Kansas State Faces Major Roster Turnover as Transfer Portal Exodus Grows
The winds of change are blowing through Manhattan, and they’re picking up speed.
Kansas State football is bracing for a significant roster shake-up as more than a dozen players prepare to exit via the transfer portal when it officially opens in early January. On Wednesday, two more names joined the growing list: defensive back Donovan McIntosh and defensive end Ryan Davis - both young, promising defenders who played key roles for the Wildcats this past season.
Let’s start with McIntosh. At 6-foot-3 and 194 pounds, the sophomore brought size and versatility to the K-State secondary.
He started seven games this fall, tallying 33 tackles, four pass breakups, and one interception. He showed flashes of being a reliable playmaker on the back end - the kind of defender who could match up with big receivers and still come downhill to make a play.
Originally from St. Louis, McIntosh committed to the Wildcats under former head coach Chris Klieman and redshirted his first year before seeing the field as a freshman.
Now, after two seasons of development and growing production, he’s looking for a new opportunity elsewhere.
Joining him in the portal is Ryan Davis, a 6-foot-4, 252-pound sophomore defensive end who made a noticeable impact late in the season. Davis started the final six games and finished the year with four sacks, bringing his career total to 6.5.
He added 21 total tackles during his time in Manhattan. From Phoenix, Davis brought length and burst off the edge - traits that made him a valuable piece of the Wildcats’ defensive front, especially down the stretch.
Their departures bring the total number of outgoing transfers to 14, a number that underscores just how much turnover the Wildcats are facing this offseason. Here’s the full list of players who have announced their intentions to transfer:
- Callen Barta, WR
- Jayce Brown, WR
- Teagan Cobb, K
- Ryan Davis, DE
- Dylan Edwards, RB
- Amarion Fortenberry, DB
- Truman Griffith, DE
- Brayden Loftin, TE
- Colby McAlister, DE
- Donovan McIntosh, DB
- Andrew Metzger, TE
- Qua Moss, DB
- JB Price, RB
- Jacques Spradley-Demps, WR
That’s talent leaving at nearly every position group - from skill positions on offense to key contributors on defense and special teams. And while some of these players were depth pieces, others, like McIntosh and Davis, had carved out meaningful roles and were trending upward.
This kind of mass movement isn’t unusual in today’s college football landscape, especially with coaching changes and the ever-growing influence of NIL and playing time opportunities. But for Kansas State, it signals a pivotal offseason ahead. The Wildcats will have to reload quickly, whether through high school recruiting, the portal themselves, or internal development.
One thing’s clear: the 2026 version of K-State football is going to look a lot different - and the work to rebuild starts now.