photo by: Ray Soldano/GoMocs.com

Chattanooga defensive end Leroy Harris III walks onto the field at a game against Georgia State on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in Atlanta.

When Kansas coach Lance Leipold talked about Leroy Harris III at Big 12 media days on July 9, he noted that the defensive end from Brentwood, Tenn., had “an opportunity to redshirt.”

Three weeks later, though, with some early practices in fall camp under his belt, Harris had become for Leipold “a guy that continues to show up on a daily basis and (is) getting better at the defensive end spot.”

The true sophomore, a summer transfer from Chattanooga who made a solid debut for the Mocs last season with 11 tackles and three fumble recoveries, hasn’t taken long to make an impression in the defensive end room as the Jayhawks prepare for the 2025 season.

It’s easy to see why. At 6-foot-5, some teammates call him “Tree,” position coach Taiwo Onatolu said.

“One thing is the length, for sure,” senior end Justice Finkley said. “And his pass-rush bag. He’s always willing to work, and you could ask nothing more of a guy. It’s your attitude and effort.”

Adding to Harris’ imposing size is the fact that his listed weight of 230 pounds dramatically understates the gains he has made under strength coach Matt Gildersleeve. He said he arrived at KU around 238 and has made it to 255 or so.

“Then also, on top of that, the mobility stuff, the paying attention to how your body feels, the stretching … that’s something that you don’t have at the FCS level that I’m really appreciating being here,” Harris said.

Harris certainly has the genes to succeed along the line. His father, Leroy Harris Jr., played seven seasons at guard in the NFL, primarily for the Tennesee Titans. The elder Harris helped his son in terms of “being able to ingrain those habits that I’d say got me here.”

“It helped me tremendously, just with the mindset of things,” Harris said of having an NFL dad. “I was old enough to remember him playing, going to games. I was in second grade his last year. Obviously, he’s my dad — I’m the biggest fan, you know.”

The defensive end was a three-star prospect coming out of Christ Presbyterian Academy in Nashville, Tenn., and was named a fourth-team all-freshman selection at the FCS level by Phil Steele following his lone season at Chattanooga. He said the culture and the opportunity to hear the experiences of players like Finkley and Dean Miller attracted him to KU.

The coaches told Harris a “50-50” split of qualities they liked about him and ways in which he could improve, he said.

“They were telling me I have a bright future,” Harris said. “Obviously I’m 6-5, God blessed me. They really saw something in me. They showed not just my strengths but also my weaknesses, and where I can grow, and I really liked that. That’s what drew me to here instead of just telling me all the things that I’m doing good, yada yada.”

The strengths included his hand extension and his overall power; the main weakness was “the big thing, urgent thing,” his pad level, in part a result of his height.

When he did arrive in Lawrence, he didn’t find it a particularly challenging adjustment to leap from the FCS level to the Big 12, at least over the course of the offseason.

“It’s no different,” he said. “Football is football. I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here, obviously. I’d say I’m still doing my thing, though: playing football.”

Harris’ camp performance, he said, has been as simple as doing his job on a regular basis — demonstrating consistent effort and physicality.

“That’s what really stands out to coaches,” he said.

Onatolu called him a quiet, mature player, adding, “when he goes out there, (if) he makes one mistake, he usually only makes it one time and he figures it out from there.”

Harris could be in a position for significant rotational snaps at defensive end. In one pursuit drill that takes place during the portion of practice open to reporters, Harris has filled in for Miller at times on the weak side with the first-team defense. He has also mentioned having worked primarily against some of KU’s top tackle options, such as presumptive starting left tackle Calvin Clements and Tulsa transfer Jack Tanner.

“I’d say they really have a good thing here, man,” Harris said. “The size, the hands, they’re really working. I’d say they push us hard, man. We got some competitiveness about us.”

Harris and redshirt freshman Dak Brinkley are among the players vying for time behind Miller (who is “now the elder statesman,” as Onatolu put it).

“It’s an extremely competitive group and I love it,” Onatolu said. “It’s very, very competitive. I don’t like to compare now and then and past guys, but it’s probably the deepest and most competitive group we’ve had. Every day you have to show up because the guy behind you could be in front of you the next day.”