Kansas State is banking on Wendell Gregory to be the kind of transfer who changes the feel of a defense right away.
The Wildcats brought in the Oklahoma State defensive end after a season in which Gregory was named the Big 12 Freshman of the Year and earned third-team All-Conference honors. He was also rated the top player in the transfer portal by many media outlets, which is why his arrival has been framed as the biggest offseason addition for Kansas State by far.
For a program trying to navigate the NIL era, that kind of portal win matters. Coaches have to recruit high school talent and hit on transfers, and Kansas State believes it landed a major one in Gregory.
Collin Klein said during spring practices that Gregory has already made a strong impression.
"Very proud of Wendell and how he’s attacked the work," Klein said during spring practices. "He’s obviously extremely talented, and he’s got a great God-given skill set. But I’ve been very impressed with his motor and how hard he’s worked and prepped himself these last three weeks to put that skill set to work, so I’m excited to see how that goes."
At this point, the adjustment for Gregory is less about proving he can play and more about settling into a new environment. He has to get comfortable with new teammates and learn the playbook terminology, but the Wildcats are counting on him to make the transition smoothly.
Kansas State is also continuing to build for the future on the recruiting trail, with offers still going out for the 2027 and 2028 classes.
The latest went to Antonio Dural, a two-way athlete at Klein Oak High School in Spring, TX. Dural plays cornerback and wide receiver, and he picked up the Kansas State offer from Wildcats cornerbacks coach Marcel Yates.
"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.
Last season, Dural posted 15 total tackles and five pass deflections on defense, while also making 30 offensive touches for 468 total yards and three touchdowns. Other schools that have offered him include SMU, Kansas, and Nebraska.
Kansas State currently has seven defensive backs, including two who play on both sides of the field.
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 🡒]
Kansas State May Have Found The Answer Avery Johnson Needed
Kansas States passing game took a meaningful step this spring with the arrival of Josh Manning, a former Missouri receiver who spent three seasons with the Tigers before moving on. The Wildcats are counting on him to help steady a group that needed reinforcements after Jayce Brown transferred to LSU, and Manning is expected to be one of the main voices in that room as Avery Johnson looks for more reliable targets.
There is also a recruiting layer to the story, with Kansas State extending an offer to Antonio Dural, a two-way athlete from Klein Oak High School in Texas who works at both cornerback and wide receiver. Dural gives the staff another versatile name to track, while Mannings early progress has already given the offense a more defined option at receiver, even as the bigger question is how far that connection can carry once the games start. [Read more 🡒]