Kansas State’s preseason camp has started to sort out a few things, and tight end Garrett Oakley is one of the clearest answers so far.
While coach Collin Klein has kept most spots open, quarterback Avery Johnson and running back Joe Jackson have emerged as the only offensive players who seem to have separated themselves from the pack. Oakley belongs in that same conversation at tight end, where he has opened up real daylight between himself and the rest of the group.
“He's always very conscientious about his work and the things that he's doing, how he eats.”
That’s how Wildcats offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson described Oakley, adding, “Oakley has been one that I have just kind of marveled at because I didn't get to see a lot of him in the spring,” Wildcats offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson. The praise fits what Oakley already put on tape last season, when he led Kansas State tight ends with 38 catches for 389 yards and six touchdowns and earned honorable mention All-Big 12 honors.
The buzz around him has reached beyond the practice field, too. Klein has already said that many of the NFL scouts spending time in Manhattan this month have asked about Oakley.
That makes the current picture pretty clear: Linkon Cure may have arrived as the five-star tight end many saw as the future, but Oakley is the one holding the job right now.
Kansas State also picked up recruiting momentum this week with another major target. The Wildcats were named one of six finalists for four-star prospect Malik Olajuwon, along with Virginia Tech, TCU, SMU, Texas Tech and Minnesota.
Olajuwon is the son of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, who powered the Houston Rockets to championships in 1994 and 1995, won an MVP award as a 7-foot center, made 12 All-Star teams and was named among the NBA's greatest 75 players.
The younger Olajuwon is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard. He started his prep career at Sugar Land (Texas) High School before transferring to IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.
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Kansas State Has A Run Defense Question Kamari Burns Can Answer
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Jordan Peterson and Collin Klein have both singled out Burns during spring camp, pointing to his consistency and the way he has carried his work onto the practice field. For a defense looking for answers up front, that kind of steady presence matters, and the Wildcats will be watching closely to see whether Burns can turn a strong spring into a bigger impact when the games count. [Read more 🡒]