By Michael Swain
LAWRENCE, Kan. (247Sports.com) – Cobee Bryant is returning to Kansas, he announced on Monday. The KU cornerback will be back in Lawrence for his senior season in 2024. The return of Bryant means the Jayhawks will get back both of their starting cornerbacks from the 2023 season. Both Bryant and Dotson were All Big 12 honorees for their efforts in 2023, too. This past season Bryant was named First Team All Big 12 for the second-straight season. Bryant is the first Kansas defensive back to earn first-team honors in back-to-back seasons since Aqib Talib in 2006-07.
Bryant was a consistent presence for KU this past season, even if he wasn’t targeted a ton. The cornerback played the most defensive snaps of any player during the regular season and his 744 snaps accounted for just under 90 percent of KU’s defensive snaps over the regular season. Out of all the defensive players who played more than 100 snaps, Bryant’s Pro Football Focus grade of 78 was the third-highest on defense, trailing only Austin Booker (82.7) and Mello Dotson (79.1).
In terms of his production, Bryant finished the regular season with 30 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss and three interceptions. He was targeted 34 times over the course of the season. To put that into context, Dotson was targeted 65 times. Bryant allowed 21 receptions over the course of the season.
In KU’s bowl game, Bryant came down with an interception that helped swing the momentum of the contest early on.
Although the room might not be the most experienced one that KU has had under Lance Leipold, the cornerbacks room in 2024 is shaping up to be talented from top to bottom. Damarius McGhee can return after a back injury limited him for almost the entire season. KU has young but talented cornerbacks set to be on the roster next season in rising redshirt sophomore Brian Dilworth, redshirt freshmen Jameel Croft and Jacoby Davis and true freshmen Austin Alexander, Jalen Todd and Aundre Gibson.
