Kansas returning players 2025: Top 5 athletes who will return to Lance Leipold's squad

Lance Leipold's Kansas Jayhawks were ranked in the Associated Press preseason poll for the first time since 2009 last season, but stumbled to a 5-7 finish and missed out on the bowl season. Surely, that wasn't what Leipold or anyone else associated with the program had planned for.

In a conference that was wide open down the stretch last season, Leipold and the Jayhawks will strive to get back on track next season. Here are five players from that team who will figure out how to have a say in that effort.

Kansas Jayhawks top 5 returning players 2025

#1. Jalon Daniels, quarterback

Daniels, who was voted a team captain last year, will return to Lawrence for his sixth collegiate season.

"I'm ready to lead the Kansas Jayhawks into the 2025 season and fully focused on becoming the best QB possible," Daniels said on social media in December. "I'm staying to finish what we've started, continue building, and to give back to the fans who've given us everything."

Last season, Daniels went for 2,454 yards and 14 touchdowns through the air, starting all dozen games after two injury-shortened seasons.

#2. Dean Miller, defensive end

Miller made headlines last season for a late hit on now-former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, drawing ire and prompting a positive phone call with Sanders and his father, Buffaloes coach Deion Sanders on Thanksgiving.

Miller was a second-team All-Big 12 honoree in 2024. He'll be back after leading the team in sacks (6). He also had a combined 32 tackles.

#3. Daniel Hishaw Jr., running back

Devin Neal, Kansas' all-time leading rusher, exhausted his eligibility. Hishaw is next in the backfield for the program, having toted the ball 65 times for 376 yards and three scores last go-round.

Hishaw returns having been the Jayhawks' second-leading rusher last season. He'll have some big shoes to fill, though.

#4. Taylor Davis, safety

Davis will be back as the team's leading returning tackler. He had 33 total stops as a redshirt freshman, starting four games and playing in nine altogether. That secondary will be without Cobee Bryant, Mello Dotson, and O.J. Burroughs, leaving a void that Davis will be expected to help fill.

#5. Doug Emilien, wide receiver

In terms of game experience catching passes, the Jayhawks have very little coming back from last season's roster. Emilien is one of the few returners who caught a pass last fall, reeling in three for 20 yards and a score. He made two starts and played in 11 games.

Kansas graduated Luke Grimm, Quentin Skinner, and Jared Casey after the last campaign. Leipold dipped into the transfer portal to bolster Emilien's position room, adding former Ball State wide receiver Cameron Pickett in December.