Cobee Bryant announces return to Kansas for 2024 season

Kansas cornerback Cobee Bryant will be returning to the Jayhawks for the 2024 season, he announced via X on Tuesday evening. Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Bryant had been “linked publicly” with entering the NCAA transfer portal and Colorado. However, he will not be leaving and will come back to play for Lance Leipold once again.

“Kansas corner Cobee Bryant has announced he’s staying at the school,” Thamel said via X. “He’d been linked publicly to Colorado, but says he’s not entering the transfer portal. He was first-team All Big 12 in 2022.”

It’s no surprise to see a top-level defensive back being linked with the Buffaloes due to Deion Sanders. If Bryant did enter the portal and wind up in Boulder, he would play opposite of Travis Hunter and arguably create one of the best cornerback duos in the country. Their respective resumes speak for themselves.

But Bryant is back for Kansas and figures to play a major role. He returns for his fourth year of action despite being a member of the 2020 recruiting class.

In 12 games last season, Bryant recorded 32 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss, and recorded one sack. Dropping back in coverage is his specialty though, having nine passes defended and four interceptions — including one in the final two games of the season vs. Cincinnati and the bowl game vs. UNLV.

More on Kansas, upcoming 2024 season

For another offseason, Kansas had to deal with rumors surrounding Leipold and his name in the coaching carousel. The success in Lawrence was always going to bring interested folks from the outside but Leipold once again committed himself to the program, signing a contract extension.

Winning nine games last year meant a lot to Kansas, reaching the height for the first time since the historic 2007 team. Getting to back-to-back bowl games broke a long drought as well dating back to 2008. After being in the dumps, Leipold brought the Jayhawks back to life.

Now, they are expected to contend for a Big 12 Championship in 2024. With Texas and Oklahoma leaving for the SEC and four new programs — Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado, and Utah — entering the fray, the conference is thought to be wide open. Kansas has a real opportunity ahead of itself when games kick off this upcoming fall.

Keeping players such as Bryant on the roster through two transfer portal windows is a huge win.