#18

DeShawn Hanika

TE · Kansas · Sr. · #18

Returning to Kansas for 2026
This season's coverage starts August 26 — check back once kickoff hits.

DeShawn Hanika

TE · Kansas · Sr · #18

Limited signal — not enough coverage for a story yet.

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#206 national
CFB
College
2 teams
2021–2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Coaching Lineage · 2021–2025

1 coach
2021
2022
2025

Played his entire career under Lance Leipold.

2025 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2021Iowa State7-6HC: Matt Campbell · Balanced, fast tempo
2022Iowa State4-8HC: Matt Campbell · Pass-leaning
2025Kansas5-7HC: Lance Leipold · Run-leaning

Career stats

SeasonTeam
2025Kansas10979.73--
2022Iowa State1724414.44--
2021Iowa State----------
Career2734112.67--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2025

W 46–7

vs Wagner

1 rec · 4 yds · 1 TD

Dominant 39-point win at home against Wagner.

How he plays

Play style

Is the first read once you cross the 20.

CFB Index positional classification

2026 Outlook

Kansas

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Tight end · Kansas

Returning around him

  • 41% of 2024 offensive production back (Moderate turnover)
  • 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 #48 · 2026 recruiting class #61

DNA match

Player DNA

Red-Zone Weapon

The first read called near the goal line — size and catch radius do the rest.

TE

His 2025 production profile sits closest to Dan Dishman’s 2024 season.

Dan Dishman

72%match

UTSA · 2024

#2

Jake Bruno

Ohio · 2025

71%
#3

Hudson Habermehl

UCLA · 2023

70%
#4

Tyler Foster

Ohio · 2022

69%
#5

Andrew Homer

Miami (OH) · 2021

68%

Matches Dan on

Height
Weight
Reception volume

Differs from Dan on

TD rate (higher)
EPA / play (adj) (higher)

Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Grayson Gunter’s path through Southern Miss.

Southern Miss · 2021

#2

Cole Rusk

Illinois · 2025

74%
#3
66%
#4

Daniel Barker

Michigan State · 2022

65%
#5

Justin Holmes

Pittsburgh · 2025

64%

Matches Grayson on

Weight
Recruiting rating
Yards per reception

Differs from Grayson on

Height (higher)
20222025

As a senior, his production profile tracks closest to Dan Dishman's senior season at UTSA (2024).

Dan Dishman

83%match

UTSA · 2024

#2

Levi Gazarek

Bowling Green · 2024

70%
#3

Jacob Warren

Tennessee · 2023

68%
#4

Kaleo Ballungay

UNLV · 2024

66%
#5

Rocky Beers

Colorado State · 2025

All-Mountain West
59%

Matches Dan on

Yards / reception
Reception volume
Total EPA (college ability)

Differs from Dan on

TD rate (higher)

Player DNA

Players who play like DeShawn Hanika

#1

Grayson Gunter

Southern Miss · 2021

75%
#2

Cole Rusk

Illinois · 2025

74%

Heisman trajectory

Heisman Trajectory · 2025

Peak #1333

Final rank
#1354
Avg #1357.3
Finalist prob 0%

Peaked at #1333 this season.

Development

Development Trajectory · receiving yards

2022–2025
2442022
97.02025

-60%

Sharp dropoff (-60%) — career inflection point.