Kansas State’s wide receiver room got a meaningful lift under the new age-based NCAA eligibility model, and three names stand out immediately: Josh Manning, Jaron Tibbs and Adonis Moise.
Under the new setup, each of them picks up an extra year. That matters most for Manning, who already looked like a strong portal addition.
With the added season, he becomes even more valuable for Kansas State. The source material makes the case bluntly: Missouri burned a 4* receiver’s redshirt to help on kick coverage, and that decision is now undone in the Wildcats’ favor.
Tibbs also benefits after using a redshirt at Purdue for just 5 receptions. He arrives with more runway than expected, giving Kansas State another experienced option to develop. The article points out that he was a steady contributor on a shaky team last season, and that extra eligibility gives him more time to refine his game.
Moise is the third receiver to gain a year back after playing 8 games last season and catching only 6 passes. The previous staff used him enough to cost him a season, but not enough to fully maximize his role. Under this model, his freshman year may end up looking like the blueprint for how to handle a first-year player who isn’t quite ready for a full-time spot.
There’s also a bigger roster ripple here. In theory, Kansas State could have Avery Johnson at quarterback with Manning and Tibbs starting at receiver in 2026 and 2027.
That kind of experience carries real value, and the Wildcats may wind up with veteran production at a premium position. The catch is that it complicates roster planning and recruiting, since Manning and Tibbs were originally expected to be gone after 2026.
Even so, the article frames that as a good problem for the new staff. In this era, attrition is hard to predict, and the bottom line is simple: you can never have too many experienced, productive players on the roster.
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Linkon Cure arrived at Kansas State with the kind of recruiting buzz the program rarely gets, becoming the schools first five-star signee and choosing the Wildcats over heavier hitters such as Oregon. The freshman tight ends first year never had a chance to breathe, though, because toe and knee injuries kept him from getting much traction and limited him to six catches for 37 yards.
Now the Wildcats are planning to give him a much bigger role, and the timing matters in a roster era where players are less inclined to wait around for opportunities. Kansas State also has Avery Johnson back to lead the offense, so the passing game should have enough continuity to bring Cure along, but the real question is whether his body and his role can finally catch up to the promise that made him such a rare get for the program. [Read more 🡒]
Dean Wade Just Hit A Massive Career Turning Point
Dean Wades professional path keeps rewarding the same traits that made him such a dependable piece at Kansas State: size, touch and a knack for fitting into winning basketball. The 6-foot-9 forward, once an All-Big 12 player for the Wildcats, has carved out a steady NBA career after going undrafted in 2019, and his game has long been built around defense and shooting rather than flash.
Now there is a fresh turning point in that climb. Wade has secured a four-year deal reportedly worth $39 million, a notable finish line for a player who spent seven seasons with the Cavaliers after entering the league on the margins. For Kansas State fans, it is another reminder that Wades career has never followed the usual script, and this latest step suggests there may still be another layer to how far it can go. [Read more 🡒]