Transfer portal: Which Kansas football players are planning to depart

As transfer season officially began on Monday, several Kansas football players entered the NCAA transfer portal.

While the Jayhawks (6-6, 3-5 Big-12 conference play) prepare to play Arkansas in the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 28, a handful of new players entered the portal.

Steven McBride, a junior wide receiver from Louisiana, Shaad Dabney, a sophomore cornerback from Georgia, and Edwin White-Schultz, a sophomore safety from Alabama, publicly announced their plans to leave the Jayhawks and play elsewhere next season.

Alongside that trio, Gavin Potter, a senior linebacker from Oklahoma (who left the team in October), and Kevin Orange, a redshirt-sophomore defensive end from Missouri, are also entering the portal.

Jarrett Paul, a senior safety and transfer who joined the Jayhawks from Eastern Michigan, hasn’t been part of the KU roster since early in the season, while Eriq Gilyard, a senior linebacker and transfer in from UCF, is no longer on the roster as well, a source confirmed to The Star.

Let’s take a closer look at the recent players who have entered the portal:

Wide receiver Steven McBride:

• 24 game appearances, 2 starts

• 21 receptions, 128 receiving yards

• Two years of eligibility remaining (including super-senior year)

Steven McBride played three seasons with the Jayhawks but didn’t see much action on the field. He came to Lawrence as a three-star recruit and leaves with two years of eligibility left. He played all 12 games his sophomore year (2021) and had career-highs in receptions (15) and receiving yards (88).

This season, he was listed as the backup to WR Quentin Skinner on the two-deep.

Linebacker Gavin Potter

• 36 game appearances, 25 starts

• 174 total tackles (111 solo), 2.5 sacks, 11.0 TFLs

• Two years of eligibility remaining (including super-senior year)

The perfect way to describe Gavin Potter’s time at Kansas: flashy. Before he even arrived on campus, the linebacker poked fun at both K-State and Texas Tech in his commitment ceremony. After he ultimately signed with KU, Potter performed his best in his junior season with a career-high 78 tackles in 12 games. However, by October of 2022 — his senior year — Potter had decided to leave the team.

“There wasn’t a whole lot (of conversations),” Kansas coach Lance Leipold said at a press conference earlier this year. “He has decided that he’s going to redshirt and move on.”

Safety Edwin White-Schultz

• 15 game appearances, 3 starts

• 11 total tackles (6 solo)

• Three years of eligibility remaining

Edwin White-Schultz appeared in all 12 games in his first season, but he was limited to three this year. The three-star recruit previously drew reported offers from Tennessee, Mississippi State and Ole Miss, along with others, before he committed to the Jayhawks.

Cornerback Cam’Ron “Shaad” Dabney

• 23 game appearances, 2 starts

• 12 tackles (11 solo), 2 passes defended

• Two years of eligibility remaining

The three-star recruit from Georgia leaves KU after a quiet two seasons with the Jayhawks.

He started two games last season, including against Oklahoma State, where he made a career-high four tackles. Depending on the week, Dabney would rotate between being the backup to Ra’Mello Dotson or third-string on the depth chart. He has two years of eligibility left.

Defensive end Kevin Orange Jr.

• Two years of eligibility remaining (including super-senior year)

Kevin Orange Jr. didn’t see the field in his two seasons at Kansas but will have two years of eligibility remaining. He could in theory join his highly-recruited brother, Domonique Orange, at Iowa State. Domonique Orange was also a KU target out of high school.

Linebacker Eriq Gilyard

• 12 game appearances

• 24 total tackles (18 solo), 2 TFLs, 1 interception

• One year of eligibility remaining (including super-senior year)

Eriq Gilyard came to Lawrence last year after playing for four years at UCF. He played in all 12 games and appeared in short-yardage packages and as a run-stopper. Because of the super-senior season afforded to players in the COVID-19 era, Gilyard will have one season to play.

Safety Jarrett Paul

• 4 game appearances

• 4 tackles (3 solo)

• One year of eligibility remaining (including super-senior season, unless he is granted additional waiver)

After previously playing at Eastern Michigan and Rutgers, Jarrett Paul’s tenure at Kansas lasted for four games. Players are allowed to appear in four games and redshirt — to preserve the season of eligibility — but Paul previously sat out a season before his first transfer (to Eastern Michigan). If he were to receive an additional waiver, he’d have two years to play. If not, he’ll have one.