Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s NFL career has been slowed by injuries, but the former Kansas State standout is starting to look like a real factor for the Kansas City Chiefs.
In Monday’s season opener against the Denver Broncos, Anudike-Uzomah finished with one tackle and drew positive attention from teammates and coaches. Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton was especially struck by what he saw.
“I made a joke that he took it back to his K-State days," said Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton, who played for the Missouri Tigers. I was really proud of him. It paid dividends for us in this game."
That kind of praise is a meaningful step for Anudike-Uzomah, who entered the league as the No. 31 pick in the 2023 draft after winning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in his final season with the Wildcats. He appeared in all 34 games over his first two years, but he was a starter just three times. Then last season vanished entirely because of a hamstring injury.
Now, after that stop-and-start beginning, Anudike-Uzomah seems to be back at full strength and positioned to make more noise in Kansas City.
Back in Manhattan, Kansas State is already looking ahead while still handling the present. Collin Klein’s program recently extended a scholarship offer to Robert Brown, a defensive lineman from Effingham County High School in Springfield, Ga.
Brown is listed at 6-foot-3 and 290 pounds, though he has not yet been rated by any scouting service. He’s also still early in the process as a member of the 2028 recruiting class. Even so, the Wildcats are competing with some heavyweight programs for him, including Georgia Tech, Arkansas, Florida State and Georgia.
On the field, Kansas State is trying to finish off an undefeated non-conference slate when it hosts Tulane on Saturday at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. Tulane was in the College Football Playoff last year, and the teams’ most recent meeting came in 2024, when the Wildcats held on for a 34-27 win in New Orleans.
Kansas State’s defense has yet to allow a touchdown this season.
In Other News...
Collin Klein Sounds Off On One Kansas State Problem After Win
After Kansas States 31-20 win over Tulane, Collin Klein spent a good portion of his postgame session crediting the small things that shaped the afternoon. He praised the way both teams adjusted as the game went along, pointed to the defenses job of forcing field goals on long drives, and noted how Avery helped the offense find a better rhythm. Klein also liked what he saw from special teams, especially the way Tulanes return game was contained.
Even with the victory in hand, Klein made it clear there was one area he wanted tightened up right away. The penalties bothered him, and he said the Wildcats need more discipline as they move forward. It was the kind of message coaches usually deliver after a win, which makes it a little easier to hear now than it would have been after a loss, but it also suggests Kansas State knows there is still cleanup work to do. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Win Revealed More Than Fans Will Like Before Big 12 Play
Kansas State closed non-conference play with a 31-20 win over Tulane, moving to 3-0 and getting another clear look at where this team is sturdy and where it still has some questions to answer. Avery Johnsons career-high 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns were the headline, and the Wildcats also got encouraging signs from the depth on the defensive line, which has become a useful early-season strength.
Logan Bartley leaving early with an injury is another thing worth watching as Big 12 play approaches, especially with defensive lineman Jordan Allen already out against Tulane. The bigger concern, though, may have come on the other side of the ball, where Kansas States offensive line did not always look as settled as the record suggests, leaving the Wildcats with a few too many issues to sort through before the games start carrying even more weight. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Found The Linebacker It Needed Most
Gabe Powers has quickly become part of the answer as Kansas State works to replace Austin Romaine after his transfer to Texas Tech. The fifth-year senior, who arrived in Manhattan after a stop at Ohio State, has already shown why the Wildcats leaned on him, finishing with four tackles in the win over Washington State.
Powers is expected to keep playing a key role as the schedule moves forward, and that matters for a defense trying to settle into a new look at linebacker. Kansas State does not have the luxury of easing him in much further, so his ability to hold up in the middle could end up shaping how steady this unit looks in the weeks ahead. [Read more 🡒]