Kansas State’s defense is leaning hard on a new face this season, and the Wildcats believe they found him in the transfer portal.
Virginia import Ja’Son Prevard arrives in Manhattan with plenty of buzz after a productive year for the Cavaliers. He finished with 24 tackles, three interceptions and eight passes defended, and those numbers were enough to land him All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention recognition. Kansas State views that addition as a major one, especially with Marques Sigle and VJ Payne both moving on to pursue NFL careers.
The hype has already followed Prevard to campus. He is the top-rated K-State defender in this year’s EA Sports College Football video game, a detail that only adds to the expectation that he can become a difference-maker for the Wildcats secondary. Right now, he looks like the early X-Factor on that side of the ball.
Kansas State also has a familiar name carrying real momentum on offense in running back Joe Jackson. After climbing into the starting role last season, Jackson now enters fall camp positioned as the No. 1 back. He turned in a breakout year with 911 rushing yards on 169 carries and eight touchdowns, starting nine games and earning Third-Team All-Big 12 honors along the way.
NCAAF Nation summed up Jackson’s rise this way on X: "I thought Jackson did a great job taking over as RB1 last season and he really stepped up as a leader for the Wildcats. In his career he's rushed for 1,139 yards 9 Touchdowns averaging 5.4 ypc. He also caught 28 passes for 182 yards 2 TDs."
The Wildcats are also making moves on the recruiting trail. Kansas State has extended an offer to four-star edge rusher Steven McClendon, a 2028 prospect from Douglas County High School in Douglasville, GA. McClendon posted 51 total tackles, four sacks and eight tackles for loss last season, and he celebrated the offer on Tuesday night with a simple message: "Blessed to receive an offer from Kansas State University," McClendon tweeted on Tuesday night.
In Other News...
Joe Jackson Faces A Defining Kansas State Moment Under Collin Klein
Joe Jackson heads into fall camp with a different kind of spotlight on him, one that usually comes only after a back has already proven he can carry an offense. After a productive season that established him as Kansas States top returning rusher, the next step is less about earning trust and more about handling the bigger workload that comes with being the No. 1 option. His place in the rotation should be clear, but the responsibilities around it are about to grow as he settles into Collin Kleins system.
For the Wildcats, that makes Jackson one of the more important pieces to watch in August, since his role could expand even further as the offense takes shape under a new coordinator. And while the backfield transition will draw plenty of attention, Kansas State is also keeping an eye on the future by reaching into the 2028 class with an offer to four-star edge rusher Steven McClendon, a reminder that the staff is already balancing present needs with long-term recruiting work. [Read more 🡒]