#96 Joe Davies — It sure is weird to see a defensive lineman’s number like Joe Davies’ No. 96 on a place kicker: Redshirt junior walk-on Leyton Simmering. | Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

In which BracketCat counts down the 96th day until the 2025 kickoff with a profile of Kansas State kicker Leyton Simmering.

#96 Leyton Simmering

Redshirt Junior | 6-0 | 173 lbs. | Rosemount, Minnesota

Position: Kicker
Previous College: None
Projection: Co-Starter
Status: Preferred Walk-On

Leyton Simmering (b. Sept. 5, 2003) is a preferred walk-on (is that even still a thing after House?) place kicker from Rosemount High School in Minnesota who is majoring in aeronautical technology with the hope of eventually becoming a pilot.

Considered the top senior kicker from Minnesota, he redshirted in 2022 and entered 2023 as Chris Tennant’s primary challenger for kicking duties.

Tennant proved more solid than he had in 2022, though Simmering was able to see limited action, going 1 for 2 on extra points with his successful conversion coming against SEMO.

However, he did not see any game action in 2024. I give Simmering the edge over incoming freshman kicker Cub Patton by virtue of his experience, but it’s not by a large margin and I could easily see both of them attempting kicks in games that matter this season.

An All-District selection who also was a member of Rosemount’s state soccer squad, Simmering lettered three years for the Irish under head coach Jeff Erdmann.

He was rated the 23rd-best kicker in the Class of 2022 by National Kicking Rankings.

An all-state performer who was true on 19 of 25 field-goal attempts and 111 of 120 extra-point attempts during his career, Simmering also averaged 66.4 yards and totaled 27 touchbacks during his senior campaign, while he averaged 39.0 yards per punt.

He lettered twice in soccer, earning all-conference honors; three years in track and field, helping the 4×200 meter relay team to set the school record; and five years in alpine skiing.

Lettering also was named the Rosemount High School Athlete of the Year. He chose to walk on at K-State over a scholarship offer after decommitting from North Dakota in late 2021.