Analyzing Kansas football’s defensive backs ahead of season opener

LAWRENCE — Kansas football’s group of defensive backs is led, in large part, by junior cornerback Jalen Todd.

Todd’s dependability comes from how reliable he is, how tough he is, his work ethic and competitiveness, and his ability to remain humble. That’s what KU defensive backs coach Brandon Shelby had to say recently, as the Jayhawks continued to prepare in fall camp for the upcoming season. Shelby would add that you never have to worry about Todd being on time, and that he can see more confidence in Todd in the way he’s put on size, gained speed, and become mentally stronger.

The competition to start at cornerback with Todd was ongoing at the time. There's redshirt senior Roman Pearson, redshirt sophomore Austin Alexander, and redshirt junior Jahlil Hurley. But as much as they were rotating guys in to see who should start, Shelby noted there’s an understanding that the grind of a season means everyone needs to be ready to play.

RELATED: Kansas football has named Isaiah Marshall as its starting quarterback

Here are some more takeaways from what Shelby had to say:

Redshirt junior safety Taylor Davis has had to be relied upon a lot during his early years with the program, and now Shelby can see the confidence he has with the knowledge of the system with how vocal he’s become. Last year, Davis played strong safety. This year, he’ll play free safety.

What Shelby’s seen at strong safety is that once the Jayhawks get off the bus, it’ll be clear how much longer and faster their players are. Being able to communicate, alongside the free safety, remains vital. And when it’s time to make a play, make it.

Alexander, who’s been getting healthier, is also someone who’s been relied upon a lot early in his career with the program. There were some growing pains last year, Shelby allowed, as Alexander served as a starter for KU. But Shelby hopes Alexander has learned from that and praised the production that Alexander’s put up during fall camp.

Shelby doesn’t just want players who can tackle someone after they make a catch, he wants interceptions and pass-breakups. He wants game-changing plays. Alexander has shown an ability to do that.

The added size that Kansas has at cornerback, in Shelby’s mind, shows up in the group's durability. The staff has been intentional about not just adding weight, but allowing guys to reach their desired goal and be able to stay there while still maximizing their speed on the field.

Of course, leadership remains important, and at safety, redshirt senior Corey Gordon is a name to know. Gordon, one of the transfers who has joined the program, has become more comfortable during the offseason with the program. Overall, Shelby has seen the family atmosphere build and has been looking forward to the extent to which everyone will hold each other accountable.

Elsewhere at cornerback, Pearson has been a calming presence, and freshman Trey Brown has an opportunity to play right away. Redshirt senior cornerback Syeed Gibbs is building off a quality end to last season and could even be a factor at nickel. Redshirt sophomore safety Khijohnn Cummings-Coleman could also be a factor at nickel, considering the experience he has playing the position before during his time in the Big 12 Conference while at Iowa State.

Jordan Guskey covers University of Kansas Athletics at The Topeka Capital-Journal. He was the 2022 National Sports Media Association’s sportswriter of the year for the state of Kansas. Contact him at jmguskey@gannett.com or on Twitter at @JordanGuskey.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Analyzing Kansas football’s defensive backs ahead of season opener