Kansas State has officially seen its first departure of the current transfer portal cycle, and while it’s not a headline-grabber, it’s the kind of move that reflects the ever-evolving nature of college football rosters. Freshman running back JB Price is heading out, entering the portal after a season where opportunities were hard to come by.
Price, a former three-star recruit from Stilwell, Kansas, came in with some local buzz. At 5-foot-10 and roughly 195 pounds, he had the frame to compete in the Big 12, but the reality is he never found a real foothold in the Wildcats’ backfield. He logged just nine carries for 18 yards in 2025, a stat line that tells the story: limited touches, limited impact.
It wasn’t for lack of potential - Price had the physical tools and the kind of profile that programs often like to develop over time. But Kansas State’s running back room has been deep and competitive.
Joe Jackson, Antonio Martin, and even Dylan Edwards to a degree were ahead of him in the pecking order, and the staff hasn’t exactly slowed down when it comes to recruiting that position. In a crowded room like that, it’s tough to carve out a role, especially if you’re not seeing the field even in garbage time.
This move doesn’t shake the foundation of the program - far from it. It’s a clean, business-like decision that reflects where things stand in today’s college football landscape.
Players want to play. And when the path to meaningful snaps isn’t clear, the portal becomes the logical next step.
For Price, the next chapter might come at the Group of Five level or possibly in the FCS ranks - somewhere he can get real reps and put his skill set on display. For Kansas State, it opens up a scholarship that could be used to address another area of need, whether that’s through high school recruiting or another portal addition.
If this ends up being the biggest loss Kansas State takes this cycle, they’re in a solid spot. Losing a freshman back with fewer than 20 yards on the season isn’t going to derail anything. It’s simply the kind of quiet roster movement that’s become routine in the portal era - a young player looking for a better fit, and a program continuing to evolve.