Chris Klieman doesn't care about your star ratings. Honestly, if you’ve followed Manhattan football for more than a week, you already know that. While programs like Texas or Oregon are out here collecting five-star prospects like they’re Infinity Stones, Kansas State football recruiting operates on a different wavelength entirely. It’s about "the fit." It’s about finding a kid from a town of 400 people in rural Kansas or a neglected three-star in Georgia who plays with a massive chip on his shoulder.
It works.
The proof is in the hardware and the NFL Draft picks. People often look at the recruiting rankings in February and see K-State sitting in the 40s or 50s nationally and assume the Wildcats are falling behind. They aren't. They’re just playing a different game.
The DNA of a K-State Commit
What does a Wildcat look like? Usually, it's someone who was "too small" or "too slow" for the SEC scouts. Take a look at Ben Sinnott. He was an unrated walk-on from Iowa. Fast forward a few years, and he’s a second-round pick for the Washington Commanders. That isn't an accident. It’s the result of a scouting department that values developmental upside over immediate polish.
Klieman and his staff, including Taylor Braet and the rest of the recruiting department, look for specific physical traits—multi-sport backgrounds are huge here. If a kid is a standout wrestler or a track star, K-State’s ears perk up. They believe they can teach a fast kid how to play linebacker, but they can't teach speed.
The 2025 and 2026 Landscape
The current cycle has been fascinating. Kansas State football recruiting has seen a slight shift toward more regional dominance. They are locking down the state of Kansas in a way we haven't seen consistently since the early Bill Snyder days. Linkon Cure, the elite tight end from Goodland, became a massive focal point for the 2025 class. When you have a kid that talented in your own backyard, you cannot let him leave.
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But it’s not just about the local guys. The staff has built a pipeline into Colorado and Iowa that is paying massive dividends. They’re also dipping into Florida more often, looking for speed that can thrive on the turf at Bill Snyder Family Stadium.
The Transfer Portal vs. High School Development
We have to talk about the portal. It changed everything. In 2024 and 2025, K-State used the portal like a precision tool rather than a shotgun. They don't just take the "best available" player. They take the player who fixes a specific hole.
Need a veteran offensive lineman to protect Avery Johnson? They’ll find a guy with 30 starts at a Group of Five school who wants to prove he can play in the Big 12.
The balance is tricky. If you take too many transfers, you lose the "homegrown" culture that defines the program. If you take too few, you lack the depth to survive a 12-game schedule in a physical conference. Klieman seems to prefer a 70/30 split—70% high school developmental guys and 30% targeted portal additions.
The Avery Johnson Effect
Having a "face of the program" like Avery Johnson changes the recruiting pitch. Kids want to play with a dynamic playmaker. Wide receivers see Avery’s highlights and suddenly Manhattan, Kansas, looks a lot more attractive. It’s the first time in a long time that K-State has had a "cool factor" that resonates nationally with offensive skill players.
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Historically, K-State was where wide receivers went to block. Not anymore. The 2025 and 2026 recruiting classes are seeing an uptick in interest from four-star pass catchers who want to be part of a modern, explosive offense.
The Facilities Arms Race
Manhattan used to be a tough sell. Not because of the town—Manhattan is great—but because the facilities were lagging behind the giants of the sport. That’s over. The Shamrock Practice Facility and the constant renovations to the stadium have leveled the playing field.
When a recruit walks through the Vanier Family Football Complex, they aren't seeing a "budget" program. They’re seeing elite-level infrastructure. This has allowed the staff to get in the door with recruits who five years ago wouldn't have even taken an official visit.
Why Rankings Are Mostly Noise
Check the 247Sports or On3 rankings. You’ll see K-State middle-of-the-pack. Then look at the All-Big 12 first team at the end of the season. It’s usually covered in purple.
The "developmental" tag isn't just a cope for fans. It’s a legitimate business model. Coaches like Conor Riley (Offensive Line) are widely considered some of the best in the country at taking a 260-pound high school tackle and turning him into a 310-pound NFL prospect.
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- Scouting over Stars: K-State trusts their own eyes more than the scouting services.
- The "Lifey" Factor: They want "K-State fits"—low drama, high work ethic.
- Geography: They own the 500-mile radius around Manhattan.
Navigating NIL in the Little Apple
Let’s be real: NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) is the elephant in the room. Kansas State doesn't have the infinite oil money of some Texas schools or the Nike backing of Oregon. But they have "Wildcat-NIL" and a very organized collective.
The strategy here is "retention over acquisition."
K-State would rather use their NIL funds to keep their current stars from being poached by bigger programs than spend it all on a high school kid who hasn't played a snap. It’s a sustainable model. It keeps the locker room from getting toxic because the guys who have produced are the ones getting paid.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you are tracking Kansas State football recruiting, stop looking at the national rank. It’s a vanity metric that doesn't reflect how this specific program wins. Instead, focus on these three things to judge a class:
- In-State Retention: Did they land the top three players in Kansas? If they did, the class is a success. If those kids go to Missouri or Nebraska, it’s a problem.
- Trenches: Look at the offensive line haul. K-State's identity is built on winning at the point of attack. If they land three or four guys with massive frames and high athletic upside, the program is healthy.
- Speed on Defense: The Big 12 is a track meet. Watch the track times of the defensive back and linebacker commits. Sub-11.0 second 100m dashes are the gold standard they’re chasing.
The Wildcats aren't trying to be Alabama. They’re trying to be the best version of Kansas State. By identifying undervalued talent and developing it within a specific culture, they’ve proven they can beat teams with much higher recruiting rankings. The 2026 cycle is already shaping up to be more of the same: overlooked athletes with massive upside heading to the Little Apple to become stars.
Keep an eye on the mid-summer "Elite Camp" dates. That’s usually when the staff finds their next unheralded gem who ends up being an All-American three years later.
To stay ahead of the curve, monitor the "offers" list on recruiting sites rather than the "commits." If K-State offers a kid early who doesn't have many other looks, there's a high probability they’ve found something the national scouts missed. Trust the evaluation process; it’s the most consistent thing in Manhattan.