Kansas State Stays Active in Portal With Defensive Line Addition
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As visits stalled for the dead period, head coach Collin Klein and his staff stayed aggressive in the portal with the addition of impressive Kennesaw State freshman EDGE rusher Elijah Hill.
His commitment was the second straight day Klein's staff landed a commitment from a transfer pass rusher.
Hill enjoyed an impressive debut, displaying an elite combination of youth and production. His upside makes him one of the most intriguing additions of the portal cycle.
Kansas State Addresses Portal Losses Head-On
Despite a dead period in place keeping athletes from visiting from Jan. 12-14, Kansas State remained focus on adding impact additions to its portal haul.
A total of 30 former Wildcats departed from last season’s roster, creating immediate needs across multiple position groups.
BREAKING: Kansas State lands a commitment from freshman EDGE Elijah Hill🏡
— 785 Sports (@785SportsKSU) January 14, 2026
Hill is the 20th ranked EDGE and the 185th overall transfer. He tallied 9 sacks as a freshman this season🤯 pic.twitter.com/FzvEnbVTdL
Edge rusher quickly became the program’s most urgent priority. Kansas State lost key contributors Tobi Osunsanmi and Chiddi Obiazor, both of whom transferred to Indiana, leaving a noticeable gap on the outside. Rather than easing into the portal, Klein and his staff attacked it, focusing on young linemen with proven production and multiple years of eligibility. Hill fits that vision perfectly.
Hill arrives in Manhattan after a breakout 2025 season that put him on the national radar. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Arkansas native and three-time high school state champion earned first-team All-Conference USA honors while helping Kennesaw State win its first conference championship.
His numbers were exceptional, especially for a freshman. Hill finished the season with 22 total tackles, including 11.5 tackles for loss and nine sacks. Those nine sacks led Conference USA and stood as the most by any FBS freshman during the 2025 season.
Advanced metrics further highlight his impact. Pro Football Focus credited Hill with 37 total pressures, including 23 quarterback hurries and three quarterback hits. PFF evaluators also awarded him two additional sacks, giving him a total of 11 and placing him among the top 50 graded pass rushers in college football.
Kansas State Betting on Development and Upside
Despite the production, Hill remains a developing player. He logged 299 total snaps last season, with 211 coming as a pass rusher and only 86 against the run.
Kansas State is comfortable with that projection. Hill was not rated by major recruiting services coming out of high school and was primarily recruited by FCS and Division II programs before landing at Kennesaw State. After entering the portal, On3 ranked him as the 20th-best edge rusher available, a sign of both his production and his untapped ceiling.
His commitment comes shortly after Kansas State added former Oklahoma State standout Wendell Gregory, who ranked as the fourth-best edge rusher in the portal. Together, they form a promising foundation for the Wildcats’ 2026 pass rush.
Hill becomes the 23rd transfer addition for Kansas State during this portal cycle, reflecting a wide-ranging roster overhaul. With three years of eligibility remaining, he represents a long-term building block for the defense.
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Shayni Maitra is a sports girl through and through writing about everything from locker room drama to game-day legends in the NFL and NBA. She’s covered the action for outlets like College Sports Network, Sportskeeda, EssentiallySports, NB Media, and PinkVilla, blending sharp takes with a deep love for storytelling. Whether it’s college football rivalries, Olympic gold-chasers, or the off-field chaos that keeps Twitter alive, Shayni brings the heat with heart—and just the right amount of humor.