Kansas State has a new target for Avery Johnson, and the Wildcats believe Josh Manning can help fill a major opening in the passing game.
After three seasons at Missouri, Manning is now in Manhattan, where he’s expected to be part of a receiver group that looks a lot different this fall. Johnson sounded eager about the addition during spring work.
“I am super excited to be able to throw the ball to Josh this year,” Johnson during spring practices.
Manning arrives with production already on his résumé. Last season at Mizzou, the junior finished with 29 catches for 318 yards in 12 games.
He also had 13 receptions for 192 yards and a touchdown. His move helps Kansas State account for the departure of Jayce Brown, who transferred to LSU.
The Wildcats are also seeing signs that Manning’s game is sharpening quickly since he joined the program. He was widely viewed as Missouri’s top receiver coming out of high school at Lee’s Summit, and wide receivers coach Klein has seen that talent show up more consistently this spring.
"It’s been really fun to watch his progression," Klein said. "Our defense doesn’t give you anything easy out there on the edge and on the perimeter.
I think his ability to create separation and release off the line has improved. He’s got very good long speed, and being able to translate that in and out of routes has gotten better.
I appreciate the heck out of them. I think he’s in the top five in total reps for the spring, so he's really worked hard and gotten better."
Kansas State is also continuing to build out its future recruiting board, with the latest offer going to two-way athlete Antonio Dural, a 2027 and 2028 target from Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas. Dural plays cornerback and wide receiver, and cornerbacks coach Marcel Yates delivered the offer.
"After a great conversation with Coach [Marcel] Yates, I am super excited to announce that I have received an Offer from Kansas State," Dural tweeted on Friday.
Dural posted 15 total tackles and five pass deflections last season, while also piling up 30 offensive touches for 468 total yards and three touchdowns. Other schools in the mix include SMU, Kansas, and Nebraska. Kansas State currently has seven defensive backs on the roster, including two players who work on both sides of the ball.
In Other News...
Kansas State Just Added Another Intriguing 2028 Target To Its Board
Kansas States recruiting board keeps getting a little more interesting in the 2027 and 2028 classes, with the Wildcats extending offers to a fresh wave of high school prospects at several key spots. Among the latest names are two-way athlete Antonio Dural, edge rusher Steven McClendon and defensive backs Bryce Willingham and Bryson Hazley, all part of the kind of early groundwork programs lay when they want to stay ahead of the curve. The offers are another sign that Kansas State coaches are casting a wide net as they try to build relationships well before these classes get too deep into the process.
The most eye-catching addition may be in the secondary, where the Wildcats have also reached out to a pair of 2028 defensive backs who come as a package deal. For Kansas State, that kind of early attention matters because it can shape how a board develops long before official visits and final decisions come into focus. The Wildcats are clearly staying active with their recruiting efforts, and this latest round of offers gives a better sense of the positions and regions theyre targeting next. [Read more 🡒]
Wendell Gregory Carries Huge Expectations Into Collin Kleins First Kansas State Season
Wendell Gregory arrives in Manhattan with the kind of rsum that instantly raises the temperature around a defense. The former Oklahoma State defensive end was the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned third-team all-conference honors last season, which is why Kansas State views him as a major addition as Collin Klein begins his first season running the program.
For the Wildcats, Gregorys presence is about more than just another experienced pass rusher. He brings the sort of production that can change how an opponent prepares, even as he settles into a new locker room and a new system. Kansas State is also still working the recruiting trail, having extended an offer to two-way athlete Antonio Dural from Klein Oak High School, another sign that the staff is trying to build depth and upside at the same time. [Read more 🡒]