Wildcats Must Rebuild Wide Receiver Room After Portal Decimates Position Group

Update on the former Kansas State receivers who elected to transfer following the closing of the portal window.

Former Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Jayce Brown (1) looks for the next play during the first half against the North Dakota Fighting Hawks at Bill Snyder Family Stadium on Aug. 30, 2025. | Evert Nelson/The Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Wildcats had an eventful offseason following a disappointing 6-6 season in 2025, hiring a new head coach and experiencing extensive roster turnover.

New head coach Collin Klein faced a major challenge in retaining talent originally recruited by former head coach Chris Klieman, losing 32 players to the transfer portal.

Kansas State lost many impact players to the transfer portal, with some position groups being hit harder than others.

One position in particular for the Wildcats is wide receiver, a position in which they had four players elect to transfer following the conclusion of the 2025 season, including their leading receiver.

The Wildcats underwent several assistant coaching changes, opting not to retain Matthew Middleton as the wide receivers coach and ultimately signing a familiar face, Thad Ward, to the same position.

Departing Wildcat Transfer: Jayce Brown

Oct 25, 2025; Lawrence, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Jayce Brown (1) celebrates against the Kansas Jayhawks after a catch and run during the first half of the game at David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Jayce Brown entered the transfer portal on December 16th, 2025, following his third season with the Wildcats.

Through his three seasons with Kansas State, Brown recorded 115 catches for 1,972 receiving yards and 13 receiving touchdowns. Brown was the Wildcats' receiving yards leader in both the 2024 and the 2025 seasons, moving him to 8th all-time on the Kansas State career receiving yards list.

Brown is a four-star transfer, ranked as the 20th wide receiver and the 162nd player nationally in the 2026 transfer class by On3.

The 6-foot-0, 179-pound wide receiver from Fort Walton Beach, Florida, decided on his transfer destination rather quickly, committing to the LSU Tigers on January 7th, 2026. Brown will have one season of eligibility remaining with the Tigers and still has a redshirt season remaining.

Departing Wildcat Transfer: Callen Barta

Callen Barta (19) reacts after a loose ball during the Kansas Shrine Bowl, June 29, 2024, at Emporia State University. | Jesse Bruner/Special to the Capital-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK

Callen Barta entered the transfer portal on December 8th, 2025, following two seasons with Kansas State. Barta didn't get much playing time with the Wildcats, not recording a stat with the team through his two seasons.

Barta signed with Kansas State as a three-star safety in the 2024 recruiting class, ranked as the 123rd safety and the 8th player from the state of Kansas by On3. Barta would make the switch to wide receiver in the spring of 2025.

Barta is a three-star transfer, ranked as the 283rd receiver and the 1989th transfer nationally in the 2026 transfer class by 247 On3.

The 6-foot-1, 188-pound wide receiver from Topeka, Kansas, committed to NCAA Division 2, Emporia State on January 10th, 2026. Barta will have three seasons of Eligibility remaining for the Hornets, using his redshirt in 2024.

Departing Wildcat Transfer: Jacques Spradley-Demps

Oct 11, 2025; Manhattan, Kansas, USA; Kansas State Wildcats mascot Willie Wildcat poses before the team arrives at the stadium for a game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Sewell-Imagn Images | Scott Sewell-Imagn Images

Jacques Spradley-Demps entered the transfer portal on December 7th, 2025, following two seasons with limited playing time.

Spradley-Demps finished his second season with the Wildcats without recording a stat in his college career. Spradley-Demps signed with Kansas State as a three-star wide receiver in the 2024 class, ranked as the 118th wide receiver and the 112th player in the state of Texas by On3.

He is a three-star transfer, ranked as the 188th wide receiver and the 1818th transfer in the 2026 class by On3.

The 6-foot-1, 214-pound wide receiver from Pflugerville, Texas, remains uncommitted following the closing of the transfer portal window on January 16th, 2026. Spradley-Demps will have three seasons of eligibility remaining after entering the portal following the conclusion of his redshirt freshman season.

Departing Wildcat Transfer: Jemyri Davis

Sep 12, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Kansas State Wildcats mascot Willie runs out with his team before the start of the game against the Arizona Wildcats at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images | Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Jemyri Davis entered the transfer portal on December 3rd, 2025, following his first and only season with Kansas State. In Davis's season with the Wildcats, he saw limited action, playing in two games and totaling 2 catches for 8 yards.

Davis signed with the Wildcats from Trinity Valley Community College as part of the 2025 recruiting class, where he was ranked as the 6th wide receiver and the 39th Juco player nationally by On3.

Davis is a three-star transfer, ranked as the 247th wide receiver and the 1724th transfer in the 2026 class by On3. The 6-foot-0, 172-pound wide receiver from Fort Worth, Texas, committed to the Memphis Tigers on January 18th, 2026, via a post on his X.

He will have one season of eligibility remaining with the Tigers and has yet to use his redshirt season.

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