Kansas just lost a big one on the recruiting trail, and it’s a name fans had penciled in for a while now.
Lucas Smalls-Allen, a 6-foot-4, 270-pound defensive lineman out of Roswell, Georgia, has flipped his commitment from the Jayhawks to Wake Forest. The news dropped over the weekend, and while flips are nothing new in the recruiting world, this one stings a bit more for Kansas.
Smalls-Allen originally committed to KU back in June after a strong official visit. He’s been a vocal part of the class since then and looked like a guy the staff could build a future defensive front around. With 71 tackles and 11 sacks in his junior season at Blessed Trinity Catholic, the production was already there. He’s got the size, the strength, and that first-step burst that makes coaches take notice.
So what happened?
It sounds like Wake Forest kept the pressure on, and after taking some time to think things through, Smalls-Allen decided Wake Forest was the better fit. He made it official with a post on social media, thanking Kansas and announcing his flip. The usual recruiting fare, but it came out of nowhere for most fans in Lawrence.
For Kansas, it’s back to the drawing board. There’s still time to fill the gap, but losing a guy like this is never easy. Especially when you thought he was locked in.
That’s recruiting in 2025, though. Until they sign, it’s never really over.
