Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 51-6vs Long Island University | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 1 tackles |
| Total | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#97
Hunter Higgins
Freshman defensive end on Kansas's 2026 roster.
6′5″ · 265 lb · Wichita, KS · Maize South HS
Returning to Kansas for 2026
The numbers
0
sacks · 2026
1 tackles
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 tackles, vs Long Island University
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
1 defensive end on Kansas's 2026 roster.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Kansas in 2026.
Hunter Higgins
The receipt on tape: 1 tackles against Long Island University, Week 1, 2026.
1 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Kansas3-star out of Maize South
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Kansas
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Kansas1-1HC: Lance Leipold · Run-heavy
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 1.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Lance Leipold
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Kansas | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 51–6
1 TOT
Dominant 45-point win at home against Long Island University.
With I. Marshall — 246 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 80.7 · 49 rush yds (7 car) · C. Ballard — 90 yds · 0 TD · 0 INT · QBR 88.2 · 14 rush yds (1 car)
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Kansas
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Defensive end · Kansas
Returning around him
- 2 Kansas players drafted to NFL
- Transfer portal: +5 net (31 in / 26 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Kansas · Last season: 5-7 · Talent rank #62 · 2026 recruiting class #61
Background
High School: Rated as a 3-star recruit by Rivals and 247sports … Ranked as the No. 6 recruit in the state of Kansas according to 247sports … Coached by Brent Pfeifer at Maize South High School in Wichita … As a junior, he led Maize South to the 5A Regionals, totaling 13 sacks, 62 tackles and 10 t...
The defensive line · Kansas
- #33Leroy Harris III6.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #94Blake Herold5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Dakyus Brinkley5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #91Alex Bray3.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #97Hunter Higgins1 game · 2026
15 more on the roster · Kansas team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology