshirt senior); Punt, kick return — Trevor Wilson (redshirt senior); Holder — Grayden Addison (redshirt junior)

Key reserves: Owen Piepergerdes (redshirt junior kicker); Luke Grimm (senior wide receiver for return game); Sevion Morrison (redshirt junior running back for return game)

There are a lot of familiar faces in this group, including Greaves at punter.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He is the National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas for 2022. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Predicting Kansas football's depth chart for season opener against Lindenwood