photo by: AP Photo/Rick Scuteri

Oklahoma State safety Lyrik Rawls (6) in the first half during an NCAA football game against Arizona State Sun Devils, on Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz.

The Kansas football team has bolstered its secondary with Big 12 Conference experience.

Former Oklahoma State safety Lyrik Rawls became the fourth transfer-portal commitment of KU’s offseason roster rebuild and the third on the defensive side of the ball, as he announced on Friday morning that he will join the Jayhawks next season.

Rawls, the only safety KU is known to have offered a scholarship in the portal, fills the spot vacated by the departure of outgoing transfer Kaleb Purdy and also provides an immediate potential starting option in an uncertain position group.

A native of Marshall, Texas, Rawls will be a redshirt senior in his final year of eligibility after playing 515 defensive snaps in four seasons at OSU. Rawls started at safety for the 2023 team that eventually made a Big 12 title game, but tore his ACL after three games.

He played his most extensive action, almost by default, for the struggling Cowboys of 2024, finishing with a moderate 64.2 grade on Pro Football Focus in eight appearances on defense with one start, playing part of the time in the box and part of it at free safety.

KU was the first school Rawls announced an offer from in the portal, and the only power-conference program overall, as his other offers came from Arkansas State, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic and UTEP.

The Jayhawks have playing time available at safety now that O.J. Burroughs and Marvin Grant have graduated. Returnees include Devin Dye, Jalen Dye and Mason Ellis, who all missed extended stretches due to injury, and Taylor Davis, who as a redshirt freshman stepped in well when those players were absent, as well as Damani Maxson. The class of 2025 includes safety signees Darrion Jones and Brandon Schmelzle.

One open question is who exactly will coach them and how much. Defensive coordinator Brian Borland, who oversaw the safeties as his position group, has retired. D.K. McDonald, who worked primarily with cornerbacks but also oversaw the safeties in part last season, was promoted as his replacement. The Jayhawks also have an analyst on staff in Brandon Shelby who previously spent 13 seasons coaching cornerbacks at Indiana.