It has been a good week for the Kansas defensive line when it comes to recruiting. The staff picked up a verbal commitment from Austin Booker on Thursday who becomes the first defensive end to commit from the portal.

Booker, who signed with Minnesota, went in the portal earlier this month. Kansas defensive tackles coach Jim Panagos extended an offer immediately and started recruiting him.

Panagos coached the defensive line at Minnesota but left the year before Booker got there. Booker said he knew of Panagos and credited him how he handled the recruiting process.

“I met Panagos soon after the portal opened, but I already knew his name from Minnesota,” Booker said. “He recruited me hard just like every other school and being a transfer, he gave me a different lenses to look through, so I don't lose focus on football.”

Several schools offered including Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Cincinnati, Virginia Tech, and Purdue. The recruiting came down to Kansas and Indiana. Booker is from Center Grove High in Indiana, and they are close to home.

Booker will join his teammate Gage Keys on the defensive line. Keys gave a commitment to Kansas earlier in the week.

“Playing with Gage has been great,” Booker said. “Between our athleticism and high motor, we do our thing out there.”

There were a lot of college coaches who were attracted to his physical tools. At 6-foot-6, 240 pounds he has an 85-inch wingspan along with athleticism. After his freshman season Minnesota P.J. Fleck raved about him in fall camp.

“I hate throwing out the word ‘freak,’ because people use it all the time, but he is a young freak,” Fleck said about Booker. “He’s very talented. He’s incredibly explosive. In summer conditioning, he won every single sprint. He was running the times of the skilled positions, the wideouts and the DBs. He can run.”

Booker will play defensive end and said rushing the passer is what he does best, but it does not stop there.

“I’m a pass rush specialist, love physicality, and like to get versatile such as drops,” he said.

During his official visit to Kansas, Booker was impressed how the community embraces the Jayhawks.

“Something that stood out to me on the official was how the city of Lawrence is all for Kansas,” he said.

Booker will have three years of eligibility remaining and plans to enroll in January. He is already looking forward to the spring game and happy to have recruiting finished.

“It is very refreshing,” Booker said. “I'm ready to get to work and put on a show at the spring game.”