Kansas University football recruiting

David Beaty’s already hyped 2018 recruiting class for Kansas football now has a five-star prospect in its midst.

The Jayhawks haven’t snagged another commitment from a coveted rising high school senior. The boost, instead, comes courtesy of one of the young men who ignited the so-called “Louisianimal” frenzy in the first place. A four-star wide receiver when he first announced in February his intentions to sign with KU, New Orleans’ Devonta Jason has since impressed enough within the recruiting world for Rivals to bump him up to five-star status.

The latest Rivals 100 rankings for 2018, unveiled Tuesday, list Jason, a 6-foot-3 wideout from Landry-Walker High, as the No. 22 senior in the country, with an extra star next to his name. Jon Kirby of Jayhawk Slant said this makes Jason the first five-star prospect ever to commit to KU.

When Jason visited Kansas nearly four months ago and — along with prep teammate Corione Harris, a four-star cornerback — committed to Beaty, Louisiana native Tony Hull and the Jayhawks, Rivals rated the talented receiver as the 35th-best player in the country.

So what has changed since then, considering Jason’s senior year at Landry-Walker is still months away?

“The Kansas commit spent the spring
making highlight reel catches at camps
and 7-on-7 tournaments across the
country, proving that he belongs in
the five-star class,” Rivals’ [Woody
Wommack explained][3]. “Jason has
everything from measurables to
on-field and camp production on his
résumé, and his size and catch radius
makes him one of the nation’s best.
Kansas has never signed a five-star
prospect in the Rivals.com era, but
now has a chance to do so.”

Only three Class of 2018 receivers in the country are currently ranked ahead of Jason in the Rivals 100.

“His ability at his size to go up and
get the ball and really outplay
defenders has been really impressive,”
Wommack detailed in a Rivals video
highlight package of Jason. “You know,
he’s not the quickest wide receiver in
the world, and that’s what some people
are concerned about, but we feel like
he can get enough separation,
especially when he needs to be. And
he’s a guy that may not light it up on
the clock, but when the lights come on
in a game situation, he’s
super-productive. We’ve seen it on
film, we’ve seen it in person and now
we’ve seen it at several elite camps.”

Jason and many of the country’s other top high school seniors will soon converge to compete and prove themselves at the Rivals 100 Five-Star Challenge, June 9 and 10, in Indianapolis.

KU’s 2018 recruiting class, highlighted by Jason and Harris, currently ranks 21st nationally, according to Rivals.