A new series from GoPowercat is taking a class-by-class look at the Kansas State players who could matter most in 2026, and the seniors bring plenty of weight to the discussion. Some of these guys are obvious headliners. Others are the kind of steady, under-the-radar pieces who end up shaping a season in ways that don’t always jump off the page.
That’s the point of the exercise. Not every impact player has to be a star in the national sense.
Sometimes it’s a quarterback with the power to tilt the whole program. Sometimes it’s a receiver who keeps chains moving.
Sometimes it’s a linebacker or tackle who gives a team a much steadier foundation than it had the year before.
Avery Johnson sits at the top of the list because everything runs through him. Back for what could be his fourth and final season in Manhattan, the Maize product has the kind of ceiling that can swing Kansas State from Big 12 title contender to something far more ordinary.
He’s got the tools, the experience and now another year with Collin Klein. He also hasn’t quite stitched together that complete season yet.
By the time 2026 rolls around, Johnson will be entering his third year as a starter, and there won’t be many quarterbacks in the country with more game reps. If he puts it all together, he could climb into the conversation with the top 10 quarterbacks in Kansas State history.
Jaron Tibbs also looks positioned for a bigger stage. After arriving from Purdue, he put together a season that didn’t always get the attention it deserved: 47 catches, 595 yards and 3 touchdowns in 2025.
He was clearly the No. 2 target behind Jayce Brown, but his role kept growing as the year went on. Eight times in 12 games, he topped 50 receiving yards, and his 12.7 yards per catch made him one of the offense’s most dependable answers through the air.
He seemed to be open when K-State needed him most, often working near the line to gain and helping extend drives. Now he steps into the top wideout spot and could be primed for a breakout under new receivers coach Thad Ward, who helped Malik Knowles make a major jump in one offseason heading into 2022.
On the defensive side, Adrian Maddox arrives from Georgia with a real chance to step in right away for Jordan Peterson’s unit. The secondary is crowded, but Maddox was not brought in to watch from the sideline.
He has already been productive at two previous stops, and even though he played only 4 games at Georgia, he looks like a strong candidate to bounce back in 2026. He also brings leadership, and all signs point to him having a strong spring.
That vocal presence could matter as much as anything once the games start, especially with the number of snaps he has already logged in college.
Mekhi Mason is the next transfer with a path to a major role. He comes in as the clear replacement for Austin Romaine and is expected to start in the middle.
Mason had a strong year at Louisiana Tech, finishing 2025 with 68 total tackles and 3.5 sacks. He’s known as a blitzer and does his best work inside the box, where he can help against the run.
He only broke up 4 passes last season, so the value here is straightforward: tackle production and physical play. His best game came at LSU, where he made 11 tackles in a 23-7 loss in Death Valley.
That kind of experience should serve him well in Manhattan.
The last spot goes to the steady hand of John Pastore. With more than five seniors worthy of consideration, the choice lands on the player who brings the most certainty.
A preseason All-Big 12 pick, Pastore is set to hold down the starting left tackle job for Mike Schmidt’s line all season. PFF ranked him as Kansas State’s No. 1 offensive lineman a year ago, and he returns as the highest-graded tackle in the Big 12.
He’s a strong pass blocker who helped the Wildcats limit sacks last season, and that kind of protection matters. If Pastore is solid again in 2026, it gives Schmit and Klein one less thing to worry about.
And with the NFL in his future, he may wind up being the best of Kansas State’s senior group.
In Other News...
Garrett Oakley Is Giving Kansas State A New Offensive Dilemma
Garrett Oakley has spent enough time around Kansas States program to no longer be treated like just another veteran tight end. After a productive season last fall, the senior has become one of the more intriguing pieces in Collin Kleins first year as head coach, with Klein praising Oakleys athleticism and upside as the Wildcats work through training camp and sort out how their offense will look this season.
Kansas State also has highly recruited tight end Linkon Cure on the roster, which only adds another layer to the position groups outlook. For a team trying to settle into a new era under Klein, Oakleys emergence gives the Wildcats a real problem to solve, one that could shape how often they lean on multiple-tight-end looks and how they distribute targets once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
These K-State Stars Could Decide Collin Klein's First Season
Collin Kleins first Kansas State season is shaping up around a handful of proven difference-makers, and the conversation starts on defense and along the line of scrimmage. Cornerback Rich turned in a strong 2025 campaign, while offensive tackle John Pastore is back in position to start again after dealing with injury setbacks, giving the Wildcats a veteran presence where continuity matters most.
Defensive end Gregory may be the most intriguing name in the mix after transferring to K-State and bringing a high pressure rate with him as a pass rusher. A preseason All-Big 12 First Team pick, he looks like the kind of addition who can change how opposing offenses plan for the Wildcats, but how quickly he meshes with Kleins new-look team will go a long way toward shaping the early months of this season. [Read more 🡒]
Jacobi Oliphant Jr. Gives Kansas State More Defensive Depth To Watch
Kansas States defense picked up another interesting name in Jacobi Oliphant Jr., the Oklahoma State transfer who arrives with a chance to help in the linebacker rotation and on special teams. He brings more than just depth, too. Oliphant was a special teams regular last season while keeping his redshirt intact, and he had already played in all 12 games the year before, giving him a little bit of experience and a clearer path to carve out a role in Manhattan.
Oliphants background makes him worth watching beyond the usual transfer buzz. He came out of high school as a highly regarded defensive back, and football runs in the family, which often shows up in how quickly a player adjusts to a new system. For Kansas State, the appeal is straightforward: a versatile defender who can help the unit in multiple phases, even as the larger question is how much of a role he can win once the season starts to take shape. [Read more 🡒]