The Kansas State Wildcats have added a significant piece to their 2027 recruiting class, securing a commitment from three-star safety Bryson Dossett out of Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, Texas. Dossett announced his decision on May 21, 2026, choosing the Wildcats over a crowded field that included Power Four offers from across the country .
The commitment marks the 11th verbal pledge for Kansas State in the 2027 cycle and represents a notable recruiting victory for head coach Chris Klieman’s staff, particularly given the intense competition from Big 12 rival Oklahoma State .
A Recruitment That Came Down to the Wire
Dossett’s path to Manhattan was anything but straightforward. The 5-foot-11, 180-pound defensive back emerged as a priority target for multiple Power Four programs throughout the winter and spring of 2026, with Oklahoma State appearing to gain significant momentum as late as April .
The Cowboys, under the guidance of defensive backs coach Jordan Malone, had made a strong impression during an in-home visit that emphasized the personal relationship between coach and player.
“What was huge for me with Coach Malone was that we didn’t just talk about football—we also talked about life,” Dossett said in an April interview, signaling the Cowboys’ apparent pole position in the race for his services .
Dossett had scheduled official visits to both Oklahoma State and Duke for June, but those plans have been scrapped following his commitment to K-State . The Texas native held over 20 offers in total, including from programs such as Baylor, Texas A&M, North Carolina, Illinois, and Boston College, among others .
The K-State Connection
While Oklahoma State made a late push, Kansas State’s recruitment of Dossett was a long-term investment that ultimately paid dividends. The Wildcats extended their initial offer to Dossett on June 15, 2025, following conversations with Outside Linebackers Coach David Orloff . Since that day, Orloff and the rest of the K-State staff maintained consistent communication with the young safety.
“It was a great conversation with Coach Orloff. I was hyped up to talk to him, and he offered me. Since then, we have really built a strong bond. We talk and text every week since that day,” Dossett said during a November 2025 interview .
Dossett’s relationship with the K-State coaching staff extends beyond Orloff. He has developed connections with head coach Chris Klieman, defensive coordinator and safeties coach Joe Klanderman, and other key personnel. The coaching staff has reportedly identified Dossett as a fit for the deep safety position in their defensive scheme .
An unofficial visit to Manhattan for the Texas Tech game in the fall of 2025 proved pivotal in solidifying the Wildcats’ standing. Despite a K-State loss, Dossett came away impressed with the atmosphere and culture of the program.
“The game was really good, even though they didn’t win. I still got a great feel of their atmosphere and culture. I really liked the town of Manhattan, and the facilities were very nice!” he recalled .
The Dossett Athletic Pedigree
Bryson Dossett is hardly the first elite athlete to emerge from his family. He comes from a lineage of accomplished competitors, a factor that has shaped his approach to sports and his development as a recruit .
His older brother, Mason, currently plays football at LSU after a successful high school career as a hurdler. His father, Martin Dossett, was a four-year letterman in both football and track at Baylor University and went on to play professionally for the Green Bay Packers . Even his younger sister, Addyson, has made her mark as a freshman on the Ridge Point district-champion volleyball team .
For Bryson, this family history initially created pressure to live up to the Dossett name—but that pressure has since transformed into motivation.
“When I was a kid, I felt like I had to win everything to live up to the name,” Dossett admitted in a March 2026 interview. “Now, I’m writing my own story—not living in anyone’s shadow and building my own legacy” .
That legacy is being built on both the football field and the track. Dossett is an accomplished hurdler with season-best times of 14.27 seconds in the 110-meter hurdles and 38.81 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles . He credits his track experience, particularly the hurdles, with enhancing his football athleticism.
“I’ve been doing hurdles since I was about 10 years old. I used to watch old tapes of my dad running at Baylor and just fell in love with it,” he said. “My goal is to win state in both hurdle events and beat all of my brother’s times” .
While Dossett acknowledges the potential for multi-sport participation in college, he intends to focus exclusively on football at the next level. “It’s just what I love. But track has helped me so much—endurance, explosiveness, technique. Being a hurdler really translates to football” .
What Dossett Brings to the Wildcats
Standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing approximately 180 pounds, Dossett possesses the physical tools and athletic profile that translate well to the modern defensive backfield . His track background is evident in his closing speed and burst, attributes that K-State’s coaching staff believes will serve him well as a deep safety.
Beyond his physical capabilities, Dossett demonstrates the kind of football intelligence that coaching staffs covet. He is an active student of the game, citing Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander and Philadelphia Eagles safety Cooper DeJean as players he studies on film . His academic profile—a 3.9 GPA—further reinforces the “high-character” label that multiple recruiting analysts have attached to him .
For K-State, landing a player of Dossett’s caliber represents the continuation of a successful recruiting strategy under Klieman. The Wildcats have built their program on identifying and developing talent from talent-rich states like Texas, and Dossett’s commitment suggests that approach remains effective even as the program transitions into a new era following the departure of longtime offensive coordinator Collin Klein—who was re-offered to Dossett on February 1, 2026, after taking over as the lead recruiter .
The 2027 Class Takes Shape
Dossett becomes the 11th commitment in Kansas State’s 2027 recruiting class . He joins a group that includes defensive linemen Anitoni Tahi and Dawayne Jones, quarterback Cam Kruse, offensive linemen Jack Clayborne and Canaan Smith, wide receiver David Rushing, tight end Ben Hynek, linebacker Giacamo SanFilippo, safety Julian Elzey, and linebacker Colton McComb .
The class is still in its early stages the traditional signing period for the 2027 cycle remains more than a year and a half away but the Wildcats have established an early foundation upon which to build.
For Dossett, the decision to commit prior to his scheduled official visits suggests a level of certainty about his future home. He had planned to visit Oklahoma State and Duke this summer, but those trips will no longer be necessary . It is a notable victory for K-State, particularly given the widespread belief among recruiting observers that the Cowboys were in prime position to land the Texas defensive back .
As Dossett himself put it when discussing his recruitment philosophy, the relationships with coaching staff would be the deciding factor . In the end, the long-standing connections he built in Manhattan proved more meaningful than the late push from Stillwater.
The Kansas State coaching staff will now turn its attention to retaining Dossett’s commitment through his senior season at Ridge Point and the long lead-up to signing day. Given the intensity of his recruitment and the caliber of programs that pursued him, other Power Four schools may continue their efforts to flip the Texas native. For now, however, the Wildcats have secured a commitment from a player who appears poised to carry on the Dossett athletic legacy—this time, in the purple of Kansas State.
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