#46 Brandon Archer — By donning this jersey number, freshman Darien Whitaker Jr. will be joining a proud fraternity of linebackers such as Brandon Archer (46), Jayd Kirby and (briefly in a spring game) Arthur Brown. | Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images

In which BracketCat counts down the 49th day until the 2025 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State linebacker Darien Whitaker Jr.

#46 Darien Whitaker Jr.

True Freshman | 6-3 | 244 lbs. | Baltimore, Maryland

Position: Linebacker
Previous College: None
Projection: Redshirt
Status: On Scholarship

Darien Whitaker Jr. (b. Feb. 6, 2007) is promising young linebacker from Boys Town (Neb.) High School who enrolled for spring practices but still seems likely to redshirt during 2025.

Whitaker prepped under head coach Chris Nizzi at Boys Town, where he was regarded as the 60th-best linebacker in the nation for the Class of 2025 by On3, while the organization viewed him as the seventh-best overall player in the state of Nebraska.

He was rated the sixth-best overall prospect in the state of Nebraska by 247Sports, picked up all-state and all-district honors as a senior, was a finalist for the district player of the year award, and was a finalist for Nebraska’s “Mr. Football” award by the Jet Award Foundation.

Whitaker had a great senior season in which he carded 82 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two interceptions. In all, he totaled 107 tackles in his three-year career and also tallied 1,589 career rushing yards with 25 touchdowns in addition to 361 kickoff return yards.

Whitaker, who plans on majoring in psychology, competed in basketball and the high jump.

He selected K-State over offers from Minnesota State-Mankato, Northern Iowa (from which he previously decommitted), South Florida, Southern Illinois and Washington State, as well as interest from Nebraska and South Dakota State.

Whitaker’s primary recruiter was his new position coach, Steve Stanard.

His cousin, Brian Simms III, is a linebacker at the University of Cincinnati, a Big 12 rival.