Kansas State kept building its 2028 class on Wednesday with a commitment from edge rusher Malachi Johnson, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound prospect from St. Louis, Missouri.
Johnson becomes the Wildcats’ second pledge in the class, joining Derby athlete Taylen Washington, who committed to K-State on Sept. 21.
The Wildcats were the team to beat for Johnson from the start. Kansas State held that spot early in his recruitment and never let go, even as Missouri worked to get involved late.
In the end, the St. Louis product stayed with the program that had been in front the whole way.
Johnson has already made noise early in his junior season at Lift for Life Academy. Through five games, he has 28 total tackles, three tackles for loss and two sacks.
His connection with Kansas State started before he even stepped on campus for his season-opening trip to Manhattan, where he watched the Wildcats open the 2026 season against Nicholls. That visit left a strong impression.
"The visit was amazing," Johnson said after the visit. "I felt welcomed as if I was one of the players. And the best part was the game."
The relationship he built with the coaching staff also mattered, especially with defensive line coach Buddy Wyatt.
"I'd say I have a pretty good relationship with the coaches and I feel like the closest with coach Wyatt," Johnson said.
For Johnson, Kansas State stood out not just because of football, but because of the way the program feels.
"K-State is really special because of the family dynamic they have," Johnson said. "It isn't just coaches and players.
It's like fathers and sons. And they are the top of my recruitment, the only school I keep constant contact with."
Academics remain a major part of his decision, too, and Johnson said the school he chooses needs to fit that side of his life as well.
"The number one thing I'm looking for in a school is a good mathematics program," Johnson said. "But when it comes to football or sports, I'm looking for a family."
In Other News...
Kansas State Still Waiting For Linkon Cure To Break Through
Kansas State entered this season with rare buzz around Linkon Cure, the highest-rated recruit in program history and the Wildcats first five-star prospect. For a team that does not often land a player with that kind of national attention, the expectation was obvious: Cure was supposed to be a difference-maker, especially as a tight end with the size and skill set to become a reliable piece of the passing game.
Instead, his introduction has been slower than anyone in Manhattan probably hoped. Injuries have interrupted his progress, and the tight end room has given Kansas State other options, leaving Cure with only a modest start to his college career. Even so, Collin Klein still sees a bigger role ahead, and the Wildcats are waiting to see when the talent that made Cure such a prized get finally starts showing up on the field in a more consistent way. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Already Faces Doubts In The Big 12 Race
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For Kansas State, the concern is less about one bad weekend and more about how crowded the race is becoming around it. The conference board now includes teams building momentum in different ways, and the early standings are beginning to separate the clubs that can afford a stumble from the ones already feeling pressure to keep up. Where the Wildcats fit in that mix is becoming one of the more interesting questions in the Big 12. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State Heads Into Bye Week With One Problem It Must Fix
Collin Klein spent the first part of Kansas States bye week looking back at what went wrong in the Wildcats Big 12 opener against Cincinnati. The loss gave the staff a clear snapshot of where the team stands after the first conference game, and the time off now gives Klein a chance to sort through the tape without the pressure of preparing for another opponent right away.
Run defense and mental errors have emerged as the biggest areas of concern, and those are the kinds of issues a bye week can help sharpen if the work is sharp enough. Kansas State will have a little more time to clean things up before it returns to action against Houston on Oct. 10, with the hope that the break leads to a more disciplined version of the Wildcats when the schedule resumes. [Read more 🡒]