Here’s Who K-State Fans Could See Next In Line On Defensive Front
In this story:
Kansas State coach Chris Klieman had some injury updates on significant defensive players in his Monday afternoon press conference.
In addition to the statuses of these K-State stars, the team is also reeling from the losses of Marques Sigle and Jacob Parrish to the NFL Draft.
Now, fans can see who the following players in line are for the 2025 season.
“I’m confident in VJ [Payne], he played a lot of football for us. We lost two really good corners that we had, but we’re gonna play a handful of guys," Klieman said. "Donovan McIntosh, Zashon Rich, and Justice [Clemons] have maybe taken the most snaps. Jayden Rowe will help us a little bit back there, and Amarion Fortenberry will help us at cornerback. In our three-safety defense, we’ve been really impressed with Qua Moss.”
Klieman is satisfied with the strides made by the defensive backs, as the program continues to revamp its safety position.
“Qua’s really done a nice job, and Daniel Cobbs too. They’ll kind of replace where Sigle was. Wesley Fair’s had a really good camp, and Jack Fabris has had a really good camp. Because we’re down Colby and Gunner right now, some guys are duel-trained at those three safety spots,” Klieman said.
FOX SPORTS LAUDS K-STATE TIGHT ENDS AS MAJOR REPEAT FACTOR IN 2025 SUCCESS
Kansas State is aiming for greener pastures this season, particularly in the offensive strides. The program is banking on the development of junior quarterback Avery Johnson, as well as the wide receiver additions to help complement star Jayce Brown.
But an underrated unit in their offensive production could aid them again in 2025. FOX Sports highlighted the Wildcats' tight end room as a group to watch out for this season.
"The school that produced second-round draft pick Ben Sinnott two years ago keeps churning out tight ends. Garrett Oakley, Will Swanson, and Will Anciaux combined to catch 11 TD passes last season, and now they will be joined by Linkon Cure, who many recruiting services labeled the best tight end in this year's recruiting class."
The tight ends were very good at finding the end zone last season, accounting for 11 of Johnson's school-record 25 passing touchdowns. Adding five-star Linkon Cure to the mix is only projected to create a more dangerous group, with a greater threat on the perimeter instead of just short-passage situations. Cure creates a downfield presence resembling a wide receiver, elevating the passing game for Johnson to take longer shots through the air.
We'll see the first edition of this unit this Saturday against Iowa State.
More Kansas State News
Major News Outlet Pegs This K-State Group As Underrated Success Factor
Prominent Analyst Predicts K-State To Host Blue Blood In First Round Of CFP
Here Are The Early Odds, Predictions For Iowa State-Kansas State
Jayden is a journalism school graduate of Howard University. He was the 2024 recipient of the Terez Paylor scholarship award. He previously worked at the Orlando Sentinel.
Follow jaydenarmant