Manhattan is buzzing. It isn’t just the standard Flint Hills wind. There’s a legitimate, palpable shift in the air at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. After a 6-6 campaign in 2025 that left a lot of folks feeling like the program had hit a weird plateau, the Kansas State Wildcats depth chart is undergoing a total facelift.
Chris Klieman is out. Collin Klein, the prodigal son and 2012 Heisman finalist, has returned to take the wheel. It's a move that feels right, honestly. But with a new coach comes a mountain of roster turnover. Between 30-plus kids hitting the transfer portal and a massive influx of new faces, trying to pin down who starts where for the 2026 season feels a bit like trying to catch a greased pig at the county fair.
The Avery Johnson Factor: Unfinished Business
Basically, the biggest news of the winter wasn't a hire. It was a stay. Avery Johnson is coming back.
He had every reason to leave. When the portal opened on January 2nd, the rumors were flying. People thought he might look for a bigger NIL bag or a different scheme. Instead, he posted that Instagram graphic on January 2nd with the caption "unfinished business." You’ve gotta love that.
Johnson is currently tied with Will Howard for the school record in career touchdown passes (48). He needs one more to own it outright. He’s 2,502 yards away from Josh Freeman’s career passing yardage record. With Collin Klein—the guy who recruited him—now calling the shots as head coach, the ceiling for Johnson is astronomical.
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Last year, he threw for 2,385 yards and 18 scores. His rushing numbers dipped (only 296 yards), mostly because the previous staff tried to keep him in the pocket to protect his health. Expect Klein to take the training wheels off. If Johnson is healthy, he is the undisputed QB1. Behind him, it's a bit of a mystery. Jacob Knuth and Blake Barnett are there, but this is Avery’s team. Period.
Reshaping the Weapons: Goodbye Jayce, Hello Portal
The wide receiver room looks almost nothing like it did two months ago. Losing Jayce Brown to LSU was a gut punch. He was the deep threat. The guy who could take the top off a defense.
To fix that, the staff went hunting. They landed Izaiah Williams from Texas A&M and Josh Manning from Missouri. Manning is a big-bodied kid who can win those 50/50 balls that K-State struggled with last year. Then you have the incoming freshman sensation Linkon Cure.
Cure is a five-star talent at tight end. He’s the highest-rated recruit the Wildcats have signed in the modern era. He’s 6’5”, runs like a gazelle, and honestly, if he isn't starting by the second half of the season opener, something went wrong. He’ll likely split reps with Garrett Oakley and Will Swanson, but the "Twin Tower" sets with Cure and Oakley could be a nightmare for Big 12 linebackers.
The Trenches: A Massive Overhaul
The offensive line is where things get a little dicey. The Kansas State Wildcats depth chart lost some serious beef. Devin Vass went to West Virginia. Amos Talalele left. Even Kaedin Massey, the hometown kid from Lyndon, headed to James Madison.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. Keiton Jones (Missouri transfer) and Tanner Morley (Colorado State) were brought in to stabilize the edges. Sam Hecht and Taylor Poitier provide the veteran leadership you need in the middle.
- Left Tackle: Keiton Jones / John Pastore
- Left Guard: Taylor Poitier / Dylan Villarouel
- Center: Sam Hecht / Kyle Rakers
- Right Guard: JB Nelson / Delvin Morris
- Right Tackle: Andrew Leingang / Tanner Morley
It's a "wait and see" group. If they can give Johnson three seconds to think, the offense will be fine. If not, it's going to be a long season of Avery running for his life.
Defensive Identity Under Jordan Peterson
Defensively, K-State is sticking to the 3-3-5, but the personnel is wildly different. Losing Austin Romaine to Texas Tech and Qua Moss to Tennessee hurts the "soul" of the defense. Romaine was the signal-caller. Moss was the playmaker.
To fill the void, they grabbed Mekhi Mason from Louisiana Tech. He’s an absolute tackling machine. He recorded over 100 tackles last year and should slot right into that Mike linebacker spot.
The secondary is where the most competition is happening. With Kaleb Patterson (Illinois) and Ja'Son Prevard (Virginia) coming in, the cornerback room is suddenly very crowded. VJ Payne is the veteran at safety, but watch out for Koy Beasley, the Miami (OH) transfer. He’s got that "ball-hawk" instinct that the Wildcats lacked in 2025.
Projected Defensive Starters
The front three seems relatively set. Damian Ilalio is the anchor at nose tackle. He’s a mountain of a man who eats double teams for breakfast. Beside him, Cody Stufflebean and the new addition Wendell Gregory (Oklahoma State) will provide the pass rush. Gregory is a high-upside edge rusher who just needs the snaps to prove he can be an All-Big 12 type player.
Linebackers will likely be Mason in the middle, with Desmond Purnell and Asa Newsom on the outside. Newsom is a name to circle. He missed significant time with injuries, but when he’s on the field, he’s the fastest guy in the front six.
Special Teams: The Rodriguez Reliability
One of the few areas of stability is at kicker. Luis Rodriguez is back. He was a bright spot in a 6-6 season, showing ice in his veins during several close Big 12 games.
The punting situation is a bit of a camp battle between Simon McClannan and the incoming freshman Dylan Davidson from Emporia State. Usually, K-State finds a way to have elite special teams—it's basically in the university charter at this point.
Why 2026 Feels Different
Look, 2025 was weird. The team started 2-4, clawed back to 6-6, and then actually declined a bowl invitation. That almost never happens. Athletic Director Gene Taylor basically said they weren't in a position to field a team that represented the school well because of all the coaching changes and portal entries.
That move was controversial. Some fans hated it. Others saw it as a "reset" button. By staying home in December, the new staff got an extra month to recruit and hit the portal hard.
Honestly, the Kansas State Wildcats depth chart for 2026 is deeper than people think. They replaced the 32 departures with 23 high-quality transfers. They didn't just take bodies; they took starters.
What to Watch For
The schedule isn't doing them any favors, but the Big 12 is wide open. With Utah and Arizona still finding their footing and the "Hateful Eight" teams beating each other up, a team with a dual-threat superstar like Avery Johnson can make a run.
The key will be the chemistry between Johnson and Josh Manning. If that connection clicks early in spring ball, the Wildcats become a 9-win team instantly.
Keep an eye on the running back rotation too. With Dylan Edwards and DJ Giddens gone, it's the Jay Harris (Oregon transfer) and Rodney Fields (Oklahoma State) show. Harris is a bruiser. Fields is the lightning. It’s a classic K-State backfield combo.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you're following the Wildcats this year, here is how you should track this depth chart as we head toward the spring game:
- Monitor the LT Position: If Keiton Jones locks this down early, Avery Johnson's jersey stays clean. If they rotate guys through April, it’s a red flag.
- Watch the "Star" Position: In the 3-3-5, the nickel/star hybrid is crucial. See if Adrian Maddox (Georgia transfer) or Koy Beasley takes the lead there.
- Cure’s Usage: Don't just look for catches. See how often Linkon Cure is on the field for blocking assignments. If he’s a true three-down TE, he’s a first-round NFL talent.
- Transfer Integration: Follow the early enrollees. The guys who are in Manhattan right now for winter conditioning have a massive leg up on the summer arrivals.
The roster is talented, the coach is a legend, and the quarterback is a superstar. Now, they just have to prove that "unfinished business" wasn't just a catchy hashtag.