Drew stops by for his thoughts on the current 2026 recruiting class.
I have more recruiting updates, but I’d like to take a break from a hectic late June to process what’s going on with K-State’s 2026 recruiting class by trying to answer a few questions.
Why is this class ranked 57th nationally and 10th in the Big 12 according to On3?
After K-State’s recent run of success on the field, it seems like this recruiting class is shaping up to be a dud, which is odd.
There have been a few big in-state misses. Losing out on in-state, top 50, four-star, in-state tight end Ian Premer to Notre Dame certainly didn’t help. Neither did losing four-star K-State legacy and Manhattan resident James Dunnigan Jr. to KU. The long and short of the story is the Wildcats have been in the mix for a few big fish but have yet to land one. This isn’t projected to be a deep year for top-tier in-state talent, and that hurts in terms of recruiting rankings.
Is It Time to Panic?
Absolutely not. First off, the recruiting sites are going through a reshuffling, with On3 absorbing Rivals. The recruiting rankings feel like they’re lagging a little this year. Now that the merger has gone through, I expect things to return to normal, in terms of evaluations, over the next couple of months.
Quarterback Miles Teodecki recently received a four-star evaluation from ESPN, and linebacker DJ Ackerson is verging on four-star status with an overall rating of 89 (90 is four-star). Offensive tackle Keegan Collins and cornerback Brandon Ford both have overall ratings of 88, according to On3.
There is room for improvement for a few of the guys already in the class.
Is K-State currently in consideration for any four-star recruits?
Keep an eye on four-star edge rusher Tucker Ashford out of Fort Worth. He visited Manhattan in the spring and is thought to be a Wildcat lean over Houston. I like K-State’s chances competing against Houston over Notre Dame, no offense to the Cougars.
Ronnelle Johnson, a four-star edge out of Blue Springs, Missouri, visited Manhattan in September. I’m not sure where things stand with him at the moment, but he considered a K-State lean at one point and may still be leaning that way.
Other than that, Premer was the real jewel of this class for the coaching staff. I don’t see another four-star, top 100 type on the board at the moment.
Reasons for Optimism?
There are some serious high-upside, low-floor recruits already in this class.
HD Davis puts up video game numbers at running back for a tiny high school in Texas. DJ Ackerson is undersized but over-speeded for a linebacker. Miles Teodecki led his team to a shocking state Championship in Texas last season, helping his team win three straight as the presumed underdog on the way to hoisting the trophy. Kingston Hall is a 270-pound defensive tackle who puts up respectable times in the 100 and 800 (!!!!!) meter dash for his high school track team. Lawson McGraw would be ranked higher if he didn’t play five different positions for his high school team. I could keep going, but I think you’ve probably already landed on the theme of this recruiting class: High Upside.
Current Thoughts on the 2026 Class
As I mentioned above, it lacks a real top-end talent like Lincoln Cure, Gus Hawkins, or Avery Johnson. Keep in mind, though, Gus Hawkins wasn’t considered a top-end talent until late in the recruiting process.
Overall, this has been a difficult recruiting board for the coaching staff to navigate. The in-state talent isn’t deep, and Kansas has made it a priority. Meanwhile, Kansas State is doing most of its work in Texas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. The coaching staff does well in those states, but it’s tough to bring home the top prize. In baseball parlance, the staff has been hitting a bunch of doubles in this class, and that’s how this class may end up: a class of high upside doubles the staff can develop.
If you’re into rankings, this isn’t going to be great, but fear not, the recruiting board for 2027 (which is apparently a real year and not the setting of a science fiction novel) sets up much better for Chris Klieman and company, especially in-state.