photo by: Journal-World illustration

University of Kansas football recruiting

The Kansas football program has picked up an oral commitment from three-star tight end Carson Bruhn, who chose the Jayhawks over Kansas State and Minnesota.

Bruhn took several visits to KU — official and unofficial — and told Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com that he loved getting to see “a different side of KU” during each visit.

“The academics were great, the college atmosphere is amazing, Jayhawk nation’s excitement and pride for football is outstanding,” Bruhn told Kirby. “The relationships the coaches have with each other (is awesome) and it just felt like a great fit.”

Bruhn, a 6-foot-5, 210-pound tight end from Sioux Center, Iowa, was recruited primarily by Kansas offensive coordinator and tight ends coach Andy Kotelnicki. He committed to Kotelnicki first and then called KU coach Lance Leipold to share the good news with him.

After watching film, talking to Kotelnicki and taking in a game last fall and a recent KU spring practice, Bruhn said he was happy to see how often KU had multiple tight ends on the field at the same time.

“I was amazed by how they used their tight ends,” he told Kirby. “My dad and I couldn’t but help comment how they had two to three tight ends on the field all the time. It’s a huge reason why I committed to KU.”

So was Kotelnicki.

“Coach K is a great guy,” Bruhn told Kirby. “I really enjoy talking to him and he is very knowledgeable about football. He is always willing to answer the questions I throw at him. He showed immense interest in me as a player and person.”

Bruhn is ranked by Rivals.com as the top tight end prospect in the state of Iowa and the No. 25-ranked tight end in the country.

He told Kirby that he plans to major in chemical/environmental engineering in college and he’ll join a KU roster that is currently loaded with talent at the tight end position. But the path to future playing time is pretty clear for Bruhn.

Mason Fairchild, a second-team all-Big 12 selection last season, is a senior and cult hero Jared Casey and former two-sport standout Trevor Kardell are both juniors. All three were praised by KU coaches throughout the recent spring football session and each played an important role for the Jayhawks last season.

Those three combined for 773 yards and 11 touchdowns on 58 receptions last season, and all three played in all 13 KU games in 2022, with Fairchild starting 12 of the 13 and Casey starting seven.

Kansas also recently signed local tight end talent Jaden Hamm, of Eudora, and he graduated high school early and was on campus and competing with the team during the spring.

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KU football commitment