With first-year head coach Collin Klein at the helm, Kansas State football has entered a fresh chapter. He’s already shown promise based on the Wildcats’ performance this spring, but maintaining momentum on the recruiting trail will be essential.
Top three positional needs for Kansas State football in 2027
Starting quarterback Avery Johnson heads into the 2026 season with just one year of eligibility left. By this time next year, attention will turn to identifying his successor.
Over the past three seasons, Johnson has proven his effectiveness both as a backup and a starter. He previously shared the quarterback room with Will Howard and has elevated his play significantly in the last two years.
In the eyes of many fans, Johnson embodies the ideal Kansas State quarterback: an in-state recruit who ranked among the nation’s top high school prospects. Staying home simply made sense.
One name in the 2027 class who could follow Johnson is Tennessee prospect Cam Kruse. Originally from Olathe and now based in Franklin, TN, Kruse is a three-star recruit. He committed to the Wildcats over offers from Miami, West Virginia, and Northwestern. If he makes an early impression, he could emerge as the clear frontrunner for the starting job next season.
Depth in the trenches
Kansas State didn’t just lose Sam Hecht, a standout center and team leader, to the 2026 NFL Draft they lost one of the nation’s top offensive linemen. This season, his former backup Kyle Rakers is expected to step in. Fortunately, Rakers is still young and entering his sophomore year. Beyond replacing Hecht’s talent, the Wildcats need to find a player with similar durability and longevity. Currently, only three-star Texas native Canaan Smith is listed as a “Hard Commit” by 247Sports, though that could shift in the coming months.
Help in the secondary
Like the offensive line, the secondary has lost starting safety VJ Payne, who was drafted in the seventh round by the New York Jets. Safety will be a position to watch for continued evaluation and growth. With several players still competing on the roster, it’s unclear who will win the starting job this season. The key takeaway: the competition is fierce.
The Wildcats’ defense played a pivotal role in the 2023 Pop-Tarts Bowl and has been a deciding factor in rivalries with Kansas and Iowa State. When recruiting, maintaining depth in the secondary is a critical priority. That means keeping experienced playmakers and continuing to pursue top recruits in next year’s class, all while building the secondary into an elite core of the roster.
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