photo by: AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman

Syracuse running back Yasin Willis (6) plays against Clemson in the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025, in Clemson, S.C.

The Kansas backfield added another key piece on Wednesday morning.

Former Syracuse running back Yasin Willis, the Orange’s leading rusher in 2025, signed with KU, 247Sports reported on Wednesday morning.

The addition of Willis gives KU a bruising, big-bodied rusher to pair with the already-acquired Jalen Dupree from Colorado State, as the Jayhawks continue to restock their running-back room after losing Daniel Hishaw Jr. and Leshon Williams to graduation and Harry Stewart III and Johnny Thompson to the transfer portal. Also, both new players could be in Lawrence for multiple years beginning in 2026; Willis was a true sophomore in 2025, while Dupree was a redshirt freshman.

Willis started his career as the top recruit in the class of 2024 in the state of New Jersey, coming out of Saint Joseph Regional High School. The Newark, New Jersey, native received infrequent action during his first collegiate season, but he did not redshirt and over the course of the year still received 36 carries for 130 yards and a touchdown and caught eight passes for 26 yards while periodically serving as a kick returner.

His second season, he served as a workhorse back for the Orange. Despite playing in just nine games, the 6-foot-1, 235-pound back received double-digit carries in them all and on the whole rushed 128 times for 558 yards and four touchdowns.

With Willis in the fold, KU now has two veteran options in him and Dupree to go with freshmen John Kelly and Justin Thurman and incoming signee Kory Amachree. Willis is the Jayhawks’ 11th transfer addition overall.