Kansas football fall camp: 5 defensive players to keep an eye on

LAWRENCE — Kansas football will be going through its fall camp practices during the month of August.

The Jayhawks are readying for the third season of coach Lance Leipold’s tenure in Lawrence. They’re continuing to lay the groundwork for a campaign that’s already garnered a lot of hype — after the program reached its first bowl game in more than a decade in 2022. And on the defensive side of the ball, there are certain players to keep an eye on who can help the team reach its goals.

Here are five players on defense to keep an eye on as the college football season nears:

Kenny Logan Jr. (Safety)

Logan, a senior, has led Kansas in tackles each of the past three seasons. Whether or not he does again this year, odds are he’ll be one of the most productive talents again on this side of the ball. After missing time during spring ball due to injury, it’s just a matter of how much he can take a step forward in his game — holistically — before he makes the jump to the professional ranks.

Craig Young (Linebacker)

Young, a redshirt senior, made his presence felt last year after transferring in from Ohio State. The versatility he showcased proved vital for Kansas, as he amassed 60 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks and an interception. He can be an All-Big 12 Conference player for the Jayhawks if he can build off of what he has already accomplished.

Cobee Bryant (Cornerback)

Bryant was voted by the Big 12’s head coaches as a first team, all-conference player in 2022, and voted by the media as a preseason all-conference player in 2023. For someone who’s only going into his junior season, he’s played a lot. He not only led Kansas in interceptions and pass breakups last season, but showcased big-play ability — like that interception returned for a touchdown in the overtime win against West Virginia.

Rich Miller (Linebacker)

Miller, a senior, has a lot of expectations for himself in what’ll also be his last year at the college level. He’s been a regular starter for Kansas since he transferred in from Buffalo ahead of the 2021 season, following Leipold to Lawrence. He’s a leader on this roster and a key part of establishing the culture that’s come with the program’s turnaround.

Jereme Robinson (Defensive lineman)

Robinson, a junior, is a potential breakout candidate in addition to already being someone who’s a key member of this defense. Considering the void that needs to be filled in Kansas’ pass rush, that’s the case for someone who’s coming off a season in which he was second on the team in tackles for loss and third in sacks. There are a lot of guys competing for playing time on the defensive line, but Robinson is poised to be relied upon considerably.

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 [email protected] or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.