Koy Beasley has spent his college career looking for the right fit, and Kansas State may finally be it.
The safety has already been through Purdue and Miami of Ohio before landing in Manhattan, and the early signs with the Wildcats point to real traction. Defensive coordinator Jordan Peterson singled Beasley out as one of the biggest risers from spring work to training camp.
"I think one of those guys is Koy Beasley," Peterson said. "He's really kind of stepped up his game from a standpoint of, 'Hey, I am the quarterback of the defense back here in the secondary.
I've got to run the show.' Not always are the personality types all the same in the back end, but you got to be able to command and have that presence about him.
He's done a nice job with his body over the course of the last three months since spring ball ended. I really like where he's progressed over the course of these last three months."
That praise carries weight because this is Beasley’s first season at Kansas State, and he’s already putting himself in position to matter. At Miami last year, he started seven games and finished with 40 tackles and an interception. His time at Purdue was far quieter, and that’s where he overlapped with current Wildcats receiver Jaron Tibbs.
The Wildcats are hoping the former high school prospect who was ranked No. 138 by ESPN can settle in and deliver at the level that made him such a notable recruit in the first place. He looks like a strong candidate to earn a spot in the secondary rotation, and the starting job is not out of reach either.
That possibility is helped by the way first-year coach Collin Klein is handling camp. He hasn’t named a depth chart yet, preferring open competition across the board. The only spots that seem locked down are quarterback Avery Johnson and running back Joe Jackson.
With that setup, Beasley has every chance to put his name near the top when Kansas State lines up for its season opener against Nicholls.
In Other News...
Kansas State Still Has One Important QB Battle To Settle
Avery Johnson gives Kansas State clarity at the top of the quarterback depth chart, but the Wildcats still have one of camps more meaningful jobs to sort out behind him. Offensive coordinator Sean Gleeson has described the competition for the backup spot as healthy and competitive, with Jacob Knuth, Blake Barnett and Dillon Duff all in the mix as the staff continues to evaluate who fits best in the role.
For a team trying to protect itself against the unpredictability of a season, that second quarterback job matters more than it might seem on the surface. Kansas State is also still in the thick of another important off-field pursuit, as the program remains a finalist for four-star prospect Malik Olajuwon, the son of NBA legend Hakeem Olajuwon, adding another layer of anticipation around a program with plenty of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Another Local DB Worth Watching
Kansas States secondary continues to be an interesting place to keep an eye on, and Robert RJ Collins Jr. is one of the younger names working to carve out a role. The Staley High School product got to campus in time for spring practices, spent last season redshirting and is now listed at cornerback, where he enters a crowded competition for snaps. For a program that has made a habit of identifying and developing talent close to home, Collins fits the profile of a player worth monitoring over the next stretch of offseason work.
He arrived in Manhattan with plenty of recruiting buzz, earning a strong reputation out of high school for his speed and track success while drawing interest from several other schools before choosing Kansas State. That kind of athletic profile is part of why his name stands out even before he has a chance to make a real impact on Saturdays. The Wildcats do not need to rush him, but if Collins development matches the promise that followed him out of Kansas City, he could become another local defensive back who ends up helping this roster in a meaningful way. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Manning Could Change What Kansas State's Offense Looks Like
Joshua Manning arrives in Manhattan with a chance to reshape how Kansas State attacks through the air. The transfer receiver comes over from Missouri after two seasons in Columbia, and the Wildcats are looking for someone to step into a bigger role as they sort out their passing-game pecking order. With Avery Johnson back at quarterback and Collin Klein still steering an offense that wants to lean into playmaking, Manning has landed in a spot where opportunity can turn into volume fast.
Kansas State does not need him to become a one-man show, but the path is there for him to become a central figure if his game translates the way the staff believes it can. The opening is real after the Wildcats lost Jayce Brown, and that vacancy gives Manning a clear lane toward the kind of production that could change how defenses have to treat this offense. If he becomes the lead option, Kansas State may have a very different-looking passing game than it did a season ago. [Read more 🡒]