Jayden Bryant arrives in Manhattan as a redshirt sophomore transfer defensive end from Coastal Carolina, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound edge player from Clover, South Carolina, who is majoring in communication studies. He may not be a lock to crack the top-six rotation at defensive end, but there’s at least a path for him to push into the mix.
Bryant’s background traces back to Clover High School, where he played for head coach Perry Woolbright and built a résumé that included two-time all-region honors, an all-state selection and Class 5A defensive player of the year recognition. He helped lead the Blue Eagles to a regional title while working both outside linebacker and defensive end, and he also competed in wrestling. On3 rated him a three-star edge prospect in the Class of 2024.
At Coastal Carolina, Bryant used his redshirt in 2024 after appearing in three games as a true freshman. He finished that season with six tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack.
Two of his busiest outings came against William & Mary and UTSA, when he logged three tackles in each game. Against UTSA in the Myrtle Beach Bowl, he added a tackle for loss while playing a season-high 28 defensive snaps, and he recorded half a sack in 26 snaps against the Tribe.
Last season, Bryant was on the field in all 13 games for the Chanticleers and put together a bigger role, finishing with 16 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks across 248 defensive snaps. His best game came against James Madison, where he set a career high with five tackles, all solo stops, and included a 10-yard sack. He also had a sack against Georgia Southern.
Pro Football Focus gave Bryant a 67.9 grade when rushing the passer.
He also had two tackles each against Virginia, Old Dominion, Louisiana-Monroe and Louisiana Tech, with the Louisiana Tech game coming in the Independence Bowl. That bowl game came with current K-State defensive backs coach Jeremiah Johnson serving as Coastal Carolina’s interim head coach after previously being the program’s defensive coordinator.
Bryant originally committed to Coastal Carolina over offers from Elon, Kennesaw State and Lenoir-Rhyne. He also drew recruiting interest from Appalachian State, Bryant, Dartmouth, Harvard, Mercer, Middle Tennessee, Rutgers, UMass and Wofford.
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Kansas State Just Got Another Painful Reminder Of How Much It Lost
Kansas States roster turnover has already been a defining part of the post-Chris Klieman transition, and the latest reminder came with a look around the transfer portal market. Former Wildcats Tobi Osunsanmi and Jayce Brown both showed up as major national additions for their new teams, a jarring reflection of how much talent has left Manhattan after a disappointing 2025 season. For a program that has built much of its recent identity on development and continuity, seeing two familiar names land that kind of attention only sharpens the sense of what has been lost.
The Wildcats now have to sort through the fallout on both sides of the ball. Jaron Tibbs is stepping into the top receiver job after Browns departure, while Elijah Hill and Wendell Gregory are among the newcomers asked to help on the defensive front. Osunsanmis exit stings in a different way after his strong start before an October injury ended his season, and it leaves Kansas State trying to replace production, experience and upside all at once. [Read more 🡒]
Avery Johnson Enters Defining K-State Season With Everything To Prove
Avery Johnson is heading into his senior season at Kansas State with the kind of spotlight that comes only after a year of uneven results and a program reset. He is still the Wildcats full-time starter after a 6-6 finish, and with Chris Klieman unexpectedly stepping down, Johnson now finds himself working under first-year head coach Collin Klein as the offense tries to find a sharper identity.
Johnson had chances to look elsewhere through the transfer portal and NIL market, but he stayed put because he believes there is unfinished business in Manhattan. Now the question is bigger than just whether he can settle in under a new staff. It is whether this is the season he proves he can lift Kansas State into something more, or whether the ceiling on his game has already been set. [Read more 🡒]