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2024 NFL Draft: Every first-round pick in Kansas City Chiefs history

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2024

2024 NFL Draft: Every first-round pick in Kansas City Chiefs history

The Kansas City Chiefs are the NFL’s newest dynasty after securing back-to-back Super Bowl championships in 2022 and 2023.

Few teams in league history have found the kind of sustained success that Kansas City has attained in recent seasons, and the Chiefs’ utter dominance can be attributed to their ability to identify and acquire talent through the draft.

This year, Kansas City will have the No. 32 selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, a spot that the Chiefs have grown accustomed to occupying. Last time they held the last pick in Round 1, Kansas City chose running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who helped carry the load for the Chiefs offense through two of their three Super Bowl wins in the Patrick Mahomes era.

Check out every other player selected by Kansas City in the first round of the NFL draft throughout Chiefs history below to see what kind of company the team’s 2024 pick will find themselves in:

Nov 23, 1967; Kansas City, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders quarterback George Blanda (16) looks to throw as Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Gene Trosch (74) at Municipal Stadium.Oakland defeated Kansas City 44-22. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 11,1970; New Orleans, LA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs guard Mo Moorman (76) block for quarterback Len Dawson (16) against the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV at Tulane Stadium. The Chiefs defeated the Vikings 23-7. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons- USA TODAY Sports

Unknown date and location; USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs running back Ed Podolak (14) carries the ball with offensive guard George Daney (60) against San Diego Chargers defensive end Tom Williams (87). Mandatory Credit: Rod Hanna-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 1, 1970; Kansas City, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; Oakland Raiders receiver Fred Biletnikokf catches a pass defended by Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Jim Marsalis (40) at Municipal Stadium. The teams played to a 17-17 tie. Mandatory Credit: Rod Hanna-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 30, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet against the Cincinnati Bengals before the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Dec. 25, 1971; Kansas City, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs receiver Elmo Wright (17) does a dance after scoring on a play that was nullified against the Miami Dolphins at Municipal Stadium during the 1971 AFC Divisional Playoff game. Miami won 27-24 in two overtime periods in the longest game ever played in the NFL. Mandatory Credit: Rod Hanna-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 1, 1972; Miami, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Jeff Kinney (35) takes a handoff from quarterback Jerry Tagge (14) during the 1972 Orange Bowl game. Nebraska defeated Alabama 38-6. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Sep 20, 2009; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs helmet on the field during the game against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 1, 1974; St. Louis, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; St. Louis Cardinals defensive tackle Bob Rowe (75) in action against Kansas City Chiefs running back Woody Green (27) and quarterback Len Dawson (16) at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit Herb Weitman-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 8, 2013; Landover, MD, USA; General view of Kansas City Chiefs helmet before the game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 17, 2014; Charlotte, NC, USA; Kansas City Chiefs helmets lay on the sidelines during the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Aug 28, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; A Kansas City Chiefs helmet sits on the sidelines during the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY, MO – May 13: The helmet of Matt Szymanski #14 of the Kansas City Chiefs lays on the field during the Kansas City Chiefs Minicamp on May 13, 2012 at the Chiefs Training Facility in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

Aug 10, 1991; St. Louis, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Bell (99) on the sideline against the New York Jets at Busch Stadium during the 1991 preseason. Mandatory Credit: Herb Weitman-USA TODAY NETWORK

Oct 7, 1979; Cincinnati, OH, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Steve Fuller (4) in action against the Cincinnati Bengals at Riverfront Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Malcolm Emmons-USA TODAY NETWORK

KANSAS CITY, MO – APRIL 28: Brad Budde (L) and his father, Ed Budde, both former players with the Kansas City Chiefs, walk onto the stage during the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 28, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 24: Detail of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet during the game against the Atlanta Falcons on October 24, 2004 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs defeated the Falcons 56-10. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

Tennessee receiver Anthony Hancock celebrates his 47-yard touchdown catch from quarterback Steve Alatorre. Tennessee struggled in defeating Georgia Tech 23-10 before 50,127 at Grant Field in Atlanta Oct. 11, 1980.

TUSCALOOSA – OCTOBER 17: ESPN TV analyst Todd Blackledge walks on the field before the game between the South Carolina Gamecocks and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on October 17, 2009. The Crimson Tide beat the Gamecocks 20-6. (Photo by Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images)

Aug 10, 1991; St. Louis, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; New York Jets offensive linemen Jeff Criswell (69) and Mike Haight (79) in action against Kanas City Chiefs defensive end Bill Maas (63) at Busch Stadium during the 1991 preseason. Mandatory Credit: Herb Weitman-USA TODAY NETWORK

Sep 5, 1993; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs tackle John Alt (76) against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tampa Stadium. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports

Nov 17, 1991; Los Angeles, CA, USA: FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Raiders tight end Ethan Horton (88) in action against Seattle Seahawks defensive back Brian Davis (34) at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Long Photography-USA TODAY NETWORK

KANSAS CITY – DECEMBER 2: A view of a Kansas City Cheifs helmet that displays Sean Taylors #21 on it during the NFL game against the San Diego Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium on December 2, 2007 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Aug 19, 2017; Cincinnati, OH, USA; A Kansas City Chiefs helmet sits on the bench during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

8 Sep 1996: Defensive lineman Neil Smith of the Kansas City Chiefs in action during the Chiefs 19-3 victory over the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

14 Dec 1997: Outside lineback Derrick Thomas #58 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates during a game against the San Diego Chargers at the Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chiefs defeated the Chargers 29-7. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn /

Percy Snow #48, Linebacker for the Michigan State Spartans during the NCAA Big Ten Conference college football game against the University of Miami Hurricanes on 30th September 1989 at the Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. The Miami Hurricanes won the game 26 – 20. (Photo by Brian Masck/Allsport/Getty Images)

Sep 5, 1993; Tampa, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas City Chiefs full back Kimble Anders (38) and Harvey Williams (44) in action against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Tampa Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY NETWORK

Feb 1, 1998; Honolulu, HI, USA; FILE PHOTO; AFC running back Dale Carter (34) of the Kansas City Chiefs on the field against the NFC during 1998 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: VJ Lovero-USA TODAY NETWORK

85. Matt Herkenhoff, OT, 1976-1985: Herkenhoff was selected by the Chiefs in the fourth round of the 1974 NFL Draft, but he initially opted to play in the rival World Football League. After the WFL folded, he signed with the Chiefs and started 122 games for them during his 10-season NFL career. He was a staple at left tackle from the mid-1970s to the mid-1980s. He was known as an adaptable and dependable player that ultimately outplayed his draft position. (Photo by Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports)

PONTIAC, : Detroit Lions from left Gus Frerotte (L), Greg Hill, Johnnie Morton and Robert Porcher get to sample FOX TV’s Jon Madden’s surgically altered turkey after their game against the Chicago Bears 25 November 1999 in Pontiac, Michigan. The Lions beat the Bears 21-17. AFP PHOTO/Jeff KOWALSKY (Photo credit should read JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images)

Dec 29, 2019; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet during the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

97. Jerome Woods, S, 1996-2005: A fixture of the Chiefs secondary for the better part of 10 seasons, Woods was a fiery competitor. He knew how to lay the wood, recording five consecutive seasons with over 75 total tackles from 1997 to 2001. His solo tackle numbers rank No. 11 in Chiefs history. (Photo by Jamie Squire / Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 31: Tight end Tony Gonzalez #88 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after scoring his second touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter against the Indianapolis Colts on October 31, 2004 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs defeated the Colts 45-35. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

30 Sep 2001: Dorian Boose #72 of the Washington Redskins goes head to head against Victor Rilet #66 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the game at the FedEx Field in Landover Maryland. The Chiefs defeated the Redskins 45-13.Mandatory Credit: Doug Pensinger /Allsport

KANSAS CITY, MO – SEPTEMBER 15: Tackle John Tait of the Kansas City Chiefs looks at the scoreboard as the Jacksonville Jaguars run out the clock in the fourth quarter on September 15, 2002, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Jaguars defeated the Chiefs 23-16. (Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images)

24 Sep 2000: Sylvester Morris #84 of the Kansas City Chiefs goes head-to-head against Terrell Buckley #27 of the Denver Broncos during the game at the Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colorado. The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 24-22.Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport

Nov 15, 2009; Oakland, CA, USA; A Dallas Texans helmet at the AFC legacy game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 1, 2006; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle (90) Ryan Sims pressures San Francisco 49ers quarterback (11) Alex Smith in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. The Chiefs won the game 41-0. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2006 John Rieger

Nov 23, 2006; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back (27) Larry Johnson is tackled by Denver Broncos cornerback (24) Champ Bailey in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. Kansas City won 19-10. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2006 John Rieger

1972; Unknown location, USA; FILE PHOTO; Detail of Kansas City Chiefs cleats and helmets on the sideline. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 6, 2018; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs inside linebacker Derrick Johnson (56) enters the field during player introductions before the game against the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card playoff football game at Arrowhead stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Nov 15, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning (18) runs out of the pocket under pressure from Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Tamba Hali (91) during the first half at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

November 12, 2012; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) runs the ball after a catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of the game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 16-13, in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

Oct 17, 2010; Houston, TX, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Glenn Dorsey (72) in action against the Houston Texans in the first quarter at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 13: Offensive tackle Branden Albert #76 of the Kansas City Chiefs blocks linebacker Von Miller #58 of the Denver Broncos during the first half on November 13, 2011 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Denver defeated Kansas City 17-10. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

Dec 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Tyson Jackson (94) celebrates after a tackle in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts at Arrowhead Stadium. The Colts won 23-7. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY, MO – JANUARY 09: Safety Eric Berry #29 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after breaking up a pass to tight end Todd Heap #86 of the Baltimore Ravens in the endzone during their 2011 AFC wild card playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 9, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 07: Jon Baldwin #89 of the Kansas City Chiefs flips over after having a pass knocked away by Jimmy Smith #22 of the Baltimore Ravens early in the fourth quarter on October 07, 2012 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO – OCTOBER 07: Dontari Poe #92 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after breaking up a play against the Baltimore Ravens offense in the fourth quarter on October 07, 2012 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – JANUARY 12: Eric Fisher #72 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates the 51-31 win over the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional playoff game Arrowhead Stadium on January 12, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 11: Dee Ford #55 of the Kansas City Chiefs begins to rush the passer during the second half of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Arrowhead Stadium on November 11, 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

KANSAS CITY, MP – JANUARY 15: Cornerback Marcus Peters #22 of the Kansas City Chiefs checks his aligment with an official prior turnover a play against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the first quarter of the game in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Arrowhead Stadium on January 15, 2017 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Dec 5, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet against the Denver Broncos before the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) celebrates after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Jan 24, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet before the AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

MIAMI, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 02: Details of Kansas City Chiefs helmet before Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Nov 8, 2020; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (25) warms up before a game against the Carolina Panthers at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) breaks up a pass intended for San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) in the first quarter in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – DECEMBER 24: George Karlaftis #56 of the Kansas City Chiefs sacks Geno Smith #7 of the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter at Arrowhead Stadium on December 24, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images)

Sep 17, 2023; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) runs with the ball chased by Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah (97) in the second quarter at EverBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

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How to Watch Kansas vs Duke: Live Stream NCAA Men’s College Basketball, TV Channel

Published

15 hours ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

The No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks (3-1) travel to Madison Square Garden to face the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (4-0) in a neutral-site Men’s College Basketball matchup.

How to Watch Kansas vs Duke

When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 9:00 PM ET
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Perennial powerhouse Kansas has gotten off to a 3-1 start, although its wins haven’t been as impressive as voters would have liked, as they’ve almost dropped from the AP polls. Their last win was a 76-57 home victory over Princeton, in which the defense held Princeton to just 31% from the field. The Jayhawks are strong inside, with Flory Bidunga making 10-of-11 shots for 25 points, but the perimeter game was abhorrent, with Kansas making just 5-of-21 from the 3-point line.

Duke has started where they left off last season, looking like one of the favorites to win the NCAA Championship. After a slow start in a 75-60 win over Texas earlier in the season, the Blue Devils have fired on all cylinders, defeating Western Carolina, Army, and Indiana State in impressive fashion. The 100-62 win over Indiana State was notable for the all-world performance put on by Cameron Boozer, who scored 35 points to go with 12 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and three blocks, missing only three of his 16 shot attempts.

This is a great Men’s College Basketball matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live stream Kansas vs Duke on Fubo: Watch the event now!

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Kansas law enforcement agencies sign agreements for immigration enforcement

Published

1 day ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

Kansas law enforcement agencies sign agreements for immigration enforcement

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – Eighteen Kansas counties, including Sedgwick County, have signed agreements with ICE under the 287(g) program, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation announced Friday.

“We will find you, we will turn you over to ICE and you will be deported,” the KBI said about their agreement with ICE under the 287(g) program signed by 18 counties across the state.

In Sedgwick County, this takes the form of the warrant service model, meaning if the agency arrests a non-citizen, ICE has 48 hours to pick them up.

“If you are a registered offender and you are here illegally, you might as well leave now,” said KBI Director Tony Mattivi.

Sarah Balderas, an immigration lawyer in Wichita, said currently it’s up to counties whether they want to sign an agreement with ICE, but the KBI could change this in the future.

“Law enforcement agencies are forced to be trained as ICE agents and to carry out ICE enforcement. That’s the worst-case scenario,” Balderas said.

Current enforcement practices

While it may be concerning for some to see local law enforcement working with ICE, lawyers like Balderas want to remind people these laws have always been in place and are just being enforced to a higher degree than Kansas has seen in the past.

“We’ve had that 48-hour ICE window for a very long time. And essentially, Sedgwick County is not calling ICE and saying, ‘Hey, we got someone. It’s public record,,” Balderas said.

Balderas said her firm has a good relationship with law enforcement because she wants her clients to be able to trust the police.

“We never want to live in a society where people who are here unlawfully are afraid to call the police,” she said.

Balderas added that Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter has previously made it clear that he doesn’t want Wichita’s law enforcement to act as ICE agents.

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Next Up – Kansas In The Champions Classic

Published

2 days ago

November 17, 2025

Press Room

Next Up – Kansas In The Champions Classic

Date || November 18 || Time 9:00 || Venue Madison Square Garden || Video ESPN

It’s almost time for the Championship Classic, the annual event featuring Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State, and this year the Blue Devils will see the Jayhawks in Madison Square Garden.

There is an immediate question about this game because star freshman Darryn Peterson may not be able to go for the Jayhawks due to a hamstring issue. He played at UNC but sat out the games against Texas A&M Corpus-Christi and Princeton.

Peterson is a much-admired talent who has been compared to Kobe Bryant, at least talent wise. We can’t know how good he is yet compared to Kobe because what set Bryant apart most was his relentless work ethic, but Peterson has a shot at being great.

As we’ve learned over the years, Bill Self typically is a great coach who gets his teams to work together as well as any coach in the business. So what’s he got this year?

Aside from Peterson, KU poses an interesting challenge for Duke because big man Flory Bidunga (6-10/235) is highly athletic and will be a significant challenge for Cameron Boozer inside. Bidunga leads Kansas in several categories – he’s putting up 17 ppg, getting 7.8 rpg and 2.5 blocks.

You may remember the name Tre White from his brief Louisville sojourn during Kenny Payne’s disastrous tenure. He left there for Illinois and now he’s starting for the Jayhawks. He’s a solid athlete and Bill Self will know how to use him as a defender.

Bryson Tiller, a 6-11/240 lb. redshirt freshman, started against Princeton. He’s getting 9 ppg and 5 boards. He could be a problem on defense at a minimum.

Melvin Council, a 6-4 senior transfer from St. Bonnie’s, has taken over the point guard duties after Dajuan Harris graduated. Like Harris, he’s not a great three point shooter. In fact, he’s shooting .000 from behind the line so far.

In fairness to Council, he’s only taken 9 threes so far and you may remember that a few years ago, Wendell Moore had a terrible slump. What was the lesson we learned there?

Eventually you return to your norm, and for Council, while he’s never been a great three point shooter, he’s not this bad. Don’t be surprised if he gets back on track on Tuesday and also don’t be surprised if his cold streak reverses abruptly and emphatically. He’s due.

The fifth starter, at least while Peterson is out, is Kohl Rosario. You may remember last year he blew up in a big way quite late and a brief recruiting battle ensued with Duke, Baylor, BYU, Miami, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee, Villanova, among others, which Kansas ultimately won. He’s really gifted. Either Rosario or Tiller will go back to the bench when Peterson is back, whenever that is.

Elmarko Jackson (6-3 sophomore) missed all of last season with an injury. He was a major recruit in high school who is getting back on top of things now.

The rest of the primary rotation is 6-5 senior Jaden Dawson and Jamari McDowell, a 6-5 sophomore.

You may also remember the name Paul Mbiya – he originally signed with NC State and Will Wade. He’s not very polished but he could still be helpful on defense and as a rebounder.

If Peterson is still out on Tuesday, Kansas’ offense could have real problems. Peterson is a dynamic, creative scorer but the other players, so far anyway, lack that knack.

Take Bidunga, for instance. He’s immensely talented but hasn’t fully mastered the subtleties of the game. It’s not surprising – he grew up in the Congo and has only played top flight competition for a couple of years. His upside is huge, but at the moment, he’s still kind of hit and miss.

Rosario is another guy who could go off. He is highly talented but is a freshman and most freshmen take some time to settle in.

Self is a brilliant coach, but with his current roster, he has issues with spacing due to poor three point shooting (presuming Peterson is out) and at times, notably at UNC in the second half, his offense has been stagnant. That’s partly on Council, who has been erratic as point guard, but it’s a real problem for Kansas while Peterson is out.

Another change for Kansas: the Jayhawks typically have a tall roster. They do have three big guys with Mbiya (7-0/245), Tiller (6-11/240) and Bidunga (6-10/235), but none are fully proven in college yet. Bidunga, as noted, is putting up great stats but most of that comes against Green Bay, AMCC and Princeton. When Kansas played UNC and their massive front line, Bidunga shot 4-9 and had just 8 points. It’s interesting to speculate how he’ll do against Brown, who is a superb defender. Bidunga is a better athlete, but you spend seconds in the air and vastly more time on the ground, where Brown will probably have an advantage.

Worth noting: in the three games other than UNC, Bidunga got three fouls in each. Against AMCC, he got those three in 19 minutes.

So Kansas may have some issues. Does that mean Duke is a shoo-in?

For one thing, Self is a gifted coach who has proven that he can adapt. He has some real talent, as he usually does, and just because Kansas has struggled offensively in the half court doesn’t mean they have to continue the same tactics.

And of course Duke is, as usual, quite young.

The Blue Devils rely heavily on four freshmen and three sophomores, a junior and a senior. Jon Scheyer has turned out to be a solid strategist and motivator. Cameron Boozer is one of the most skilled players we’ve seen in a long time. You might say, wait DBR…how about Cooper Flagg? And Kon Knueppel?

And that’s a fair point. But Boozer’s fundamentals may be better. He’s unusually sound in a way that reminds people of Tim Duncan. He’s probably not as physically talented as Flagg, but he’s unbelievably smart. He seems to have mastered almost all elements of offense and his defense is pretty good too (though Flagg’s is far better). However, based on what we’ve seen so far, we’re not sure any player in college has a better outlet pass than Boozer. He just has a remarkable grip on the game for a freshman. We haven’t mentioned his brother Cayden, but he’s really coming along nicely.

Duke’s three big men – Patrick Ngongba and Maliq Brown – are all gifted passers. Add the three point shooting provided by Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr, Darren Harris, Caleb Foster, Nik Khamenia and Boozer too – and that makes it tough to stop everything Duke tries.

However, we can think of two things Kansas could do that would challenge what Duke has done so far.

First, just press like John Wooden or Rick Pitino, try to turn Duke over. The less time you spend in the half-court, the less issues you have with a struggling offense.

And second, the press aside, just shift the focus to the defensive side. IF Kansas’s offensive struggles are real as some Kansas fans seem to think, then make Duke’s just as real.

This has worked before; winning ugly is a thing.

Before John Thompson had elite talent, Georgetown stayed in games by defending like hell to do it. At Virginia, Tony Bennett forced opponents to a crawl and as a result, was in most every game at the end. Shaka Smart has at times relied extensively on his defense for offense.

It doesn’t really seem like the type of basketball we’ve seen from Self over the years, but he’s shown he can adapt.

That’s all predicated on the notion that KU’s offense has struggled and that the Jayhawks may not have Peterson. But this is a big-time game and Kansas is a proud program. This is our sincere expectation: whatever issues his team is having, Self will have his guys ready to play and the magic of the Garden will help. The Jayhawks will play like the proud program they are, and it will be a difficult game for either team to win.

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