Kansas wide receiver Cam Pickett (7) runs in a catch for a touchdown against Fresno State during the first quarter on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Photo by Nick Krug

Kansas redshirt junior receiver Cam Pickett caught the ball 22 yards from the end zone in Saturday’s 31-7 home win over Fresno State and bolted toward the sideline to get to the edge of his blocking teammates.

He turned the corner around the blockers, and with 11 yards left between Pickett and the end zone, he was already celebrating.

“I turned the corner and I see I’m about to score and I get excited,” Pickett said. “I take my mouthpiece out before I get in the end zone. I couldn’t even hear myself think, it got so loud. It was a great feeling.”

Not only was it his first touchdown of the season, it was Pickett’s first catch as a Jayhawk. The Ball State transfer finished his first game at KU with six catches for 77 yards and two scores. It was a debut in a game that will be hard to beat, even as the receiver looks to continue his promising start throughout the 2025 season. Hearing the crowd’s reaction to his game only amplified the moment.

“There’s no way to describe the feeling,” Pickett said of playing at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. “We had a great environment. Everybody showed out — the fans, the student section. For the first game, for me personally as a Jayhawk, for everybody to show out like that meant a lot for me and the team in general.”

Quarterback Jalon Daniels targeted Pickett early and often. On the Jayhawks’ third scoring drive, Daniels threw Pickett’s way three times, with the third being a 13-yard touchdown pass. Pickett accounted for 47 of the drive’s 59 total yards, highlighting the trust Daniels already has in his receiver.

“Shoutout to Cam for being able to come in and being able to learn the whole entire offensive system, because like I say always, this is not an easy system to be able to come into and just learn,” Daniels said. “But he came in prepared, ready to work, and his eagerness to be able to get on the field showed tonight.”

Pickett said he and Daniels spend a lot of time beyond the practice field building a relationship. The time spent together adds up and creates a strong bond that the two showed off.

Prior to Pickett’s arrival in Lawrence, he felt he had a playmaker at quarterback. When it came to his first game action with Daniels, Pickett said he was, “as advertised.”

“When I got here I was like, ‘Man, this dude can make some plays,'” Pickett said. “I got to see it with my own eyes, so that was great.”

The Jayhawks finished with four pass plays with 15 yards or more, and Pickett accounted for half of them. It was a strong start to the season, even with a receiver room that is new to the team or new to roles on the team.

Pickett was a weapon for the Jayhawks and was utilized in different ways. On each of his two touchdowns, Pickett started the play in the backfield and took a pass from behind the line of scrimmage into the end zone. After the game, Kansas coach Lance Leipold called Pickett “a really good football player,” and noted his ability to play a variety of roles for the offense. Pickett said his skills and the rest of the receiver room complement each other, making a more dynamic passing attack.

“I think we have every opportunity to be a very dynamic room,” Pickett said. “We’ve got guys that can do everything. We’ve got guys with speed to stretch the field, Levi (Wentz) and (Keaton Kubecka) can go up and get it, I can catch the ball and make guys miss.”

The Jayhawks knew the kind of explosive athlete Pickett could be when he joined the team in January. In their first game as teammates, Kubecka saw more of what he saw from Pickett during the offseason.

“I’ve known he’s going to be a baller since he stepped foot here in January,” Kubecka said. “He’s just a really explosive guy. When you get the ball in his hands, some really good things happen.

“I went over to him (during the game) and said, ‘Man, ain’t this something crazy?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, this ain’t no Ball State,'” Kubecka said.

Pickett ended the night leading the team in all-purpose yards and touchdowns scored. For him, the performance was what he believes he can bring to the team on a regular basis.

“I think I showed the type of player I am and the type of player I can continue to be for the program,” Pickett said.

Kansas head coach Lance Leipold celebrates a touchdown by Kansas wide receiver Cam Pickett (7) during the quarter on Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025 at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Photo by Nick Krug