The Collin Klein era opens Saturday in Manhattan, and the first snap against Nicholls at 6 p.m. comes with plenty of attention on who is ready to step forward for Kansas State in 2026.
The Wildcats have some real uncertainty on the left side of the offensive line after the season-ending injury to All Big 12 First-Team left tackle John Pastore. True freshman left tackle Oliver Miller, a player the staff believes will be a major contributor, is also expected to miss some time because of injury. Add in left guard Tanner Morley being limited early after getting banged up, and the pressure shifts to the other edge.
That is why starting right tackle Gus Hawkins stands out as the offensive breakout pick. K-State needs the Mill Valley product to be reliable if the offense is going to function the way it wants to.
Klein and his staff may be able to patch over one weak point, but the other tackle spot has to hold up. Hawkins brings a big résumé - a four-star recruit, the No. 169 player in the 2024 class, the 12th-best offensive tackle and the top player in Kansas, according to the Rivals Industry Consensus rankings.
He’s 6-foot-7, 307 pounds, but he has only 126 snaps under his belt in two seasons and missed the back half of last year with an injury. After a productive offseason, this looks like the moment for him to become a true anchor on the right side.
The defensive breakout choice is tougher, because there are several directions this could go. Safety Logan Bartley flashed as a true freshman, playing all 12 games and looking poised for a jump in year two.
Defensive end Jordan Allen has generated buzz in his fourth season and was recently named one of the team’s six captains. Then there’s sophomore defensive end Darien Whitaker, who could develop into one of the league’s best pass rushers in 2026.
Still, the pick here is fifth-year linebacker Gabe Powers. The Ohio State transfer was not what K-State wanted from him in 2025, but the talk around him this offseason has been loud, and for good reason.
At 6-foot-3 and 233 pounds, Powers has the size and the pedigree - he was the No. 115 player in the 2022 class and the ninth-ranked linebacker, per the Rivals Industry Consensus rankings. He also has one last shot to put it together, and the belief is that a new staff and a better-fitting defensive system can finally unlock him.
Powers was also recently named a captain.
On the newcomer side, there isn’t much suspense: defensive end Calebs Gregory is the clear answer. He was the centerpiece of Collin Klein’s first transfer portal class as head coach, and he arrived with real production in hand.
Gregory earned Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors at Oklahoma State last season, when he posted 12 tackles for loss and a 17.6% pressure rate. That pressure number put him in rare company among college football’s best edge players.
The 6-foot-3, 265-pound junior has been excellent throughout spring ball and fall camp, and by all accounts he has already been K-State’s most consistent defensive player since arriving in Manhattan.
Other newcomers who deserve mention include linebacker Mekhi Mason, who had 14.5 tackles for loss at Louisiana Tech last season and has the tools to become an all-league player if it all comes together. Defensive tackle Kamari Burns from Cincinnati and safety Koy Beasley have also drawn attention, with Beasley surging to the top of the depth chart after a strong fall camp.
On offense, the newcomer worth watching is Keiton Jones. The 6-foot-3, 322-pound sophomore has the kind of raw power that jumps off the page.
A Coffeyville, Kan., native, Jones was the No. 461 player in the 2025 class and the No. 39 interior offensive lineman, according to the Rivals Industry Consensus rankings. He signed with Missouri, played eight snaps as a true freshman and then entered the portal.
K-State beat out major competition to land him, and the appeal is obvious: Jones was a two-time state powerlifting champion in high school with a 650-pound squat and a nearly 6-foot-10 wingspan. The hope is that his strength, flexibility and mobility translate into a forceful presence inside, one who can help create room in the run game.
There are other candidates there too. Running back Rodney Fields has had a strong fall camp after transferring from Oklahoma State, where he rushed for more than 600 yards as a redshirt freshman last season. Running back Jay Harris, receiver Brandon White and receiver Joshua Manning were also in the mix.
In Other News...
Kansas State's Late Arrival Is Suddenly In The Secondary Mix
Damion Miller arrived at Kansas State after spring practices, which usually means a newcomer is already playing catch-up before the real competition even begins. Still, the junior college cornerback has quickly worked his way into the conversation on the Wildcats back end, where every available rep matters and depth in the secondary can change the shape of a season. Miller brings a track record that helped make him one of the more interesting late additions to the roster, with previous stops at Southern Miss and Southwest Mississippi Community College.
Miller was ranked the 14th-best JUCO cornerback in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports, and he also comes with a notable high school and junior college rsum. Add in the fact that he is related to NFL player Kenneth Gainwell, and there is a little more intrigue around a player who has gone from after-the-fact addition to someone competing for either a starting job or a useful relief role. For Kansas State, the timing is the story, but the bigger question is how quickly a late arrival can translate that background into real snaps. [Read more 🡒]
Collin Kleins NCAA Stance Puts Avery Johnsons Future In Focus
The NCAAs new five-year eligibility rule has opened a fresh lane for older college players, allowing student-athletes to compete for five years after turning 19. Kansas State coach Collin Klein came out in favor of the change, pointing to the value it can provide for players as they navigate their careers and development.
For the Wildcats, the rule also naturally puts Avery Johnsons future back into view. Johnson is already listed as a senior, but the new framework could create room for another season in Manhattan if he chooses to take it, though he has not addressed that possibility publicly. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas States Collin Klein Faces His Biggest Test Before Week 1
Collin Kleins first offseason as Kansas States head coach has brought the kind of adjustment that does not show up in a playbook. After moving up from position coach and offensive coordinator, Klein has spent these months learning the broader job, including the part that can be hardest for a hands-on football mind: trusting assistants to handle more of the work while he manages the bigger picture.
Klein has seen this side of the profession before while working under Bill Snyder and Chris Klieman, but now the responsibilities are his alone as the Wildcats build toward their season opener against Nicholls. The early test is not just about getting the team ready to play, but about how smoothly Klein can settle into the role that will define what Kansas State looks like under his leadership. [Read more 🡒]