Quick Take: I think this really came down to a two-team battle between KU and TCU and I will get into more in the breakdown.
I thought it was interesting someone told me Taiwo Onatolu was following Joyner before he announced he was entering the portal. I wonder if the word leaked Joyner was going in the portal, and he is exactly what they needed because he can rush the passer.
Joyner told me on the way to the airport this morning that he was impressed with Onatolu and what he heard from Matt Gildersleeve on the visit.
He felt Onatolu can help prepare him for the future. Also, some props to Kenny Logan who was also his host as well as Damarius McGhee.
His strength is rushing the passer and that’s what KU needed. I heard has some strength and size to him and will play around 250 pounds this coming season. Both parents were on the visit, and I heard they liked the culture they saw in the program.
Breakdown: Coming out of high school he was around 205-210 and everyone projected him as a defensive end although his size showed more like a linebacker.
He signed with Miami out of high school and played there for three seasons before transferring to Utah State. At Utah State he started eight games in 2021 and played in 14 games. This season he rotated on the defensive line and give Utah State some credit, because they had some good defensive ends.
They had Daniel Grzesiak, who Kansas offered and went to Cincinnati. They also had Byron Vaughns, who was a transfer from Texas. He went in the portal and holds offers from USC, Virginia Tech, USC, Arizona State and others.
The reason KU won out over TCU in large part was the scheme. At KU I think he will be an every down DE but at TCU, they play a 3-4. So, he would have likely been more of a pass rusher in specific situations.
KU’s scheme fits his game better.
What this means: Unless another spot opens after spring football this is the defensive end the Jayhawks were looking for. Just four or five days ago the plan was not to get a defensive end until Joyner became available.
I thought it was interesting someone told me Taiwo Onatolu was following Joyner before he announced he was entering the portal. I wonder if the word leaked Joyner was going in the portal, and he is exactly what they needed because he can rush the passer.
Joyner told me on the way to the airport this morning that he was impressed with Onatolu and what he heard from Matt Gildersleeve on the visit.
He felt Onatolu can help prepare him for the future. Also, some props to Kenny Logan who was also his host as well as Damarius McGhee.
His strength is rushing the passer and that’s what KU needed. I heard has some strength and size to him and will play around 250 pounds this coming season. Both parents were on the visit, and I heard they liked the culture they saw in the program.
Breakdown: Coming out of high school he was around 205-210 and everyone projected him as a defensive end although his size showed more like a linebacker.
He signed with Miami out of high school and played there for three seasons before transferring to Utah State. At Utah State he started eight games in 2021 and played in 14 games. This season he rotated on the defensive line and give Utah State some credit, because they had some good defensive ends.
They had Daniel Grzesiak, who Kansas offered and went to Cincinnati. They also had Byron Vaughns, who was a transfer from Texas. He went in the portal and holds offers from USC, Virginia Tech, USC, Arizona State and others.
The reason KU won out over TCU in large part was the scheme. At KU I think he will be an every down DE but at TCU, they play a 3-4. So, he would have likely been more of a pass rusher in specific situations.
KU’s scheme fits his game better.
What this means: Unless another spot opens after spring football this is the defensive end the Jayhawks were looking for. Just four or five days ago the plan was not to get a defensive end until Joyner became available.
