photo by: AP Photo/Vasha Hunt

Texas A&M offensive lineman Bryce Foster (61) during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022, in Starkville, Miss.

The Kansas football team earned a commitment on Saturday that could reshape its offensive line for the next two seasons.

Bryce Foster, an incoming redshirt junior center who previously played at Texas A&M, will join the Jayhawks as a late addition in the spring transfer portal, according to multiple reports. Jon Kirby of JayhawkSlant.com was the first to report Foster’s commitment, as Foster also completed the phrase “Rock Chalk” in his bio on X after spelling the second word out letter by letter over the course of the past week.

The 6-foot-5, 330-pound Foster, who was named a freshman All-American by The Athletic and the Football Writers Association of America after starting all 12 games for the Aggies in 2021, will immediately assume pole position for KU’s starting center role as the Jayhawks look to replace the graduated Mike Novitsky.

Foster, who is originally from Katy, Texas, suffered a season-ending torn ACL early in his sophomore year, which he ended up redshirting; in 2023 he returned to start 12 games once again, although he was less effective, with a Pro Football Focus grade of 60.1 as opposed to his 69.2 mark as a freshman.

Once one of the top interior line recruits in the nation in the 2021 class, he is now one of the highest-ranked recruits to play for KU in recent history and brings three seasons of Southeastern Conference experience to the Jayhawks’ quest to move up through the Big 12 Conference.

KU previously brought in Tiffin transfer Shane Bumgardner at the center position during the winter transfer window, but Bumgardner, a Rimington Trophy winner at the Division II level, did not immediately stake his claim for the starting role as he adjusted to KU. By the end of spring he found himself in a battle with Michael Ford Jr., a returning starter at the guard position.

If Foster can secure the starting spot, Ford would be able to stay at guard opposite Kobe Baynes, rather than KU having to move a player like Nolan Gorczyca or Darrell Simmons Jr. into a starting role on the interior line.

Acquiring Foster also makes next season a little easier for the Jayhawks, as both Bumgardner and Ford will exhaust their eligibility after 2024. KU will not necessarily need to go looking for another center besides Foster, Dre Doiron and 2025 freshman Anderson Kopp in the portal as it looks to rebuild its roster.

Foster will have a short time frame to adjust to the Jayhawks’ offense. However, he is used to learning such things in less time than his teammates given that he has frequently spent the spring competing with A&M’s track and field team rather than participating in spring practice. Foster may also have a chance to throw the shot put for KU as well after narrowly missing out on qualification for outdoor nationals in that event this past season.