Throughout most of the offseason, Lance Leipold and the Kansas football program managed to avoid significant losses to the transfer portal. However, like all schools, the Jayhawks anticipated some departures as the spring transfer portal window approached.
Following the conclusion of spring practices, the first wave of Jayhawks has entered the transfer portal. Among them are defensive end Davion Westmoreland, safety Akili Hubbard, and running back signee Red Martel, all seeking new opportunities elsewhere.
While Westmoreland and Hubbard played limited roles on the team last season, Martel’s departure comes as somewhat of a surprise. As a member of the Class of 2024, Martel was ranked as the No. 80 player at his position according to 247 Sports rankings. He was an early commitment to the Jayhawks’ 2024 class and even enrolled at school early.
Martel’s decision to leave may be influenced by the competition he faced in the backfield. Following his commitment, Texas native Harry Stewart III also pledged to Kansas, potentially dimming Martel’s prospects for playing time in Lawrence. Although Martel could still choose to return, that possibility seems unlikely. Consequently, KU’s recruiting class has decreased from 17 to 16 recruits.
Meanwhile, Westmoreland, a transfer from a community college, struggled to secure playing time during his two years with the Jayhawks. Despite being recruited by Leipold after his time at Hutchinson Community College, Westmoreland only tallied six tackles across two seasons, appearing in nine out of 13 games after redshirting his first year.
Similarly, Hubbard, a junior college prospect from Golden West College, did not see any action during his lone season at Kansas. With the arrival of transfer safety Devin Dye, Hubbard’s role on the team became uncertain, prompting his decision to continue his collegiate career elsewhere.
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