Kansas State is widening its recruiting net, and Iowa athlete Jayden Stephens is the newest name on the board.
The Wildcats extended an offer to Stephens, a 2028 prospect from Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Iowa. 247 Sports has him pegged as a three-star recruit.
Stephens is part of a growing list of players Kansas State coach Collin Klein has targeted early. That group includes Jordan Hall, a 2028 defensive back from Aledo High School in Texas, one of the strongest programs in the state and the country.
Kansas State has also been active on the offensive line. Troy Falke, an offensive tackle from Prosper Rock Hill High School, already holds offers from Baylor, Syracuse and TCU. Another in-state target is offensive tackle Benaiah Rizer of Topeka Seaman High School in Kansas, who announced his offer via social media.
The Wildcats are also reaching far ahead in the cycle. Amari Roberts, a quarterback/wide receiver at Mary Country Day Institute in the St.
Louis area, is a member of the 2030 class. So is Noah Gigger, a wide receiver from CarrollWood Day School in Tampa, who also has offers from Maryland, North Carolina and Syracuse.
Gigger is expected to develop into one of the nation’s top prospects, and he has played varsity since he was 14.
Kansas State’s offer list also includes Aisaiah Bollen, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound cornerback from Northeast Lincoln High School in Nebraska; James Bennett, a 2028 offensive tackle listed at 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds with offers from Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas Tech; and Drew Langford, a linebacker from Legacy Hills High School in Texas who already has offers from Texas-San Antonio and Texas State.
Another linebacker on the list is Cortez Jones, a 6-foot-3, 20-5-pound prospect from Westlake High School in Georgia. Jones has offers from Georgia Tech, Louisville, Missouri and Kansas.
The Wildcats have also moved on a number of defensive backs and linemen. Elijah Smith, a 2028 defensive back from Allen High School in Texas, has offers from Baylor, Oklahoma State and Louisville. Dailon Denkins, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound cornerback from Fort Bend High School in Texas, is rated a four-star recruit by 247 Sports.
Up front, Jamison Mobley of Jenks High School in Oklahoma already has five Division I scholarship offers despite being in the class of 2029. He stands 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds and is still growing.
Jerry Richmond, an offensive lineman from East St. Louis High School in Illinois, also joined the list and has offers from Florida Atlantic, North Carolina and South Dakota.
Kansas State had earlier offered offensive tackle Asher Megonnell of Ankeny Centennial High School in Iowa, who also picked up an offer from Big 12 rival Iowa State and is currently unranked.
The defensive end group is not short on attention either. Julian Dwyer of Cincinnati Moeller High School is a three-star recruit and the 16th-best player in Ohio according to 247 Sports.
He has offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois and Indiana. Jekai Lee, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound prospect from Butler Community College, also has offers from Florida International, Georgia State, Southern Mississippi and UTSA.
At tight end, Kansas State has been particularly aggressive. Brady Reeves, a three-star prospect from Hill-Murray High School in Maplewood, Minnesota, also has offers from Vanderbilt, Iowa State and Miami (OH).
He is ranked just outside the top 20 at his position by 247 Sports, and last season he caught 25 passes for 327 yards and nine touchdowns. Sloan Blackwell, who attends Waco Midway High School in Texas, received his offer Tuesday night and also has offers from Arizona, Syracuse and Arizona State.
He had 18 receptions for 254 yards and two touchdowns last season, according to MaxPreps.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Serious Avery Johnson Problem
Avery Johnsons absence against Arizona State changed the look of Kansas States offense in a hurry, and it came after the quarterback was hurt in the previous game against Kansas. With Johnson unavailable, fifth-year senior Jacob Knuth got the start, giving the Wildcats a very different answer at the most important position on the field.
The bigger concern for Kansas State is that there is still no clear timeline for Johnsons return. Collin Klein said the medical staff is continuing to evaluate the injury, leaving the Wildcats to wait and see how long they might have to manage without the quarterback who has been central to their plans. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Frustrating Loss Came Down To One Coaching Decision
Playing without starting quarterback, Kansas State still had enough to keep things within reach for a stretch at Mountain America Stadium, where Jacob Knuth filled in and handled the spot well enough to give the Wildcats a chance. Arizona State pulled away for a 28-17 win on Oct. 24, but the loss did not feel like one that was simply decided by injuries or a mismatch on paper.
Collin Kleins offense had its moments, yet one third-quarter coaching decision swung the tone of the game and blunted the momentum Kansas State had built. The result left the Wildcats with a frustrating finish and a film room full of grades to sort through, with offense, defense, special teams and coaching all coming under the microscope. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Klein Sounds Fed Up With What Kansas State Must Fix
After Kansas States 28-17 loss to Arizona State, Collin Klein didnt sound interested in dressing up what went wrong. He pointed to the offensive line and the lack of success on third down as major issues, and his postgame tone made it clear the Wildcats know there is plenty to clean up if they want the offense to function more consistently.
Jacob Knuth drew praise for the way he fought through the game, with Klein commending his toughness and competitiveness in a difficult setting. Beyond that, the message was bigger than one player or one play - Klein said the entire operation, from the roster to the coaching staff, has room to improve as Kansas State looks to regroup and reset. [Read more 🡒]