Kstate

2027 Texas 4-Star DL Recaps Game Day Visit to Kansas State

Denton (TX) Guyer High School 2027 defensive lineman Khyren Haywood was in Manhattan last weekend to see the Wildcats take on Texas Tech. He is rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals/On3.
Julio Gonzales, Jr.|
Kansas State Wildcats mascot Willie poses for a photo.
Kansas State Wildcats mascot Willie poses for a photo. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

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Kansas State Wildcats

Last Saturday afternoon, Bill Snyder Family Stadium was bustling with recruits as Kansas State faced off against the #13 Texas Tech Red Raiders. Among the recruits in attendance was Khyren Haywood, a 2027 our-star defensive lineman from Guyer High School in Denton, Texas. I caught up with him to discuss his visit to Manhattan and his recruitment.

Khyren Haywood recruiting profile
Khyren Haywood recruiting profile | On3/Rivals

His recruitment  

The 6-foot-2, 275-pound Haywood is rated as a four-star defensive lineman by Rivals/On3. According to the Rivals Industry Ranking, he is ranked No. 312 nationally, No. 35 among defensive linemen in the country, and No. 45 among recruits in Texas. Meanwhile, the 247Sports Composite ranks him as a three-star recruit, placing him No. 398 nationally, No. 45 among defensive linemen, and No. 56 among recruits in Texas.

Haywood has offers from Arizona State, Baylor, Houston, SMU, North Texas, TCU, Texas Tech, Ole Miss, Arkansas, UTSA, Oregon, Pittsburgh, Kansas State, Texas, Purdue, Texas A&M, LSU, Syracuse, Tulane, California, USC, Arizona, Sacramento State, Florida State, Washington, Memphis, Washington State, and Stanford.

He received an offer from the Wildcats on June 1, 2024, while attending the SMU Mega Camp, where he spoke with Defensive Tackles coach Mike Tuiasosopo. Since then, he has built a strong relationship with both Tuiasosopo and defensive ends coach Buddy Wyatt. "I was offered by Kansas State going into my sophomore year after the SMU mega camp. Coach Mike told me he liked what he saw in me during the season and also at the camp. It was nice to know they were following me during the season. I have a great relationship with Coach Mike and Coach Wyatt, who are both great coaches! They have a lot of knowledge about the defensive line, and also just the game of football. They care about me as a person, and it is more than just football when it comes to both of them, " Haywood said.

Visit to Kansas State

Haywood was among the many K-State recruiting targets present on Saturday. Despite the outcome, he was impressed by what he observed, not only from the Wildcats but also from the fans and the overall environment. "Even though K-State didn't come out on top today, they played with great amounts of effort and energy. What stood out to me was the atmosphere for sure! It was 45 minutes before game time, and the student was going crazy for the team warmups, and you don't see a lot, so that's special. I got to speak with a lot of coaches today, but mainly Coach Tuiasosopo and Coach Wyatt. It was great talking with them both. They have great knowledge of the game, and anything they say, you soak it all in."

Haywood also had great things to say about the Kansas State program. "K-State is full of football tradition. That's something any football player would love. You can tell the coaches care about success, and K-State has had a winning record for a very long time, so that's saying a lot."

Season at Denton Guyer

The Denton Guyer Wildcats currently have an overall record of 7-2, with an impressive 6-0 in District 5-6A. They are preparing for another deep playoff run as they finish the regular season against the Denton Braswell Bengals on Thursday. Their only two losses this season were against the perennial powerhouse, the Aledo Bearcats, and the defending Class 6A Division I State Champion, the North Crowley Panthers. "The season is going great. We started a little slow, but we lost a lot on the offensive side of the ball; it's coming together. We need to make a strong playoff run."

Through nine games this season, Haywood has recorded 42 tackles, 15 quarterback hurries, 14.5 tackles for a loss, 6.5 sacks, and an interception for the Wildcats.

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Julio Gonzales, Jr.
JULIO GONZALES, JR.

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