#55 Hayden Gillum — Everyone’s favorite starting center and unofficial Culver’s spokesman, Hayden Gillum (55), has graduated and moved on to new marketing campaigns. Into his shoes and No. 55 jersey has stepped freshman offensive lineman Kyle Rakers. | Photo by Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In which BracketCat counts down the 55th day until the 2025 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State offensive lineman Kyle Rakers.

#55 Kyle Rakers

Redshirt Freshman | 6-3 | 294 lbs. | Norwalk, Iowa

Position: Offensive Line
Previous College: None
Projection: Co-Second-String
Status: On Scholarship

Kyle Rakers (b. Oct. 7, 2005) is a promising offensive guard from Dowling Catholic High School in Iowa who enrolled in spring 2024 and is majoring in architectural engineering.

He redshirted and did not play in 2024 so as to add more strength and muscle to his frame.

Rakers prepped under head coach Tom Wilson at Dowling Catholic, where he was rated the 71st-best offensive guard nationally in the Class of 2024 by ESPN, and viewed as the 10th-best overall prospect in the state of Iowa by both 247Sports and ESPN.

A three-year starter, he helped the Maroons to a combined 19-4 record during his final two seasons and was named to The Des Moines Register All-Iowa Elite Team among all classes as both a junior and a senior, in addition to first-team all-state honors in both seasons.

Rakers also earned first-team all-state honors as both a junior and senior from the Iowa Football Coaches Association and Iowa Print Sports Writers Association.

He helped the Maroons to rush for 1,988 yards, pass for 1,402 yards and score total 42 touchdowns during his senior campaign.

Rakers committed to K-State over offers from Boston College, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Miami (Ohio), Michigan State, Missouri, Nebraska, Northern Illinois, Oklahoma State, Purdue, Tulane and UNLV, as well as recruiting interest from Arkansas, Cincinnati, Iowa, Minnesota and Notre Dame.

His primary recruiter was his former position coach, ex-offensive coordinator Conor Riley.

I project Rakers to battle with Michael Capria for the right to back up Sam Hecht at center.