Kansas State didn’t just reload offensively through the transfer portal ahead of the 2026 season the defense saw major reinforcements as well.
The Wildcats were aggressive in reshaping their defensive front, bringing in six newcomers to the line. Edge rushers Elijah Hill, Jayden Bryant, and Wendell Gregory headline the group, alongside De’Arieun Hicks, Austin Ramsey, and Kamari Burns.
Two of those additions arrive from within the Big 12. Gregory transfers in from Oklahoma State University, while Burns makes the move from University of Cincinnati.
Gregory stood out on a struggling Cowboys squad, finishing with four sacks and a forced fumble despite the team’s winless conference campaign. Burns, meanwhile, saw limited action at Cincinnati, appearing in just two games in 2025 and totaling 11 tackles with half a sack.
Gregory is the lone four-star prospect among the defensive line additions, with the others rated as three-stars. Still, portal success often hinges more on experience and timing than recruiting rankings. With the right rotation and development, this revamped unit could quickly become one of the conference’s most disruptive.
Kansas State also saw several departures along the defensive front, including Jayshawn Ross, Asher Tomaszewski, Chiddi Obiazor, Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, Tobi Osunsanmi, Ryan Davis, and Truman Griffith.
Linebacker room adds two key pieces
The Wildcats brought in just two linebackers one of the smaller incoming groups by position but both could contribute right away.
Jacobi Oliphant Jr., another transfer from Oklahoma State, recorded 27 tackles and two sacks in 2025 over two seasons with the Cowboys. He reunites with Gregory after Oklahoma State’s 1-11 year.
Mekhi Mason heads to Manhattan from Louisiana Tech University. Mason earned Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week honors early in the season and wrapped up the year with 68 tackles (29 solo), 3.5 sacks, and four impact plays that swung scoring margins.
Outgoing linebackers include Maguire Richman, Jake Clifton, Austin Romaine, and Ralph Ortiz.
Special teams gets a boost
Kansas State also added three specialists through the portal: long snapper Jaxson Duffield, kicker Robert Hammond III, and punter Dylan Davidson.
Duffield arrives from Oklahoma State, where he handled snapping duties on punts, field goals, and extra points. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 10 long snapper prospect in 2025 coming out of Owasso High School in Oklahoma.
Hammond transfers from University of Toledo, where his longest field goal last season was a 50-yarder. He split his attempts from 40–49 yards, converting one and missing one.
Davidson joins from the Division II ranks, rounding out a special teams overhaul that adds experience across the board.
With new faces strengthening the defensive line, linebacker corps, and special teams unit, Kansas State’s defensive transformation could make the Wildcats a serious threat heading into 2026.
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