Delving a little deeper into the signings of 3 Kansas football newcomers earlier this year

LAWRENCE — There are going to be a host of newcomers on Kansas football’s roster this fall.

The Jayhawks announced some of those additions in the 2023 signing class in December. They announced more over the course of the past two-plus weeks. And those prospects, from the high school and college levels, covered a wide range of positions that address different needs Kansas has as it prepares for another run at a bowl game this upcoming college football season.

Among the many topics head coach Lance Leipold addressed last week, he specifically addressed the recruitments of a number of the newcomers. Three in that group were Damarius McGhee, Jacoby Davis and Damon Greaves. And here’s more on what Leipold had to say about them and how they fit into the Jayhawks’ future.

Kansas adds Damarius McGhee, an LSU transfer with a lot of potential

McGhee was a 247Sports Composite four-star prospect out of high school, and according to 247Sports, the LSU transfer is a three-star talent out of the portal.

It may not have worked out for McGhee at LSU, where he spent the first two years of his college career. There, he appeared in 13 games across two seasons and redshirted in 2022. But if it works out at Kansas, the Jayhawks are getting one of the top talents at the cornerback position from the 2021 recruiting class.

Leipold said McGhee has great cover skills and his addition is a chance for the team to get better.

“In fact, when I was on the road here last week I ran into a coach from (McGhee’s) former school,” said Leipold, speaking Feb. 1, “and he had nothing but positive things about (McGhee). And if (McGhee) stays healthy and does the things that he needs to, he doesn’t see any reason why that (McGhee) won’t be a fine addition and help this team.”

Kansas signs highly recruited high school cornerback Jacoby Davis

A 247Sports Composite three-star cornerback in the 2023 class, Davis had interest during his recruitment from a number of Power Five level programs — including in the Southeastern Conference. Leipold said they stuck with him during the recruiting process and ended up being able to bring him in. And even though Davis is on the smaller end, listed at 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, Leipold thinks he addresses a need Kansas has of being more physical tackling on the perimeter.

“He’ll hit you,” Leipold said about Davis. “As we say, he ain’t scared.”

Kansas picks up punter Damon Greaves out of Australia

Leipold joked about how he didn’t get a home visit out of Damon Greaves’ recruitment, and is going to try to. It isn't difficult to see why.

Greaves has a listed hometown of Busselton, Australia. According to Kansas’ bio on him, the 6-foot-1 and 170-pound punter played in the Australian Football League for Hawthorn Football Club and has worked with Prokick Australia.

“Now I’m sitting, but I stood before you last year and said we’re going to create a culture of competition — and we have to continue to do that in each and every way,” Leipold said. “And I think we have done so in kicking and punting as well.”

It’s not unusual for college football teams to recruit punters from Australia. Leipold added they feel they’ve found a good one.

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 jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Damarius McGhee, Jacoby Davis, Damon Greaves sign onto Kansas football