Kansas State’s offensive tackle room is in a pretty clear place right now: one proven starter, one major question mark, one portal insurance policy, and a pair of developmental pieces waiting their turn.
John Pastore anchors the left side after turning in a strong 2025 season. He was good enough, even while not being 100% healthy for much of the year, to earn 2nd-team All-Big 12 honors from the coaches. That gives Kansas State a steady presence at left tackle for now, but only for one more season.
The bigger battle sits on the right side. Gus Hawkins appears to be the favorite to claim that job, and the program clearly thinks highly of him.
He was one of the highest-rated offensive line prospects in Kansas State history, and year 3 is usually the sweet spot for offensive linemen. His 2025 season ended early because of injury, but he’ll get every chance to win the right tackle spot in 2026.
George Fitzpatrick is the wild card in the group. The Ohio State transfer was tracking toward the starting left tackle job last season before a serious health issue pushed football to the back burner in 2025.
He’s back to his playing weight, and the staff is being careful with him. He’s cleared to practice and could get into the right tackle mix if he’s fully back.
He was a 4* prospect for a reason, and there’s also a chance he picks up an extra year of eligibility.
Tyler Johnson gives Kansas State another option. The Auburn transfer was a solid portal addition and a hedge against Fitzpatrick’s situation.
He can back up both tackle spots if needed, though right tackle looks like his best fit. Hawkins may be the favorite there, but Johnson could still make it interesting, with Hawkins sliding into a swing role if that’s how things shake out.
Behind them, Keegan Collins and Oliver Miller are both highly rated developmental prospects. They’re not ready yet, and the expectation is that they’ll need time before they’re in the mix on Saturdays.
Looking ahead, Pastore’s departure after this season leaves a hole at left tackle. In the ideal Kansas State scenario, Hawkins moves over there and becomes the future on the blind side thanks to his size and athletic traits.
Fitzpatrick, if healthy, could be part of the starting picture this season and maybe beyond. Johnson may be more of a backup in the short term, but he still has a path to a starting role later on.
Collins and Miller, meanwhile, are in the long game, working toward a chance to crack the two-deep in 2027.
As for the age-based eligibility model, there are no changes for this group except possibly Fitzpatrick. He would use his prior five seasons to apply the four-season model, which offers more room for medical exceptions. He might also qualify for an extra year under the new setup, and it would be surprising if he didn’t get one if he wants to keep playing.
In Other News...
Fitz Sounds Off As Klieman Debate Reaches Uncomfortable Territory
Social media has become its own pressure cooker around college football, and Tim Fitzgerald spent time on KFH Wichita radio laying out just how corrosive he thinks that can be for Kansas State and the sport at large. The GoPowercat publisher argued that the online environment rewards the loudest, most demanding voices and has helped create a culture where fans expect immediate success and little patience for the normal ups and downs of building a program.
Fitzgeralds larger point was even more unsettling for coaches and athletic departments alike: the hostility does not just make message boards uglier, it can shape how coaches view the job itself. He suggested that more and more coaches may come to feel that even the money is not enough to outweigh the noise, a reality that puts programs like Kansas State in an awkward spot as they try to hold onto stability in a sport that keeps getting less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Is Already Pushing Hard To Build Its Next Wave
Kansas State is already working several recruiting cycles ahead, and the early board is starting to take shape. The Wildcats have extended offers to cornerback Riley Lewis and quarterback Ty Snell for the 2027 class, then gone even further out with offers to wide receiver Colton Laisure and tight end Caiden Snow in 2029, a sign the staff is trying to stay ahead of the curve rather than chase it later.
The names on that list are not flying under the radar, either. Lewis and Snell are both drawing heavy Division I attention, while Laisure and Snow have also picked up offers from major programs, giving Kansas State a chance to plant a flag early with prospects who are already being tracked closely by others. For a program trying to keep its pipeline moving, these are the kinds of offers that can matter long before signing day ever gets close. [Read more 🡒]
Why Kyle Rakers Could Matter More For Kansas State Soon
Kyle Rakers arrived at Kansas State in the spring of 2024 with the kind of profile that usually invites patience and long-term optimism. The Dowling Catholic product came in as an accounting major, brought a decorated high school rsum from Iowa, and spent last season redshirting while the staff worked to add strength and polish to his game. Even in a limited role, he got a small taste of Big 12 action as a reserve offensive lineman, a hint that the Wildcats already see a place for him down the road.
What makes Rakers interesting now is how quickly that developmental track can turn into a real depth-chart conversation. He was a highly regarded recruit with a long list of suitors, and Kansas State clearly valued enough about his ceiling to bring him in early and let him grow into the position. With the offensive line always one of the more fragile parts of a season, a player who has already logged some snaps, carried the recruiting pedigree and spent a year building his body can become a lot more important than the casual observer might expect. [Read more 🡒]