Right now, there’s not much happening in college sports, so naturally, preseason football rankings for 2026 are already popping up. September is over 100 days away, but it’s never too early to rank quarterbacks, coaches, mascots, or Heisman hopefuls. With that in mind, here are my ten favorite press box foods in the Big 12 just kidding. That would be a fun list to make eventually. But for now, let’s talk quarterbacks, which seem to be the hot topic. I’ve noticed several recent QB rankings, partly because few people seem optimistic about K-State senior Avery Johnson. CBS Sports has him at No. 30, ESPN at No. 21, and one random analyst on X didn’t even include him in the Big 12’s top ten. I mention that snub even from a non-reputable source mainly because K-State fans were upset about it online, but also because it highlights how much Johnson still needs to prove as a senior.
Based on what Johnson said earlier this week, I think he understands that. “In three years, I haven’t really won anything except a few bowl games,” he said. “So I’m still hungry, trying to stay humble, and focused on winning a Big 12 championship, pushing for the College Football Playoff, and chasing a national title. Personal awards are nice, but winning games is what matters most.” That’s the right mindset. Right now, Johnson is known mostly for his durability. He’s on track to break several school passing records, but he’s never won more than nine games in a season. He’s helped K-State win some nice games and two bowl victories, but he lacks a signature win as the starting QB. His career so far reminds me more of Skylar Thompson than of Collin Klein or Michael Bishop. Thompson was a solid quarterback and a great representative for K-State, but he’s not in the Ring of Honor. Fans will appreciate Johnson for his long tenure regardless of what he does next season, but if he wants to rise in national QB rankings and be mentioned alongside K-State’s best, he needs to lead the team to more wins. The fact that he recognizes this is a good sign for both him and K-State football.
Now, onto your questions. Thanks as always for sending them in.
The NFL draft is almost here. Which K-State players could be drafted this year, and which could go next year?
Keep an eye on two former Wildcats this weekend. Sam Hecht could go in the middle rounds as a center maybe Friday, otherwise early Saturday. VJ Payne is also likely to be picked; NFL teams love his speed and athleticism, making him a good mid-to-late round choice. Jerand Bradley, Desmond Purnell, and Gunner Maldonado could also sneak in as late-round picks or undrafted free agents. Looking ahead to 2027, K-State could have several more draft prospects, including Avery Johnson, George Fitzpatrick, Adrian Maddox, Jay Harris, Joe Jackson, Josh Manning, Jaron Tibbs, and Travis Bates.
Who is the biggest NFL draft bust in K-State history, and who is the biggest steal?
You could argue for Josh Freeman or Felix Anudike-Uzomah. Freeman had a few decent years with Tampa Bay (three straight 3,400+ yard seasons from 2010–12) but didn’t live up to being the 17th overall pick in 2009. Felix, unfortunately, hasn’t done much for the Chiefs he helped win a Super Bowl as a reserve, but his production hasn’t matched a first-round pick. He’s still young and could turn it around, but so far, he’s probably the biggest bust. It’s a shame, because he was a great college player.
Who else might Casey Alexander add to complete the roster? Another point guard?
Pape N’Diaye, a 7-foot Xavier forward, has been linked to K-State. If he joins as transfer No. 9, that would give Alexander 13 players for 2026–27, which might be enough even though teams can carry 15. Could they use another point guard? Sure. But I like Bradley transfer Montana Wheeler, who averaged 8.5 points and 2.8 assists as a freshman in the Missouri Valley Conference. He seems ready for the Big 12. Brandon Rechsteiner, Jaden Schutt, and Andrej Kostic also add backcourt talent. Bart Torvik projects K-State’s rebuilt roster at No. 71 nationally an improvement from No. 101 this past season. But they’ll need to exceed expectations in Year 1 under Alexander to make the NCAA Tournament. Is he good enough to pull that off? We’ll see.
David Castillo transferred to Santa Clara, Exavier Wilson to Akron, and Abdi Bashir hasn’t committed anywhere. Why didn’t they stay at K-State? They could have thrived under the new staff.
Good luck figuring out why anyone enters the transfer portal. Reasons vary more money, playing time, proximity to home, a coaching change, or just a fresh start. Coaches sometimes encourage transfers, too. In these three cases, the coaching change was likely the biggest factor. They committed to Jerome Tang, so it’s understandable if they didn’t want to play for Alexander or if Alexander didn’t want to keep them. It would have been fun to see Castillo at Bramlage again, but he seemed to need a reset. Santa Clara is a solid WCC team; he could make the NCAA Tournament there. Bashir would have been fun in Alexander’s offense, but he’s similar to Andrej Kostic. Keeping both might not have made sense. I bet he ends up in a power conference hitting threes. Like it or not, roster turnover is now a major part of college basketball.
