With less than three weeks remaining before national signing day on Feb. 5, Kansas University’s football recruiting class ranks 29th in the nation, according to rivals.com.

“If you told Kansas fans they’d be coming off a 2-10 year and that going into January they’d have a class that ranked in the top 30 in the United States, people probably would have laughed at you,” said Jon Kirby of Mo-Kan Football and rivals.com.

KU’s recruiting classes had consistently ranked “between 50 and 70” under former coach Terry Allen, Kirby said.

Kansas coach Mark Mangino signed two junior-college recruits — Alfred State receiver Lyonel Anderson and Northeastern Oklahoma A&M offensive lineman Joe Vaughn — last month and has oral commitments from six juco players.

“Mangino went out and said before recruiting really started that they needed to hit the junior-college level,” Kirby said. “Right now they have one of the better junior-college classes in the country.”

That lofty ranking doesn’t mean much yet because verbal commitments are nonbinding. In fact, KC-Schlagle tight end Rashaad Norwood, who committed to KU last month and said he had canceled his other campus visits, now will visit Kansas State this weekend. The 6-foot-5, 211-pounder was the top-rated prospect in the metro area and was the highest-rated position player among the eight high school players who have committed to Kansas.

KU fans apparently don’t have to fret about the loss of defensive line coach Travis Jones, who resigned Monday to accept a similar position at Louisiana State.

When Houston standout Moderick Johnson committed to KU, the receiver cited Jones’ recruiting effort as a deciding factor. Johnson told Kirby that Mangino had visited him at his home in Texas since Jones resigned, and Johnson reaffirmed his commitment.

Mangino’s staff will have its hands full at Saturday night’s home basketball game against Kansas State as part of a big recruiting weekend. This weekend’s group includes Jon Conlin, a 6-3, 240-pound defensive end from Vancouver College who told Kirby he was leaning toward Kansas.

The Jayhawks, meanwhile, have lost one player from last year’s squad. Backup defensive lineman Keith Watts, a Seffner, Fla., native, transferred to South Florida. Watts played in seven games last year and made seven tackles, including one sack.

Kansas commitments

Football players who have signed letters of intent with Kansas University and enrolled for the spring semester with position, height, weight and school:

Lyonel Anderson, WR, 6-4, 230, Alfred State (N.Y.)

Joe Vaughn, OL, 6-3, 290, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

Players who have given nonbinding oral commitments to KU with position, height, weight and school:

Adam Barmann, QB, 6-3, 195, West Platte (Weston, Mo.)

Richard Estrella, OL, 6-4, 285, Cerritos CC (Norwalk, Calif.)

Brandon Johnson, DB, 6-2, 190, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

Moderick Johnson, WR, 6-5, 200, Houston North Shore

Reid Kirby, OL, 6-4, 285, Oak Park (Mo.)

Brandon McAnderson, LB, 6-0, 220, Lawrence High

John McCoy, LB, 6-3, 255, Victor Valley CC (Calif.)

Rashaad Norwood, E, 6-5, 211, KC-Schlagle

Michael Pruitt, DT, 6-2, 280, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M

Taurance Rawls, RB, 5-11, 190, Garland, Texas

Bruce Ringwood, LB, 6-1, 200, Blue Springs, Mo.

Gabe Toomey, LB, 6-4, 230, Iowa Central CC

Johnny Urrutia, OL, 6-4, 315, Mt. San Antonio CC (Calif.)

Scott Webb, K, 5-11, 179, Tulsa (Okla.) Union