Jayhawks land their defensive end with McCaleb

Signing day is less than 24 hours away and the Kansas coaches got good news on Willie McCaleb. The defensive end from Northwest Mississippi junior college was one of the recruits they were waiting on as signing day approaches.

He informed the Kansas coaches a short while ago that he was ready give them a verbal commitment.

“First I called Coach Slater and he picked up the phone and said ‘do you have good news for me’” McCaleb said. “I told him I was calling to commit and he was very happy. Then I talked to coach Beaty and he told him I made his day.”

McCaleb made a lot of the defensive coach’s days as they were waiting for his decision with Wednesday approaching.

He took his visit to Kansas on Thursday and then went to Troy to finish off the weekend. When he took the Kansas visit he went by himself. After arriving home on Sunday he wanted to take a couple days to think about everything.

“My family said they were 100% behind my decision,” he said.

During his visit to Kansas he was hosted by defensive lineman Daniel Wise. A lot of things caught his attention but none more than the education Kansas offers.

“Before football comes education,” McCaleb said. “What they showed me about their academics and education was amazing. You have to get your grades before football. What really stood out to me was the environment and the way everybody acted. I think I can fit in good with their program.”

This season McCaleb was a first team All-MACJC selection at defensive end. He had 16.5 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks. He was also an All-Region pick and is nominated as an All-American. The All-American team has yet to be announced.

“The coaches told me they like my hustle and the way I can take down the football,” he said.

McCaleb will sign with Kansas tomorrow and will arrive in Lawrence in January.

“I’m officially a Jayhawk,” he said. “I just wanted to be part of the program.”