Kansas State’s recruiting board keeps growing, and the latest name to pop up is Darian Johnson, a three-star edge rusher from Raleigh, N.C.
Johnson, who plays at Broughton High School, is in the 2028 class and already has a long list of heavy hitters chasing him. Alabama, Florida, LSU, Georgia and Auburn are all in the mix, which tells you how early this race is getting started.
The Wildcats have been busy across the board, too, handing out offers to a wide range of prospects in multiple classes. Among the names on that list is AK Mekaowulu, a linebacker from McKinney Boyd High School in Texas. He’s also picked up offers from Arizona State and Oklahoma State.
Kansas State has also gone after one of the top players in the nation in Israel Johnigan, a tight end from Center High School in the Kansas City area. Johnigan is a four-star prospect in the 2028 class according to 247 Sports.
The Wildcats’ offer sheet also includes Ashton Tayler, a two-way standout at Trinity High School in Louisville; Jayden Stephens, an athlete at Waverly-Shell Rock High School in Iowa who is rated a three-star recruit by 247 Sports; and Jordan Hall, a defensive back from Aledo High School in Texas.
Up front, Kansas State has targeted several offensive linemen. Troy Falke, from Prosper Rock Hill High School, also holds offers from Baylor, Syracuse and TCU.
Benaiah Rizer, a standout at Topeka Seaman High School in Kansas, is part of Collin Klein’s push to herd in-state talent. James Bennett, a 6-foot-7, 300-pound tackle in the 2028 class, already has offers from Colorado, Missouri, Nebraska and Texas Tech.
The Wildcats have also moved early on younger prospects. Amari Roberts, a quarterback/wide receiver from Mary Country Day Institute in the St.
Louis area, is in the 2030 class. So is Noah Gigger, a wide receiver from CarrollWood Day School in Tampa, who also has offers from Maryland, North Carolina and Syracuse.
Gigger has played varsity since he was 14 and is expected to develop into one of the nation’s top prospects.
Another 2030 name on the board is Aisaiah Bollen, a 6-foot-2, 180-pound cornerback from Northeast Lincoln High School in Nebraska.
Kansas State’s defensive back targets also include Elijah Smith, a 2028 standout at Allen High School in Texas who has offers from Baylor, Oklahoma State and Louisville, and Dailon Denkins, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound cornerback from Fort Bend High School who is rated a four-star recruit by 247 Sports.
On the defensive line, the Wildcats have offered Julian Dwyer, a three-star end from Cincinnati Moeller High School who is ranked 16th in Ohio by 247 Sports and has offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Georgia Tech, Illinois and Indiana. They’ve also offered Jekai Lee, a 6-foot-6, 280-pound end from Butler Community College, who has offers from Florida International, Georgia State, Southern Mississippi and UTSA.
The tight end group has grown as well. Brady Reeves, a three-star prospect from Hill-Murray High School in Maplewood, Minn., has offers from Vanderbilt, Iowa State and Miami (OH), and is ranked just outside the top 20 at his position on 247Sports.
Last season, he caught 25 passes for 327 yards and nine touchdowns. Sloan Blackwell, who attends Waco Midway High School in Texas, also landed an offer Tuesday night.
He has offers from Arizona, Syracuse and Arizona State, and last season he finished with 18 catches for 254 yards and two touchdowns, according to MaxPreps.
Kansas State also offered Jerry Richmond, an offensive lineman from East St. Louis High School in Illinois who has offers from Florida Atlantic, North Carolina and South Dakota.
And on Friday, the Wildcats added another tackle in Asher Megonnell from Ankeny Centennial High School in Iowa. Megonnell also has an offer from Big 12 rival Iowa State and is currently unranked.
There’s plenty of work left on the field, but the recruiting trail is moving fast for Kansas State.
In Other News...
Kansas State Suddenly Has A Bigger Problem Than One Tough Loss
Kansas States overtime loss to Colorado did more than sting in the standings. It also exposed how thin the margin can be when a team is trying to survive a rough patch while already staring at major roster turnover, with key defensive lapses helping turn a winnable game into a frustrating finish. For a program that has leaned on continuity, the bigger concern may be how much of that foundation is about to change.
Collin Kleins decision to start sophomore quarterback Dillon Duff added another layer to the night, and Duffs early struggles forced Blake Barnett into the game. Barnett nearly pulled off a comeback, which only sharpened the sense that Kansas State is searching for answers in real time while also preparing for a potential rebuild as many players run out of eligibility and a new crop of recruits waits in the wings. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Found The Spark Its Offense Needed
Kansas State has been searching for any kind of lift on offense as it tries to climb out of a 1-4 Big 12 start, and a recent game against Colorado offered a small but meaningful sign. Tight end Linkon Cure scored his first career touchdown on a 33-yard catch from backup quarterback Blake Barnett, a play that stood out not just because it reached the end zone, but because it came from a player who has been showing steady growth this season.
Cures role has expanded with more receptions and more yards, and that kind of development matters for an offense still looking for reliable answers. The Wildcats need more than one bright moment to change their conference trajectory, but a young tight end finding his footing gives them something to build on as the season moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Has A Stretch Run Problem Fans Can't Ignore
Colorados 27-24 overtime win over Kansas State on October 31 was the kind of late-season result that can linger, especially for a team trying to steady itself for the stretch run. The Buffaloes got a big lift from running back Richard Young, who handled 24 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns, while edge rusher Yamil Talib made his presence felt with two sacks and eight tackles.
For Kansas State, the loss was another reminder that tight games are getting harder to finish cleanly when the margin shrinks in November. Colorado coach Deion Sanders singled out Youngs readiness and steady practice habits afterward, and Talibs emergence added another layer to a defense that has been finding impact plays at key moments. [Read more 🡒]