Keeping his decision under wraps until Wednesday, wide receiver Bradley McDougald of Dublin, Ohio, was the first to fax his letter of intent to Kansas on National Signing Day.

McDougald, a four-star signee, became the first of 24 recruits to sign with Kansas and the fourth four-star recruit in this year’s class — more than any in coach Mark Mangino’s tenure.

Despite the rankings — Rivals.com has Kansas’ class ranked 31st nationally — Mangino introduced his latest recruiting class in usual fashion.

“I’ll tell you today what I have every year that I’ve been here at this program, that we think we’ve got some talented kids but you never know until they get on a Big 12 field what they’re going to do,” Mangino said.

Kansas received letters of intent from six defensive backs and five defensive linemen following a season in which five of the nation’s top 10 scoring offenses hailed from the Big 12. The Jayhawks finished seventh in the Big 12 in total defense last season.

“We went out to find some people in the secondary that can change direction well and help in the short term,” Mangino said. “Some of these kids have the ability to be outstanding players in the Big 12 on the defensive side of the ball.”

Mangino said cornerback D.J. Beshears — a three-star signee from Denton, Texas — is good enough to also contribute at receiver if needed. Four-star signee Prinz Kande of Euless, Texas, joins Kansas product Darian Kelly of Girard and Dexter Linton of Arlington, Texas, to comprise one of the nation’s top safety classes. Kande drew Mangino’s attention as an asset in combating Big 12 offenses.

“I like everything about Prinz,” Mangino said. “He closes to the football like a rocket. His instincts are great. If he’s playing zone or man or run support, he’s going to be on the ball.”

Mangino said he and his staff believe they’ve helped themselves on the defensive line in this class as well. Four-star defensive end Quintin Woods of Flint, Mich., is one of three junior college players to sign and is among the players Mangino expects to contend for immediate playing time.

“His frame reminds you a little bit of Charlton Keith,” Mangino said. “He comes off the ball with quickness, and he’s an athletic kid.”

Mangino also believes the two defensive tackles Kansas signed, Travis Stephens of Houston, Texas — also a junior college player — and Randall Dent, Jr. of Grand Prairie, Texas, can make immediate contributions.

Offensively, Kansas adds size on both the line and at several skill positions. Three-star wide receivers Erick McGriff of Tampa, Fla., and Chris Omigie of Arlington, Texas, measure 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-5. Four-star running back Toben Opurum of Plano, Texas, was ranked as the country’s third-best fullback but at 6-foot-2, 229 pounds will line up at running back.

“Toben Opurum is the big, strong running back that we have been looking for, Mangino said. “He not only has speed and agility and great vision, but he has the power to go along with it.”

A pair of three-star quarterback signees enter the conversation as to who will succeed Todd Reesing after 2009. Jordan Webb of Union, Mo., is one of four players already on campus and Christian Matthews of Arlington, Texas, brings speed to the position.

“Both throw the ball very well, both are intelligent and both can beat you with their feet,” Mangino said.

This year’s class is the first group recruited after Kansas’ 2008 Orange Bowl victory and the completion of the $31 million Anderson Family Football Complex. While those developments have indeed put Kansas on more highly-regarded athletes’ short lists than ever before, Mangino maintained that they aren’t his program’s selling point.

“There’s no question that having a nice facility helped,” Mangino said. “But our selling point here is the people, and that has never changed since I’ve been here. I continue to work as hard as I can to get the best assistant coaches and support staff around me that care about the kids.”

— Edited by Andrew Wiebe